GOD ’S GOODNESS AT WORK

Memorial of Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of the Virgin Mary

 

It is unfortunate that we do not have official biblical materials on the lives of members of the human family of Jesus. The Gospel writers, working under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, simply wrote about Jesus, His person and His ministry, with some related mention about Joseph and Mary. Perhaps this is the Holy Spirit’s way of keeping our faith focused on the essential: Jesus.

As we honor today Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandparents of Jesus, we can however apply the short Gospel passage on Joachim and Anne by accommodation. Joachim and Anne were not just privileged in the sense that it was from their bloodline that the Incarnate Jesus came. They were blessed with a long life — long enough to witness the fulfillment of the prophecies about the coming Messiah, long enough to have held Jesus in their arms, as did Simeon in the Temple.

I remember two related experiences: First, I used to hear my maternal grandmother mention to our relatives and friends that part of her daily intercession before God is to ask for the blessing of being able to live long enough to see us, children of her only offspring, graduate college. Second, I recall that whenever I solemnize a wedding, one beautiful part of the nuptial blessing is to ask God to let the newly-wedded couple “live to see their children, and their children’s children... in their happy old age.”

Our Gospel proclamation makes us realize: long life and happy old age are not simply prayer requests for oneself. To live long happily is a grace to see God alive and at work in our descendants. To live long and age graciously is to be given the grace to praise and worship God concretely for all His goodness to one’s family. To live long and age graciously is to be blessed with a vocation to lead one’s family to deeper spirituality and prayer. So, start invoking this blessing now — for yourself and for your family.Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

 

Reflection Question:

What are your earnest prayers for yourself and the rest of your family?

 

Father God, I pray for my family. May all of us be an instrument to bring one another closer to You. Amen.

 

St. Valens, pray for us.