 CHAPTER I. SAINT ANN AND SAINT JOKEM Before time began, the Holy Trinity decreed that one day, after the creation of the world and of man, and after man's fall, God the Son was to be born of a virgin mother. In order that this mother should be the purest human being who ever lived, Almighty God decreed that she was to be miraculously exempt from all stain of original sin, and as a fitting preparation for the incarnation of the God-man among men, the blessed Trinity also planned to train a chosen people to serve and to worship the Lord faithfully in the religion which he himself revealed to them through their patriarchs and prophets. Thus he taught them to purify their hearts by leading a decent and holy daily life, and to pray for the coming of the Messiah or Savior that he promised to send them as their King. In the course of time, however, most of the chosen people of Israel were unfaithful to God in many ways, and as they became more and more materialistic, they imagined that the Messiah would appear as a great ruler who would free them by political power from their oppressors, the Romans. But some of the Israelites continued to love and to serve the Lord in humility and detachment from the world, for they knew that the Savior would come to free men from the oppressor within their own hearts. It was from these pure families that by his grace God developed and guided the ancestors of his future mother. They were extremely simple and devout persons, very gentle and peace-loving and charitable. Out of love for God they always lived a very mortified life. Often the married couples practiced continents over long periods of time, particularly during the holy seasons, for their highest ideal was to raise saintly children who, in turn, would contribute toward bringing salvation to the world. They lived in small rural communities and they did not engage in business. They worked on the land and tended flocks of sheep. They also had gardens and orchards. They were very conscientious in fulfilling their religious duties. Whenever they had to go to Jerusalem to offer their sacrifices in the temple, they prepared themselves by prayer and fasting and penance. When traveling they always helped as best they could, any sick persons or paupers whom they met, and because they led such an austere and detached life, these good people had to endure the scorn of many of the other Jews. Thus Mary's grandparents inherited from their ancestors a love of humility, chastity, mortification and the simple life. Her mother, Saint Anne, and her father, Saint Joachim, were the very finest products of this long line of pure and holy servants of God. Saint Anne was born in Bethlehem, of rich parents who owned many flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. But they regularly gave away to the poor a large part of their possessions and kept very little for themselves. After Anne's birth they moved to a beautiful country estate at Zephyrus near Nazareth. From her childhood Anne loved to pray and to think about God, but she also grew to be an industrious helper around the home. In fact while very modest and retiring she became such a model daughter that other mothers used to tell their young girls to imitate her. And the more she learned about the awaited coming of the Savior, the more ardently did she pray that God might hasten that happy event. Just before her holy mother died she told Anne that she was a chosen vessel and that she should pray for a worthy husband. Anne was now a comely, sturdy girl in her teens with all the modest simplicity of a devout peasant maiden. Several young men were hoping to become her husband. One day Anne happened to be praying fervently to God to give her a husband who would help her to live according to the divine law. And at the very same moment on another farm near Nazareth an unusually pious middle-aged bachelor named Joachim was also praying for God's help in choosing a wife. Although he knew and greatly admired Anne he was so extremely humble that he did not dare think she would become his wife. When the prayers of St. Anne and St. Joachim were presented by the angels before the throne of the blessed Trinity, God decreed that this pure couple should unite in marriage and be the parents of the future mother of the messiahs. The archangel Gabriel was sent to announce this decision to them both. He appeared in visible form to Anne while she was praying. He alone of the angels knew her destiny but all he was allowed to tell her now was. The Lord give thee his blessing, servant of God. Continue to pray for the coming of the Redeemer and rejoice in the Lord. It is his will that thou accept Joachim as thy husband. Leaving Anne greatly comforted the archangel went to Joachim and said to him while he slept, Blessed be thou by the Lord, Joachim. Persevere in the practice of justice and perfection. The Lord wants thee to take Anne as thy wife. Take care of her, esteem her, for she is dear to him and give thanks to God. The very next day, Joachim, who was small, lean and broad shouldered, went and asked Anne's father for the hand of his daughter. And soon the couple were solemnly wedded in a simple open-air ceremony. St. Anne was about twenty-four at the time and St. Joachim was forty-two. They made their home on the estate of Anne's father. Though they were quite wealthy, they lived very economically and charitably. Each year they divided all their rents and income and sheep into three parts. Then they gave one-third to the temple for God's service, one-third to the poor, and they kept only what was left. And yet their flocks and herds continued to increase amazingly. Very often they gave food to poor travelers and lambs to their needy relatives. In their home they frequently talked together about God and the coming of the Redeemer, for which they prayed long and fervently. Both Anne and Joachim had been serious even in their youth. Now as they matured, they made a distinguished and devout couple. Neither told the other about the message of the angel. In his wisdom, Almighty God proceeded to purify them still further by giving them a heavy cross to bear, a cross which only grew heavier as the years passed. They remained childless. Among the Israelites in those times this was considered not only the greatest misfortune and disgrace socially, but also a clear indication that the Lord thought such a couple unworthy to contribute toward the coming of the Messiah. And so Anne and Joachim had to suffer increasing contempt and even insults from their neighbors and acquaintances. But they took these humiliations with patience and continued to pray that God might bless their marriage with children. Seven years passed without an answer to their prayers. Then they decided to move to a smaller farm near Nazareth and to begin a new life, a much more mortified and holy life, in order thus to earn God's blessing. For in their profound humility they felt that their great affliction was entirely due to their own unworthiness before the Lord. They also increased their charity and gifts to the poor, and they trained themselves in continents for they always aspired to greater purity. They even took a solemn vow to dedicate their child, if God gave them one, to his service in the temple. Thus they lived through another thirteen long, trying years. Then one day when Joachim was offering his sacrifices in the temple the priest rebuked and insulted him, saying, Why do you come here, Joachim? Your offerings are not acceptable to the Lord? His face burning with shame the poor man withdrew to corner the temple and prayed. Oh Lord, my sins merit this disgrace, but as I accepted according to thy will do not cast me away. Then with a sore heart he left the city and went to some of his flocks on the distant slopes of Mount Hermon. He was so troubled that he stayed there in prayer and penance for several months without communicating with Anne. Through friends she heard about his being reproached by the priest and this only added to her keen suffering. She often wept, lying flat on the ground in her room. Once when she refused to allow a light-headed servant to go out to a party, the girl exclaimed bitterly, God has inflicted a double punishment on you because you're so severe, you're sterile and now your husband has abandoned you. With a sad heart Anne sent the girl back to her family. That evening St. Anne was sitting under a great tree in her garden, reading prayers on a parchment roll and begging God to send Joachim home and to let them have at least one child. She was now forty-four. Then she prayed fervently for the coming of the Messiah and her thoughts turned to the fortunate family, to the holy mother that God would choose. With a sigh she said to herself, Oh, who shall be worthy to be the servant of her servants? Just then the Archangel Gabriel suddenly appeared before her in a resplendent human form and declared, Anne, servant of God, the Lord has heard thy petitions. If he delays their fulfillment it is an order to prepare thee and to give thee much more than thou askest. The most high has resolved to give thee and Joachim holy and wonderful fruit, for those who pray to him in humble confidence are most agreeable to him. Now he sends me to give thee joyful news. He chooses thee to be the mother of her who is to give birth to the Redeemer of mankind. Thou shalt bring forth a daughter, and she shall be called Mary. She shall be blessed among women and filled with the Holy Ghost. I have announced to Joachim that he shall have a holy daughter, but he does not know that she is to be the mother of the messiahs. Therefore guard this secret. And now go to the temple to give thanks to the Lord, and now shall meet Joachim at the Golden Gate. Gabriel vanished, and Saint Anne's humble heart was so overflowing with amazement, heavenly joy, and gratitude that the Holy Spirit sustained her lest she faint. She immediately prostrated herself on the ground and for a long time poured out her thanks to God with tears of happiness. That night she dreamed that an angel came and wrote the name of Mary in big, luminous letters on the wall of her room, and after midnight she awoke and saw the large, bright letters. Deeply moved she kept gazing at them and thinking lovingly of this marvelous daughter Mary, until the letters disappeared with the dawn. Then she arose, prepared herself for the trip to Jerusalem, and left with a servant. She was so deeply happy that she looked much younger. Meanwhile Joachim had been visited by the Archangel Gabriel during the night while he slept among his flocks. Gabriel told him that Anne was going to give birth to a blessed daughter who was to be consecrated to God, and that he should go and give thanks in the temple where he would meet Anne at the Golden Gate. Joachim awoke filled with joyful consolation and hastened to Jerusalem. This time the Holy Spirit moved the priests in the temple to accept Joachim's offerings courteously, and several of his friends congratulated him. Then two priests led him into the holy place and left him there alone after burning incense on the altar. While Joachim prayed on his knees with his arms extended, a bright angel appeared and told him that his childlessness was not a disgrace, but an honor, for the child who was to be born of his wife would be the most perfect flower of the race of Abraham. Next the angel took him into the holy of holies, anointed his forehead, and gave him a certain mystic blessing which freed him from all sensuality. Then he led him back to the holy place and vanished, as Joachim sank to the floor in an ecstatic trance. Soon the priests found him thus and revived him with marks of respect. When he recovered consciousness his face was radiant with spiritual joy, and he seemed considerably younger. He told the priest that he wanted to meet his wife at the Golden Gate, and they showed him the way, which led through a long, beautifully decorated and well-lighted underground corridor. Saint Anne had just made her offering in another part of the temple, and she told the priest that an angel had ordered her to find her husband at the Golden Gate. Accompanied by several devout women, among whom was Anna the prophetess, Saint Anne was taken to the same corridor. Thus it happened that near the Golden Gate Saint Joachim suddenly perceived his beloved wife coming toward him, her beautiful face shining with joy. They hastened toward each other and embraced with tender emotion. Then each told the other what had happened, and together they gave fervent thanks to God for his marvelous answer to all their prayers. As they now renewed their vow to offer their child to his temple, they seemed to be wrapped in a holy ecstasy, a cloud of heavenly light enfolded them, while a great number of angels hovered above them. Saint Anne and Saint Joachim became luminous. Never had a human couple achieved such supernatural purity of soul. Then suddenly the heavens opened up, and the Blessed Trinity looked down with joy and love on this saintly pair and gave them a special blessing. Later, Saint Anne and Saint Joachim left Jerusalem and returned to their home near Nazareth, where they gave a great feast for the poor and distributed alms abundantly. Now they were both transfigured with fervor, happiness, and intense gratitude, and very often as they prayed together they wept tears of joy and love. Thus did Almighty God prepare and purify Mary's good parents until the great day at last came when the glorious mystery of the immaculate conception of the Mother of God took place. The Blessed Virgin said to Saint Bridget of Sweden, It is a truth that I was conceived without original sin and not in sin. A golden hour was my conception. My son joined my father and my mother in a marriage of such chastity that a pure union has never been seen. Sensuality was extinguished in them, thus my flesh was formed through divine charity.