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July 26th: Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Gospel text
Mt 13,16-17
Mt 13,16-17
Jesus said to his disciples, «But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears, because they hear. For I tell you that many prophets and upright people would have longed to see the things you see, but they did not, and to hear the things you hear, but they did not hear it».
Gospel's Commentary
Today we remember that an ancient Christian tradition, dated already in the second century, attributes the names of Joachim and Anne to the parents of the Virgin Mary, the grandparents of Jesus. Tradition says they took 20 years of marriage without having children. Joachim, then retired to the desert, to obtain the desired paternity with penances and prayers. Anne intensified her pleas, imploring the grace of a son.
—Joaquin and Ana saw their constant prayer rewarded with the advent of a unique daughter, Maria. This girl, who had been conceived without original sin, was destined to be the mother of Jesus Christ.