St. Anne – Feast Day July 26

St. Anne is not mentioned at all in Scripture, but tradition holds that she and her husband, Joachim, were childless for some time before conceiving Mary. The couple promised to offer their daughter to God and brought her to the temple at a young age to be educated. Little is known about St. Anne’s life, but we can presume she lived as a faithful Jewish wife and mother.

Was she aware of how special her daughter was or the role she would play in salvation history? Or did St. Anne simply try to do the best she could each day, ignorant of the plans God had for her and her family? How did she feel when Mary came to her with the story of the angel and her miraculous pregnancy? A spiritual director once suggested to me that perhaps St. Anne was the one who encouraged Mary to visit her cousin Elizabeth to avoid the danger of being unwed and pregnant in their community. While there is no way to know, it sounds like something a worried mother would do.

What Homeschoolers Can Learn from St. Anne

This hidden saint offers an example for all of us who live quiet lives caring for our families. We can ask for her help daily to watch over our children and help us be good parents. God trusted St. Anne to be the grandmother of His son. He had amazing plans for her and her family, even if she didn’t realize it at first. St. Anne reminds us to do the best we can each day and to remember that God is in charge of the bigger story of our families.

St. Anne is often pictured teaching the Blessed Virgin Mary as a child. She was helping to prepare Mary for her future role in life, one in which she would teach the Son of God. Our children also have a God-given role to play in the world, and it is our job to prepare them for it. St. Anne is a heavenly friend we can turn to for help in that task.

As the grandmother of Jesus, St. Anne can also serve as a special patron saint for grandparents homeschooling their grandchildren.

St. Anne, pray for us.