Murals (2008) by PHANTAST - Graffiti - Cultural Music & Art Association inc. - 98 Milne St. Benleigh
8th of September
The Birth of Our Lady Mary and the Grandparents of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the Gospels, Mary is presented as a young woman from Nazareth, betrothed to Joseph, whose genealogy is traced to King David. There is no direct reference to Mary's family. The apocryphal Gospels, while not historically reliable, offer us a picture of a simple and humble couple, Joachim and Anne. They welcomed her and raised her in a spirit of faith.
The veneration of Saint Anne appears in Eastern liturgies as early as the 6th century.
Saint Anne is often depicted teaching the young Mary to read the Bible - a symbol of the transmission of faith and wisdom.
The holiness and courage of these parents can be sensed in the family environment that surrounds Mary in the Gospels : inner strength, her ability to make important decisions, her life of constant prayer, her observance of religious laws, her faithfulness in times of trial, and her care for relatives.
Joachim and Anne reminds grandparents of their important mission: to shape the future by passing on the best of the past, to keep traditions alive and offer them as a gift to the younger generations.
But the feast also speaks to the young: it calls them to recognize and appreciate the wisdom of the elderly, who have a deeper understanding of life, born from experience and reflection.
"Happy Name Day, Mary!"