today's readings are Sirach 44; Psalm 132 and Mt. 13: 16-17
Today the Universal church celebrates the maternal grandparents of Jesus, Anne and Joachim. While not mentioned by name in the 4 gospels, the early church had a strong tradition of honouring them, and they spoken in the ancient Protoevangelium of James.
As we honour their memories and the role they played both in the upbringing of their daughter Mary and most likely their grandson, Jesus, perhaps we can reflect on the role of our own grandparents, and for some of us, our role as grandparents.
It is my hope and prayer that our memories of our grandparents are good ones, and I am blessed with such good memories and sotires of all 4 of them, and today I thank almighty God for them, just as today we thank almightly God for the gift of the lives of Anne and Joachim.
P.S. the photo above is the front entrance of the famous Church of St. Anne, located in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.