THE WORD AND THE FEAST
July 26, 2021: Celebrating Sts. Joachim and Anne
Exodus 20: 1-17; Matthew 13: 16-17
Christian faith is always communitarian and it is passed primarily in the family.
Recently someone observed to me, sharing on the level of faith being lived (or
practiced) in Europe vis-a-vis in India, that one major reason for the
degeneration in Europe is the weakening of the institution of the family. Those
who hand on faith to us are really God-given. Most important among them, our
parents and grandparents who not only give us life but show us also how to live
it, from their own experience.
Celebrating a day to remember the parents of Mary, the Mother of God and our
Mother, provides us an opportunity to remember with thanks these our
fore-runners in faith, as the first reading suggests, 'let us praise famous
persons, our parents in their generations. These were persons of mercy, whose
righteous deeds have not been forgotten' (Sir 44:1,10). Infact, thanks to
them, we are in a position better than them due to their hard work, great
example and their dreams for us! Jesus acknowledges that in his words (Mt
13:16-17) and exhorts us to live up to our blessedness, our giftedness, worthy
of the faith and tradition that is transmitted to us, from our
predecessors.
For a few years now, I have been sharing this reflection, that maybe, a grateful remembrance of our grandparents dedicating this day to them would be in place. And finally Pope Francis, this year had announced the World Grandparents' Day in the Church to be celebrated to the closest Sunday to the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne. Accordingly, the first World Grandparents' day in the Church was celebrated yesterday! How lovely it is to think of these loving persons in our lives! And you, if you have the fortune of having them still with you, give them a bear hug and say a big thanks! And if they are no more, remember them with love and gratitude! Whatever be the case, let us
celebrate them!