July 26 is the memorial for Saints Joachim and Anne, who were the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The couple's faith and perseverance brought them through the sorrow of childlessness, to the joy of conceiving and raising the immaculate and sinless woman who would give birth to Christ. We can never have any better role model for modern parents than Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, simply because of the holy lives they lived and how they raised the mother of God, Blessed Mary.

Despite the fact that Saints Joachim and Anne are not mentioned in the Holy Bible as their lives may have seemed like nothing spectacular, their sanctity went quietly unnoticed.

Saint Mary and Saint Joseph had a heavenly child through grace and raised that perfect God-son to adulthood, named Lord Jesus Christ.

With the parents of Saint Mary conceived their daughter in the normal human fashion but without the stain of original sin, their daughter was superior to them from the start.
Saints Joachim and Anne devoted themselves to rigorous prayer and fasting, in isolation from one another and from society. They regarded their inability to conceive a child as a misfortune and a sign of shame. Yet, it turned out that they were to be blessed even more abundantly than anyone else.

AN ANGEL TOLD ANNE: "ALL GENERATIONS WILL HONOR THEIR FUTURE CHILD"

In the midst of Her prayers, an angel appeared to Her and said, “The Lord has heard your prayers, and You shall conceive, and shall bring forth; and your seed shall be spoken of in the entire world.” At the same time an angel appeared to Joachim, saying, “Joachim, Joachim, the Lord God has heard your prayer. Go down hence; for, behold your wife Anne shall conceive.” The appearance of the angel indicates that no matter how one can be distressed, yet God never ignores heartfelt prayers that are aimed at goodness.

The appearance of the angel indicates that no matter how one can be distressed, yet God never ignores heartfelt prayers that are aimed at goodness.

After St. Anne gave birth to a Blessed girl, Mary, she said, "My soul has been magnified this day." She laid her down, and the days having the prayers been fulfilled, Anne was purified, and called her name Mary.”

"O GOD GIVE THE CHILD AN EVERLASTING NAME TO BE NAMED IN ALL GENERATIONS''
St. Joachim brought the child to the priests. They blessed her, saying: 'O God of our fathers, bless this child, and give her an everlasting name to be named in all generations'. He brought her to the chief priests; and they blessed her, saying: 'O God most high, look upon this Child, and bless Her with the utmost blessing, which shall be forever."

The Holy Mother and Father of the Blessed Virgin Mary, guided and nurtured Blessed Mary, and under your protection and love, you watched Her grow in holiness.

O Blessed Mary, through you “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14) have mercy on the entire world, heal the world from all sicknesses and evil. You are our Mother, the Mother of the Holy Church.