Who was Saint Anne and Saint Joachim? We know very little about them. If so little is said about the Virgin Mary in the Holy Scriptures because God wanted to leave her hidden and humiliated, then about St. Anne and Joachim, her parents, are not spoken to at all. We know their names from ancient traditions. We know that Anne was barren. So what to say about her? How can we be encouraged by their example if we don’t know anything about them altogether? I think it is enough that they were the parents of the Virgin Mary. I will help myself with the words of St. John of Damascene, this author from the turn of the 7th and 8th centuries, to express what the Virgin Mary’s parents mean to us: “O blessed couple, Joachim and Anne!
The whole creation is in debt to you because, through you, it brought to the Creator a gift surpassing all gifts, a noble mother, the only one worthy of him who created her.” What would the parents like if the daughter were the Mother of God? St. John explains: “Blessed couple, Joachim and Anne, truly whole and without blemish! They recognized you from the fruit of your womb, as the Lord said somewhere: «By their fruits you will know them.» You lived godly and worthy of the one you gave birth to. You led a pure and pious life and brought forth the beauty of virginity.” Yes, a tree can be recognized by its fruit. If the daughter is full of grace and unblemished, then her parents are saints.
St. Joachim and Anne are our best education teachers. They raised the Mother of God. How did they proceed? What did they try to give their child? Did they want her to dress nicely, to have everything that was asked of her? Did they want Maria to be pretty and well-traveled, to have schools, and to be respected in society? Were they trying to keep her busy and, god forbid, not get tired? Not! First of all, they led her to God, to holiness and righteousness before God. “Joachim and Anna,” continues St. John of Damascus, “sowed for righteousness” and reaped “fruit of life”. They lit up the “light of knowledge”, diligently sought the Lord, and the fruit of righteousness came to them.” These holy parents planted love for God and neighbor in Mary’s heart daily, protected her purity, and carefully cultivated good habits. They did not care as much for her clothes as her spiritual beauty. Then, they could enjoy her: “Rejoice, most blessed Anna, because you have given birth to a girl!” … You will bring this girl before God, the King of all, “clothed”, as it were, with “golden fabrics”, the beauty of the virtues and adorned with the grace of the Spirit, whose “glory is within.”
Let’s learn from St. Anne and St. Joachim! The luster and glory of this world are passing away. Not if you give your children what you see in their eyes will make them happy. But if you prepare them for life, teach them to love God and lead them to a pure and moral life and virtues. The Virgin Mary is the most incredible woman in history. Her parents certainly did not regret that they led her strictly but with a love of holiness. Humanity is still grateful to them for what they brought up. God, the Church, the nation, and society need such parents today. God chose her child for great things. They cooperated with reverence to promote the growth in the grace of their little Mary. Thanks to their discipleship to the Holy Spirit, they cooperated in the sanctification of Mary. Who knows what God is calling your children to do? He certainly has big plans for them in his economy of salvation. Let’s pray that all parents like St. Anne and St. Joachim will be teachable.
