Homily for Thursday, 26 July 2018– Memorial of Sts. Anne and Joachim, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Thursday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time

Readings of the day: Sirach 44:1, 8, 10-15; Psalm 132:11, 13-14, 17-18; Matthew 13:16-17

When Jesus blesses his disciples, “Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it,” to what is Jesus referring that these righteous ancestors of his disciples did not see or hear?

We might suppose that Jesus is speaking of his own presence in the world, the remarkable event of God taking on human flesh and physically living among us, which his disciples’ ancestors would not have had the chance to experience. But our Gospel does not give us any more detail as to what Jesus’ disciples were blessed to see and hear that their ancestors were not.

On this note, I wonder what the lived experience of Sts. Anne and Joachim, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was. Would they have figured out that God had chosen their daughter Mary for a unique purpose, to bear, raise, and accompany the Son of God as his first disciple, from cradle to cross to heaven? Did Anne and Joachim ever comprehend that, for this purpose of being the Mother of God, Mary had been protected from the moment of her conception from original sin? What would their response have been when Mary became pregnant with Jesus, supposedly by the Holy Spirit? Were Joachim and Anne present at Jesus’ birth? How well, if at all, did Jesus know his maternal grandparents?

Many books, and movies, and even gospel accounts outside the Bible have speculated on answers to these questions, but the Biblical Gospels are silent about Sts. Joachim and Anne.

Still, I think of Sts. Joachim and Anne, Jesus’ grandparents, through my experience of my grandparents. I am fortunate to have known three of my four grandparents, one of whom, my dad’s mom, is still living. I remember my grandfather’s— Mom’s dad’s— sense of humour, his pride in being able to be of service even in little ways, his collection of tales and sayings from the army and as-impressive collection of historical books, photos, and Alaska Highway memorabilia! Grandma (on Mom’s side) and I would switch back and forth between French and English as we conversed and read the little newspaper from Grandma’s hometown together. She also made the most exquisite jams from whatever berries we picked from her yard.

My mother’s parents lived a simple life and loved each other profoundly to the end. Dad’s mom, at 92 years old, shows a remarkable ability to adapt to a rapidly-changing world, from farm life growing up, to raising children with my grandfather, who was in the U.S. Air Force, back to the farm, and lately to delighting in her great grandchildren and mastering today’s technologies: “Hey, Google, turn my bedside light on,” or “Hey, Google, tell me about Sts. Joachim and Anne.”

As Louis Armstrong once sang, “I hear babies crying. I watch them grow. They’ll learn much more than I’ll ever know. And I think to myself: What a wonderful world.” I imagine Joachim and Anne looking upon their grandson, Jesus, in a similar way with great hope for him and for our world, despite its changes, its challenges, and its troubles. Their hope is reflected in Jesus’ blessing upon his disciples; upon us; upon future generations: “Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.” Ours is still a wonderful world.