Joachim and Anna - Saint Anna, Mother of Our Lady and Christ's Grandmother! (children's story)

Joachim and Anna - Saint Anna, Mother of Our Lady and Christ's Grandmother! (children's story)

Annula is very happy: she is celebrating tomorrow! And she's been waiting so long for this day!

Annula's grandmother has also come home to celebrate together. The grandmother stays away in the village, and they don't see her often, and when she visits them, her grandchildren set up a festival!

From late night, the grandmother placed a picture depicting two saints, a woman and a man, in the iconostasis of the house, holding a little girl between them.

Annula looks at it and wonders: "Who are these saints? And this little girl, in her long dress and veil? I will ask grandma, she will know, then she reads so many books".

She runs in the kitchen, to meet her good grandmother, who has already baked bread for the Church and is now busy preparing the festive treats.
- Grandma, I want to ask you something, she screams at her impatiently.

- What is it my little girl!
- In the image you put in the iconostasis, which saints are depicted? I've never seen this picture before?
- Annula, I'll explain immediately: in the center of the picture we see our Lady at an early age, and to her right and left are her parents: Saints Joachim and Anna, who hold her with affection.
Do you see our Virgin Mary standing on a small trunk, like a flower bud?… Like a flower, like a blossom from the root of Jesse, the Prophet, the little Mariam, who was to become the Mother of God, sprouted.
- Oh, how beautiful! Our Lady was born as a flower! says Annula. And how much her parents would love and care for her!
- And you know how many years these blessed people waited for a little child? ... Forty whole years!
I'll finish with the sweets and tell you the whole story, my little girl.

Soon Grandma came into the living room and invited her grandchildren, who were eagerly gathered around her, near the lit fireplace. They happily sat on the carpet and waited. There is always some beautiful story to tell from good grandmother!
- I'll tell you exactly what we are celebrating tomorrow, big day, grandma started. What a blessed event. And we will start with our Lady's parents.Does any child know who they are?
-Joachim and Anna !, the eldest granddaughter, Maria, responded immediately.
-Well done my girl!
These two descended from King David's lineage, of royal descent.
Thirty-year-old Joachim married twenty-year-old Anna, and the newly married couple settled in Jerusalem. Like any new couple, those with a sweet expectation were expecting the birth of a child that would complement their happiness.
But this little kid was slow to come. Although long, it was expected.

At that time, it was considered a "disgrace" (shame) to be childless... and the childless were despised everywhere ... people believed that God did not bless some people with the birth of a child, and they were avoided as if they did not have God's grace. Of course this is not the case, only God knows the value of every human being and we should not judge him by any of the facts we see ...
Years passed ... ten, twenty years passed and the baby's laughter and voice had not yet been heard in their home ... The blessed people prayed, Joachim and Anna humbly and with great faith in God and asking for what they wished for... no they did not despair, even though years had passed… and forty years had passed with waiting!

- Forty years and still waiting? ... how much faith did these people have? Maria admired it.
-Yes girl. Forty years! Their faith was stronger than ever and hope in God did not fade ... Let Him give a little child to hug in their arms, fill their home with the sweet presence of a baby... And they would dedicate it back to Him...

The years went by… their hair bleached, Anna was already sixty years old and Joachim was seventy… and still waiting…
- How does a grandmother at such an age give birth to a baby? George asked in amazement. I don't know if any grandmother has given birth, grandmothers just take care of their grandchildren, they don't give birth themselves ...
-No, my George, this is the "natural" way. But those people, with immense faith and patience, were still waiting for the miracle ... they knew that God can defeat the laws of nature and give him a little child, even in the deep old age ... because He is the Creator and He gives life.
There was one occasion that saddened them: at the Feast of Tabernacle, Joachuim went to offer rich gifts to the Temple of Solomon and waited first in line of the pilgrims. But the High Priest said to him, "You must be last in line, because you did not have children."
Returning home even more hurt, Joachim said to his good wife, Anna:
"The burden of childbirth is heavy ... We must persevere in prayer and fasting, may God hear us. You will stay here at home and fight. And I will go up the mountain and fight there ... And if the Lord gives us a little child, His will be His again We will offer it! "
Joachim left for the mountain ... and Anna prayed and said:
"Sir! And the earth gives birth to fruits! And the birds and the beasts are still giving birth ... What do I look like and have not yet had a baby? "

The Miracle

Forty days were spent fasting and prayer, many knees, intense struggle ...
And the good God, watching from the sky what this couple had: goodness of a little child, unshakable faith, prayer with effort and pain and pain ... and was moved. He heard their request! He sent angels to announce the joyous event. An angel visited Joachim on the mountain and said:
"God heard your prayer. Return to your home to your good wife, Anna. "
Another angel flew to their home and told Anna:
"Rejoice! The Lord heard your prayer. And you will give birth to a child who will be glorified all over the earth. Soon your husband, Joachim, will come. "

Joakim got wings and ran to his house. Anna was already waiting for him with great joy and emotion at the door ... she fell into his arms ... "God has blessed us " he said. "Glory be to God!" Anna, after forty years of barrenness, she was pregnant! What a joy, what jubilation!
-I imagine how happy they would be! exclaimed Annula. Just as we were happy to hear that Mom would give birth to another baby!
Everyone smiled at Annula's simplistic thinking, who is the youngest among the siblings.

-Yes, my Annula, they were very happy! And all the pain and sorrows of their forty years of childlessness have gone away ...
That is exactly what we are celebrating tomorrow, my children, grandma finished the story. This fact, because it bore little sweet fruit, little Mary, who would become the Mother of the Savior of the world, Christ, made our Church a celebration.
Childless couples with a lot of faith come to St. Anna and have a child! Because Saints Joachim and Anna are patrons of childless couples.

_ If I understood you well grandma, are they little Christ's grandparents too? George asked.
- Exactly, George! They are the grandparents of our Christ! His Mother's Parents ... You know, of course, that our Christ did not have an earthly Father, but Heavenly Father, God.
- What beautiful things we learned today! Thank you very much, Grandma! said Maria.
-I'm glad you liked the story and got the messages in this story.
Saints Joachim and Anna, the Ancestors of Christ, protect you as your grandparents too!