SILENT WITNESSES
When Filipinos speak of family, chances are they won’t only talk about mothers, fathers and siblings. Family is extended family, which includes the aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents.
I grew up with two loving grandmothers. My maternal grandma lived with us while my father’s mother stayed in her humble abode across a narrow river near our place. The latter seemed more protective of us grandchildren. She saw to it that we ate on time and gave us extra allowance when we went to school. She was most worried when one of us was sick. She was most devastated at the death of my mother, her daughter-in-law. She seemed to love my mother more than her own son.
It’s always amazing to think that the mystery of God’s incarnation reveals that the Father chose that His Son be a part of a family and an extended family. Jesus can very well speak of a father and mother in Joseph and Mary, an uncle and aunt in Zechariah and Elizabeth, a cousin in John, and a grandfather and grandmother in Joachim and Anne. Now, that makes God’s dwelling among us more meaningful. We feel that He belonged to us and us to Him as we both embraced the realm of families.
While Mary and Joseph gave Jesus the warmth of familial embrace, He had a doting grandma in Anne and a loving grandpa in Joachim. Of course the Scriptures do not present concrete scenes of such family bonding. We can only imagine Jesus being close to His grandparents. On the other hand, it was through these two quiet witnesses to the presence of the Messiah that the Blessed Virgin Mary was born. After all, the Immaculate Conception took place in the womb of Anne.
How true is the Gospel phrase, “I assure you that many prophets and many of God’s people wanted very much to see, but they could not and to hear what you hear, but they did not.” Joachim and Anne saw before their very eyes the unraveling of this august reality. To the simple, unassuming, quiet and humble people, God reveals much. Fr. Erick Y. Santos, SFO
REFLECTION QUESTION: How do you practice simplicity and humility?
Lord, reveal in my humble self the mysteries of Your kingdom.
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