JOACHIM AND ANN

Saints Joachim and Ann    

            We celebrate today the feast of Sts. Joachim and Ann, the parents of Mary. Although the actual names of the grandparents of Jesus are not known, popular tradition – not historical fact or biblical account – refers to them as Joachim and Ann. We do not know much about them; they are not even mentioned in the Bible. So, why do we honor them? Why do we celebrate their feast?

            Totoo, wala tayong gaanong alam tungkol sa buhay at pagkatao ng mga magulang ni Maria – at ng mga     lolo’t lola ni Hesus. Pero kung ang pagbabatayan ng pagkakikilala natin sa kanila ay ang ‘bunga’ ng kanilang pagsasama at pagmamahalan, maasabi nating may sapat tayong pagkakakilala sa kanila. May kasabihan, “Nakikilala ang puno sa kanyang bunga.”Hindi na natin kailangan pang talakayin kung gaano ito katotoo sa kaso ng mga magulang ni Maria.

            We can be sure that Joachim and Ann had no idea how great they were. They probably never lived long enough to know who their grandson was. All they did was to try to be the best persons and the best parents that God had intended them to be.

            We need more ‘Joachims’ and ‘Anns’ today. We need parents who, like Joachim and Ann, make the basis of their greatness the sanctification and salvation of their children.

We need parents who teach their children to obey God’s will – instead of just following their own wishes as parents or just pursuing their selfish ambition.
We need parents who form their children in the Christian values and who serve as good example or role model to them – instead of just allowing them to be formed and deformed by the distorted values of materialism and secularism.
We need parents who accept their children as they are, able to love them unreservedly and unconditionally, and who are really proud of them, not because of their worldly achievements, accomplishments, and successes, because of what they have become before God – that is, faithful followers of Jesus, good stewards of God’s gifts.

            Kailangan natin ng mga magulang na ang magiging pangunahing pangarap ay ang makapagbuo ng isang matibay at matatag na tahanan, at hindi lang ang makapagtayo ng malaki at magarang bahay; magkaroon ng pamilyang may pagmamalasakitan at pagmamahalan, at hindi lang magkamal ng mga materyal na yaman at ari-arian. magkaroon ng mga anak na marunong magbigay-buhay sa iba sa pamamagitan ng pagtulong at paglilingkod, lalo na sa mahihirap, at hindi lang mga anak na marunong maghanap-buhay at magpayaman.

            Let us pray in this Eucharist that we may imitate Sts. Joachim and Ann. With the help of their prayer and inspiration, let us strive to be the best persons that God intended us to be – because, really, nothing else matters. Let us pray that the Lord may help us realize that it is not what we think about our lives that is important; but rather, it is what God thinks of our lives.