Feria VI after the XII Sunday after Pentecost provides a rich opportunity to meditate on the life of St. Joachim, the father of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As we reflect on the readings from Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 31:8-11 and Matthew 1:1-16, we are invited to consider the virtues exemplified by St. Joachim and the significance of his role in salvation history.
Ecclesiasticus 31:8-11 extols the virtues of a man who is “found without blemish,” who has not gone after riches with greed, and whose life is a testament to temperance and piety. The passage declares, “Blessed is the rich man that is found without blemish: and that hath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money nor in treasures” (Ecclus 31:8). This description resonates profoundly with what we know of St. Joachim through Tradition. Though not wealthy in worldly terms, Joachim was rich in righteousness and faithfulness. He and his wife, St. Anne, were long childless, yet they bore their trial with patience and unwavering trust in God. Their humility and devotion ultimately found favor with the Lord, and they were blessed with Mary, the Mother of God.
The Church Fathers saw in Joachim a model of virtuous fatherhood. St. John Damascene, in his Homily on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, praises Joachim for his righteousness, comparing him to the patriarchs of old who were also chosen by God for their extraordinary virtue. St. Ambrose similarly notes that Joachim’s wealth was in his uprightness, not in material riches, and that his legacy was not in gold or silver, but in the Immaculate Virgin, the “fairest fruit of the human race.”
Matthew 1:1-16 presents us with the genealogy of Christ, tracing the lineage from Abraham to Joseph, the husband of Mary. This passage underscores the divine providence at work through generations, preparing for the Incarnation of Christ. The inclusion of Joachim’s lineage, though not explicitly named, is implicitly honored as part of this sacred lineage. Joachim’s humble acceptance of God’s will, despite years of barrenness, fits into the larger narrative of God’s faithful fulfillment of His promises.
St. Augustine, in his Sermons, reflects on the genealogy of Christ as a testament to God’s faithful covenant with His people. He notes that every name in the genealogy is a reminder of God’s saving plan, a plan that included even the humble and the lowly, such as Joachim and Anne, who contributed to the divine lineage not through might or wealth, but through their pure and pious hearts.
The Feast of St. Joachim, although not widely celebrated in the earlier centuries, became more prominent in the liturgical calendar as the Church deepened its understanding of Mary’s role in salvation history. Joachim’s life, as depicted in the apocryphal Protoevangelium of James, though not canonical, provides a poignant narrative of his and Anne’s piety, their struggles, and their ultimate reward—reminding us that God’s timing and blessings often exceed our understanding but are always in accord with His divine wisdom.
In contemplating these readings in the spirit of Feria VI after the XII Sunday after Pentecost, we are called to emulate the virtues of St. Joachim. His life teaches us the value of patience in suffering, faith in God’s promises, and the blessings that flow from a life lived in righteousness. His example invites us to reflect on how we, too, can contribute to God’s plan through our fidelity, humility, and devotion, even when we may not fully see the fruits of our labor.
Let us, therefore, ask for St. Joachim’s intercession, that we may live lives worthy of the blessings God wishes to bestow upon us, trusting in His divine providence and embracing His will with the same faith and obedience that characterized the life of the father of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Collect Prayer:
O God, Who didst bestow on St. Joachim the grace to be the father of the holy Virgin Mary, Thy Son’s Mother, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may ever enjoy the protection of him whose feast we celebrate. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.