Tuesday, 8 September 2015

Story of Joachim and Anna, the parents of the Virgin Mary

COMMENT: After Feast of Birthday of  BVM.
The picture  came to our stirring interest.
The painting of Mary, 3 years old, in her grotto learning from Joachim we wonder and wonder.
Who was the artist? It is a recovery difficult to find!
What was the story?
The Golden Legend leads to some clues, but nothing clear to "the running of the plank".
St Joachim, father of Holy Mary

PRAYER IN HONOR OF SAINT JOACHIM

O great and glorious Patriarch, Saint Joachim, what joy is mine when I consider that thou wast chosen among all God's holy ones to assist in the fulfilment of the mysteries of God, and to enrich our earth with the great Mother of God, Mary most holy! By this singular privilege, thou hast become most powerful with both the Mother and her Son, so as to be able to obtain for us the graces that are needful to us; with great confidence I have recourse to thy mighty protection and I commend to thee all my needs and those of my family, both spiritual and temporal; and especially do I entrust to thy keeping the particular favour that I desire and look for from thy fatherly intercession. And since thou wast a perfect pattern of the interior life, obtain for me the grace of interior recollection and a spirit of detachment from the transitory goods of this life, together with a lively and enduring love for Jesus and Mary. Obtain for me in like manner a sincere devotion and obedience to Holy Church and the sovereign pontiff who rules over her: to the end that I may live and die in faith and hope and perfect charity, ever invoking the holy names of Jesus and Mary, and may I thus be saved. Amen.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
This celebration, which follows Christ on the prerogatives of the Mother, was introduced by Pope Sergius I (Sec VII) in the tradition of Eastern Europe. The Nativity of the Virgin is closely linked to the coming of the Messiah, as promised, and preparing fruit of salvation. Aurora before the Sun of Justice, Mary foretells to the world the joy of the Savior. (Mess. Rom.)
Martyrology: Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, born of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Judah, the house of King David, of whom was born the Son of God made ​​man by the Holy Spirit to free men from the ancient the slavery of sin. 
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Today in the churches of the East and West they celebrate the birth of Mary, the mother of the Lord. The source said that before the event is the so-called Gospel of James, according to which Mary was born in Jerusalem in the house of Joachim and Anna. Here in the fourth century it was built the basilica of Saint Anne and the day of his dedication was celebrated the Nativity of the Mother of God. The party then spread to Constantinople and was introduced to the West by Sergio I, a Syrian-born pope. "Those whom God foreknew, He also predestined": Dante seems to paraphrase the verse of St. Paul when he calls Mary "fixed term of the eternal counsel."


Eternity, the Father works for the preparation of the All-Holy, of her who was to become the mother of his Son, the temple of the Holy Spirit. The genealogy of Jesus given by Matthew culminates in the expression "Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ." Mary, therefore, the time has come the definitive David, the full establishment of the kingdom of God. With his birth also takes shape the womb offered by humanity to God so as to fulfil the Incarnation of the Word in human history. Maria finally child is also an image of the new humanity, the one from which her Son will take away the stony heart out to give her a heart of flesh that welcomes in docility to the precepts of God.
Honouring the Nativity of the Mother of God is the true meaning and purpose of this event is the incarnation of the Word. In fact, Mary is born, nursed and raised to be the Mother of the King of ages, of God. "And 'this indeed why Mary's only (as well as St. John the Baptist and of course to Christ) is not celebrated only the "birth in heaven", as with the other saints, but also the coming into this world. In fact, the wonderful birth of this is what we tell in great detail and with ingenuity the apocrypha, but rather in significant God does step forward in the implementation of his eternal design of love. This is why today's feast was celebrated with wondrous praise by many Fathers, who have pooled their knowledge of the Bible and their sensitivity and poetic ardor. We read some expression of the second Sermon on the Nativity of Mary of St. Peter Damian: "Almighty God, before man fell, foresaw his fall and decided, before all ages, the human redemption. He decided to become incarnate in Mary".
"Today is the day when God begins to put into practice his eternal plan, as it was necessary to be built the house, before the King came down to live there. Beautiful house, because, if Wisdom built a house with seven pillars work, this palace of Mary rests on the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Solomon held so solemn inauguration of a temple of stone. As we celebrate the birth of Mary, temple of the Incarnate Word? In that day the glory of God descended on the temple Jerusalem in the form of cloud which darkened. The Lord who makes the sun shine in the heavens, for his dwelling among us has chosen darkness (1 Kings 8.10 to 12), Solomon said in his prayer to God. This new temple will be seen filled by the same God, who is to be the light of the nations.
"To the darkness of paganism and the lack of faith of the Jews, represented by the Temple of Solomon, it happens bright day in the temple of Mary. And 'right, then, sing that day and she who was born in it."


FROM GOLDEN LEGEND
  http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/Arth213/Arena_Joachim.html  

Story of Joachim and Anna, the parents of the Virgin Mary (top register south wall)
 East




 West
 http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/Images/ARTH213images/ArenaChapel/JoachimAnna/ExpulJoachim0.jpg
 http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/Images/ARTH213images/ArenaChapel/JoachimAnna/joachim_shep0.jpg
 
 http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/Images/ARTH213images/ArenaChapel/JoachimAnna/joachim_sacr0.jpg
 http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/Images/ARTH213images/ArenaChapel/JoachimAnna/joachim_annun0.jpg
 http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/Images/ARTH213images/ArenaChapel/JoachimAnna/joachim_GoldenGate0.jpg
 Expulsion of Joachim from the Temple
 Joachim's Return to the Sheepfold
 Annunciation to Anna
 Joachim's Sacrifice
 Vision of Joachim
 Joachim and Anna at the Golden Gate


Expulsion of Joachim from the Temple
 Golden Legend: Sept 8: Nativity of the Virgin Mary: [Saint Jerome] relates therefore that Joachim, who was of Galilee and of the town of Nazareth, took to wife Saint Anna of Bethlehem. Both were just, and walked without reproach in all the commandments of the Lord. They divided all their substance in three parts, allotting one part to the Temple and its ministers, and another to the poor and the pilgrims, reserving the third part to themselves and the uses of their household. Thus they lived for twenty years, and had no issue of their wedlock; and they made a vow to the lord that if He granted them offspring, they would dedicate it to the service of God. For this they went to Jerusalem to celebrate the three principal feasts of each year. And once, when Joachim and his kinsmen went up to Jerusalem at the feast of the Dedication, he approached the altar with them, in order to offer his sacrifice. A priest saw him, and angrily drove him away, upbraiding him for daring to draw near the altar of God, and calling it unseemly that one who lay under the curse of the Law should offer sacrifice to the Lord of the Law, or that a childless man, who gave no increase to the people of God, should stand among men who bore sons. At this Joachim was covered with confusion, and was ashamed to return to his home., lest he have to bear the contempt of his kindred, who had heard all....


Joachim's Return to the Sheepfold 
 The Golden Legend: (Sept 8: Nativity of the Virgin Mary): He went off therefore and dwelt for some time among his shepherds.
Protoevangelion, I,5-6: ...he was exceedingly distressed, and would not be seen by his wife: But retired into the wilderness, and fixed his tent there and fasted forty days and forty nights.


 Annunciation to Anna
 The Golden Legend: (Sept 8: Nativity of the Virgin Mary): Meanwhile Anna wept bitterly, not knowing where her husband had gone. Then the same angel appeared to her, and revealed to her the same things which he had announced to Joachim, adding that as a sign she was to go to the Golden Gate of Jerusalem, to meet her husband at his return.



Sacrifice of Joachim



Vision of Joachim
 The Golden Legend : (Sept 8: Nativity of the Virgin Mary: But one day when he was alone, an angel appeared to him, surrounded by dazzling light. He was affrighted at the vision, but the angel bade him be without fear, saying: "I, the Lord's angel, am sent to thee, to announce to thee that they prayers are granted, and thine almsworks have ascended in the sight of the Lord. I have seen thy shame, and heard the reproach of barrenness wrongfully cast upon thee. For God indeed punishes not nature, but sin; and therefore, when He closes a womb, it is only that He may later open it more wondrously, and that all may know that what is born thereof is the fruit of lust but of the divine munificence. Did not Sara, the first mother of your race, bear the shame of barrenness until her ninetieth year, and yet bear Isaac, to whom was promised the blessing of all nations? Did not Rachel also long remain barren, and yet beget Joseph, who was the ruler of all of Egypt? Who was stronger than Samson or holier than Samuel? Yet both of these were the sons of barren mothers! Therefore believe my words and these examples: those conceived after long delay, and begotten of sterile mothers, are wont to be admirable! Thus Anna thy wife will bear thee a daughter, and thou shalt call her name Mary. In accordance with your vow, she shall be consecrated to the Lord from her infancy, and shall be filled with the Holy Spirit from her mother's womb; nor shall she abide without, among the common folk, but within the Temple of the Lord, lest aught of evil be thought of her. And as she wilkl be born of a barren mother, so will she herself, in wondrous wise, beget the Son of the Most High. Whose name will be called Jesus, and through Whom salvation will come to all nations! And this will be a sign to thee: when thou shalt come to the Gold Gate of Jerusalem, Anna thy wife will meet thee there, who now grieves at thy tarrying, and then will rejoice to see thee!" And with these words the angel left him.


Joachim and Anna at the Golden Gate

 The Golden Legend (Sept 8, Nativity of the Virgin Mary): Thus it was, following the angel's command, they came face to face [ at the Golden Gate], and shared their joy over the vision which they had both seen, and over the certainty that they were to have offspring. Then they adored God and set out for their home, awaiting the Lord's promise in gladness of heart.
 
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joachim_and_Anne_Meeting_at_the_Golden_Gate
 
Giotto_-_Scrovegni_-_-06-_-_Meeting_at_the_Golden_Gate Giotto di Bondone, Legend of St Joachim Meeting at the Golden Gate 1305 is an early depiction of the scene.

Durer,_vita_della_vergine Albrecht Dürer Joachim and Anne Meeting at the Golden Gate  1504
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