O Lord, God of
our Fathers, who bestowed on Saints Joachim and Anne this grace, that of them should
be born the Mother of your incarnate Son, grant, through the prayers of both,
that we may attain the salvation you have promised to your people.
Today's the liturgical memorial of Saints Ann and Joachim, the parents of Mary, the Mother of God and the grandparents of Jesus. In the simplest understanding is that the Church remembers the Lord's family members. But let's move beyond this initial thought and look more closely at the collect noted above: the priest prays that through the intercession of Ann and Joachim salvation may be given to us as promised to God's people.
Historically we know that Ann and Joachim existed; their biographies are unknown to us. What we do learn from sacred Tradition is the approach Ann and Joachim took to the action of the Divine Majesty in their lives. They trusted in God.
The Church brings to our awareness the lines of grace in a historical fashion. The prayer reminds us of Jesus' humanity and the promise God the Father made to His people: His Presence among us; an offer for salvation. This feast is clearly interpreted for us in the first reading from Sirach and the psalm. There we hear the beautiful words of promise, of remembrance, of relationship.
