This is a little reflection, shared in a very short homily when I was a new priest, on July 26, 2002.
Sacred Scripture does not tell us anything about the parents of Mary, and of course, the grandparents of Jesus. Our source for their names is the apocryphal writing the Protoevangelium of St. James. There was spread of the devotion, first to St. John, and then later also to St. Joachim. Even here in the Philippines, we have the parents of Mary as patrons in certain places, bearing the names San Joaquin or Santa Ana.
What brought about the spread of the devotion to these two saints? For sure, one of the reasons is the devotion to the Blessed Mother.
Today, we pray for parents, and especially grandparents.
(July 26, 2002)
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