While we know very little about the parents of Mary, Joachim and Ann, we can nevertheless learn a lot from them because we know what kind of daughter they raised.
Pope Francis offered a simple reflection about their family life while in Brazil in 2013. He first noted how Mary was preserved from sin from the first moment of her conception within Anne’s womb.
In their home, Mary came into the world, accompanied by the extraordinary mystery of the Immaculate Conception.
Mary grew up in the home of Joachim and Anne; she was surrounded by their love and faith: in their home she learned to listen to the Lord and to follow his will.
Sts. Joachim and Anne were part of a long chain of people who had transmitted their faith and love for God, expressed in the warmth and love of family life, down to Mary, who received the Son of God in her womb and who gave him to the world, to us.
How precious is the family as the privileged place for transmitting the faith!
By taking time to pray about this warm and loving home, we can grow in our love for Mary, Jesus, and our own families.
Various artists have transformed their contemplation of this mystery into art. See some of those examples here:
