MEMORIAL OF STS. JOACHIM & ANNE, PARENTS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY - 2021

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

They looked forward to Israel’s comforting
and the Holy Spirit rested upon them. LK 2:25

ECCLESIASTICUS 44:1,10-15 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

While it is true that holy men and women have left a lasting impression in the memory of the Church and their legacy continues to inspire all subsequent generations who come after them, there are countless ordinary people who through the ages have lived extraordinary lives quietly, unobtrusively, but have left their mark on the lives that were within their small circle of influence. 

Mary was born of holy, godfearing parents, she was God's gift to them and they nurtured this precious little pearl and helped her to grow, bloom, and blossom under their loving gaze and in the safety and shelter of their little home where God reigned supreme. 

The Church recognizes the undeniable and extraordinary influence for good in the home where children are received and welcomed as a precious gift from God. Where parents are respected by their adult children, And where parents and children respect, love, and care for the elderly members of their family.

It is the work of a lifetime to raise holy, godfearing, righteous children and in our present world, a fierce battle rages to steal, plunder, and the souls of the little children. Even though the battle may be ongoing the victory is won. You will continue to raise ordinary souls to the heights of extraordinary holiness with the help of grace that is poured into our lives by the Holy Spirit through the Sacraments. Thank You. 

PSALM 132:11,13-14,17-18 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The Old Testament speaks of God's pledge to choose a son of David to sit on the throne. God chose Abraham from among all the nations from whom he would make a great nation. Abraham and Sara had one son, Isaac, but God fulfilled his promise of giving him descendants as many as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the shore. 

God makes impossible and inconceivable promises and He fulfills every one of them. You, my Lord, are not a son of David but Your foster father, St. Joseph was and as Your foster father and legal guardian You inherited his lineage. To You is given a throne far greater than the throne that David sat on and Your kingdom is everlasting. 

It pleased God to choose Israel and its people as His inheritance. The Messiah of the world was born of a virgin who was a daughter of Israel and the daughter of Sts. Joachim and Anne, Mary. Her lap was the throne of God. Her breasts gave Him life. Her blood coursed through His veins, and she gave Him His Body.

From Joachim and Anne came Mary, the flower of Israel, from the line of David came St. Joseph a man after God's own heart and pure as the lily is pure. And the greatest treasure and salvation of the Church and the world came into the world from this humble, insignificant, unknown little family in Nazareth - our God is the God of the impossible, the inconceivable, the unknowable, the unsearchable but He can be found to those who hunger and thirst for Him and all who do will be saved.

‘There David’s stock will flower;

I will prepare a lamp for my anointed.
I will cover his enemies with shame
but on him my crown shall shine.’

MATTHEW 13:16-17 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

How extraordinarily blessed we are to live in this present moment in time. Great good and great evil have always lived side by side like the wheat and darnel but by coming into the world and redeeming it, good has triumphed over evil.

In this age of great advancement in technology, development, and easy access to information not many can honestly claim to be ignorant of You. Even if their perceptions of You may be skewed, incorrect, and absolutely, categorically, and absurdly wrong, they have heard of You. Today, it is time for all people of goodwill to pay close attention to the words You spoke to Your disciples and understand that You are also addressing us who are called by Your Name. 

‘Happy are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear! I tell you solemnly, many prophets and holy men longed to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.’

It is not enough for us to individually see, to hear, and believe, it is far, far more important and imperative to spend our lives being the light and salt of the earth so many can see, hear, and believe and be saved. Every disciple will be held accountable for not preaching the Gospel by our lives.