St. Anne (Feast Day July 26th) and her husband St. Joachim are never mentioned in the biblical canon. However, they are described as the parents of the Blessed Mother in the Gospel of James. Legend has it that St. Anne and St. Joachim were long childless, when the angel Gabriel came to them and announced that they’d have a child dedicated to the Lord. The two then conceived the Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived without sin. The story of St. Anne and St. Joachim was only accepted into predominant Catholic thought under the papacy of Pope Gregory XIII.

Questions for Reflection: 

• In what ways are you waiting on the Lord?
• How can you exhibit patience like St. Anne and St. Joachim?
• What is something good that you are working to create in your life? A new friendship? A new level of knowledge about a certain subject?