Memorial of Saints
Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(Jeremiah 2: 1-3.7-8.12-13; Matthew 13:10-17)
Anne and Joachim are recognized as the parents of the
Blessed Virgin Mary. They are not
mentioned in Scripture and known only from the dubitable “Gospel of James.” It is
fashionable today to think of them as the grandparents of Jesus, but there is
no link of them to him at all. Still
positive conjectures may be made of them.
Because Mary is knowledgeable of the Old Testament, it is likely that Anne
and Joachim formed her in this way. They
probably avoided the pitfalls to which today’s readings refer.
Jeremiah’s oracle speaks of Israel having grown cynical with
age. The people have come to take for
granted the goodness of God. They no
longer dream that their faithfulness to the Covenant promises them a glorious future. In the gospel Jesus tells his disciples that
many hear his parables not as the metaphors that he intends but as
riddles. Their minds have been closed
with the passing of years to the possibilities that God offers in Jesus.
We must guard against the pitfalls of cynicism and
despair. It may seem incredible that we
will be raised from the dead with all other followers of Jesus’ law of
love. But that has been the promise
since Jesus’ own resurrection. Now we
must learn from him how to love truly from the heart.
