Below is my homily for todays memorial.

Today is the memorial of St. Joachim and St. Anne, the parents of Mary, and the Grandparents of Jesus.  There is very little known about them, we receive their names in the gnostic gospel of St. James.  Stories about Mary’s parents came to us mainly through legend and tradition.

We are told they were childless and sterile into old age, and after Joachim’s fasting and prayer in the desert and Anne weeping in lamentation for many years, an angel appeared to tell Anne and Joachim that they would have a child.  Anne promised to dedicate this child to God.  They were told by the angel the reason why it has taken so long.  It was to increase their longing, to increase their awareness that every child comes from God. 

The conception in Anne’s womb was unlike any other in human history, because her long awaited daughter was conceived without any stain of original sin, she was immaculate.   

Mary was given Prevenient grace, which is a grace given by God before she was conceived.  In the same way as God had always thought from the beginning of time, to send his Son Jesus to the world.  It was also his thought to make Mary spotless, and full of grace so she could conceive Jesus as her Son.

Mary is full of Grace because of the divine task she had willingly accepted.  She needed the full amount of grace to fulfil her role as God’s Mother.

St Joachim and St Anne knew that Mary was conceived miraculously in their old age, as a result of many prayers, but they had no idea of what God had planned for Mary. 

It was the parents of Mary who nurtured her, taught her, and brought her up to be a worthy ‘Mother of God’.  It was their teaching that led her to respond to God’s request with faith.  “Let it be done to me as your will”.  It was their example of parenting that Mary must have followed as she brought up her own son, Jesus.  It was their faith that laid the foundation of courage and strength that allowed her to stand by the cross as her son was crucified and allowed her to still believe in God’s plan. 

Such parents can be examples and models for all parents and grandparents today. 

St John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and also Pope Francis have all stressed how important it is for grandparents and great grandparents to be the transmitters of wisdom to the younger generation.  How important it is for the younger generation to ask them for wisdom, which they have gained through years of experience and lifelong reflection and prayerful examination on the Word of God. Let us have the inspiration to pass on our faith for the sake of the younger generation, so they may receive the wisdom and knowledge we have received through our years of prayer and close relationship with the Lord.  “We are the virtuous that will shine like the Sun in the Kingdom of our Father in Heaven.”

https://youtu.be/ZUubIfON0Xs

Link to my first mass. Sunday 17th July, 10am at Our Lady and St Joseph’s church, Carlisle.

“They watched him closely to see if he would heal on the sabbath.”  This poor man with a withered hand would be seen as a sever disability, as most men made their living by manual labour.  The Pharisees’ interpretation of the law regarding the sabbath day is better highlighted in Luke’s Gospel.  “There are six days when work is to be done.  Come and be healed on one of those days and not on the sabbath.” For the Jews the sabbath is holy and is a day of rest.  No work is allowed.  In their opinion unless there is a life-threatening condition no work is to be done, healing counts as a medical treatment and is prohibited on the sabbath day.

Jesus says to the man “Stand up in the middle” The verb ‘stand up’ is better translated as ‘rise up’ it is the same Greek word used for Jesus’ resurrection.  Mark often uses this word in healing stories to indicate that Jesus is bring about not only physical healing but a restoration to fullness of life.  The man stretches out his crippled hand and he is restored.

The Pharisees’ refusal to answer Jesus’ question “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath?” makes Jesus angry.  Mark’s Gospel makes Jesus look around at his audience with a searching gaze.  A gaze that penetrates the heart.  The inner place that only God can see.  Mark gives us a glimpse of Jesus’ interior reaction; He is angry and deeply grieved at their hardness of heart.  A hardness of heart is a stubbornness and a refusal to be open to God.  Anger is often used in the OT to describe God’s resentment towards human evil acts. 

But why did Jesus rock the boat with the Pharisees, why did he heal on the sabbath?  In all four Gospels every healing initiated by Jesus takes place on the sabbath.  On the other days, the sick themselves or their relations and friends approach Jesus seeking healing.  But only on the sabbath does Jesus takes the initiative.  Jesus prefers to heal on the sabbath because He is the Son of Man, He is the Lord of the Sabbath.  Jesus is exercising His Lordship by undoing the effects of sin and restoring the fullness of life that God intended from the beginning of creation.  Jesus fulfils the original purpose of the sabbath, to bring humanity into a communion with God.

So, let us ask Jesus for any physical and spiritual healing that we may need.  He knows the inner depths and desires of our hearts.  Let us be open to God and remove any stubbornness of heart.  Jesus is Lord of the sabbath, He is our brother, we are His family.  Let us remain close to Him always.