Wednesday July 26th: Family matters

Feast of Sts. Joachim & Anne

“Blessed are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear.”

Matthew 13: 16-17

As a child I noted with interest my grandmother’s devotion to Our Blessed Mother as she performed her Legionary duties. Later in my teenage years when I too joined the Legion of Mary, I would often reflect on how Mary’s family life would have impacted her and engendered in her the virtues that qualified her to be hailed as ‘Full of Grace’ by the Angel Gabriel.

Her parents, Sts. Joachim and Anne must have provided the required environment, not only by passing on Jewish laws and customs but also by their obedience to God and the example of their lives.

We are reminded in these times that the Christian family, as the Domestic Church, is entrusted with the mission to ‘guard, to reveal and to communicate love’ (Familiaris Consortio #17) How well are we doing that? Does our parenting prepare our children to respond readily to God’s call as Mary did?

Sts Joachim and Anne, you were attuned to God’s will and blessed were your eyes and ears. Intercede for families as we mission the domestic church,