From time immemorial the Greeks have celebrated the feast of St. Joachim on the day following our Lady’s birthday. The Maronites kept it on the day after the Presentation in November, and the Armenians on the Tuesday after the Octave of the Assumption of the Mother of God. The Latins at first did not keep his feast. Later on it was admitted and celebrated sometimes on the day after the Octave of the Nativity, September 16th, sometimes on the day following the Conception of the Blessed Virgin, December 9th. Thus both East and West agreed in associating St. Joachim with his illustrious daughter when they wished to do him honor.
About the year 1510, Julius II placed the feast of the grandfather of the Messias upon the Roman Calendar with the rank of double major; and remembering that family, in which the ties of nature and of grace were in such perfect harmony, he fixed the solemnity on the 20th March, the day after that of his son-in-law, St. Joseph. The life of the glorious patriarch resembled those of the first fathers of the Hebrew people; and it seemed as though he were destined to imitate their wanderings also, by continually changing his place upon the sacred cycle.
Hardly fifty years after the Pontificate of Julius II the critical spirit of the day cast doubts upon the history of St. Joachim, and his name was erased from the Roman breviary. Gregory XV, however, re-established his feast in 1622 as a double, and the Church has since continued to celebrate it. Devotion to our Lady’s father continuing to increase very much, the Holy See was petitioned to make his feast a holy day of obligation, as it had already made that of his spouse, St. Anne. In order to satisfy the devotion of the people without increasing the number of days of obligation, Clement XII in 1738 transferred the feast of St. Joachim to the Sunday after the Assumption of his daughter, the Blessed Virgin, and restored it to the rank of double major.
On the 1st August 1879, the Sovereign Pontiff, Leo XIII, who received the name of Joachim in baptism, raised both the feast of his glorious patron and that of St. Anne to the rank of doubles of the second class.
The following is an extract from the decree Urbi et Orbi, announcing this final decision with regard to the said feasts: “Ecclesiasticus teaches us that we ought to praise our fathers in their generation; what great honor and veneration ought we then to render to St. Joachim and St. Anne, who begot the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God, and are on that account more glorious than all others.”
“By your fruits you are known,” says St. John Damascene, “you have given birth to a daughter who is greater than the Angels and has become their Queen.” (J. Damasc. Oratio I de V.M. Nativity) Now since, through the divine mercy, in our unhappy times the honor and worship paid to the Blessed Virgin is increasing in proportion to the increasing needs of the Christian people, it is only right that the new glory which surrounds their blessed daughter should redound upon her happy parents. May this increase of devotion towards them cause the Church to experience still more their powerful protection.
MASS
Prayer is good with fasting and alms more than to lay up treasures of gold. (Tobit 12:8) Far better than Tobias, did Joachim experience the truth of the Archangel’s word. Tradition says that he divided his income into three parts: one for the Temple, the second for the poor, and the third for his family. The Church, wishing to honor Mary’s father, begins by praising this liberality, and also his justice which earned him such great glory.
He hath distributed, he hath given to the poor: his justice remaineth for ever and ever: his horn shall be exalted in glory.
Ps. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he delighteth exceedingly in his commandments.
Glory, etc. He hath.
MOTHER OF GOD: such is the title which exalts Mary above all creatures; but Joachim, too, is ennobled by it; he alone can be called, for all eternity, Grandfather of Jesus. In heaven, even more than on earth, nobility and power go hand in hand. Let us then, with the Church, become humble clients of one so great.
COLLECT
O God, who before all thy Saints wert pleased that blessed Joachim should be the father of her who bore thy Son; grant, we beseech thee, that we may ever experience his patronage, whose festival we venerate. Through the same Lord, etc.
A commemoration is here made of the Sunday within the Octave.
EPISTLE
Lesson from the Book of Ecclesiasticus 31:8-11
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. Who is he, and we will praise him? for he hath done wonderful things in his life. Who hath been tried thereby, and made perfect, he shall have glory everlasting. He that could have transgressed, and hath not transgressed: and could do evil things, and hath not done them: Therefore are his goods established in the Lord, and all the church of the saints shall declare his alms.
Joachim’s wealth, like that of the first patriarchs, consisted chiefly in flocks and herds. The holy use he made of it drew down God’s blessing upon it. But the greatest of all his desires heaven seemed to refuse him. His holy spouse Anne was barren. Amongst all the daughters of Israel expecting the Messias, there was no hope for her. One day the victims Joachim presented in the Temple were contemptuously rejected. Those were not the gifts the Lord of the Temple desired of him; later on, instead of lambs from his pastures, he was to present the Mother of the Lamb of God, and his offering would not be rejected.
This day, however, he was filled with sorrow and fled away without returning to his wife. He hastened to the mountains where his flocks were at pasture; and living in a tent, he fasted continually, for he said: “I will take no food till the Lord my God look mercifully upon me; prayer shall be my nourishment.”
Meanwhile Anne was mourning her widowhood and her barrenness. She prayed in her garden as Joachim was praying on the mountain. (Epiphanius, Oratio de laudibus Virgin) Their prayers ascended at the same time to the Most High, and he granted them their request. An Angel of the Lord appeared to each of them and bade them meet at the Golden Gate, and soon Anne could say: “Now I know that the Lord hath greatly blessed me. For I was a widow and I am one no longer, and I was barren, and lo! I have conceived!” (Protoevang. Jacobi)
The Gradual again proclaims the merit of alms-giving and the value God sets upon holiness of life. The descendants of Joachim shall be mighty and blessed in heaven and upon earth. May he deign to exert his influence with his all holy daughter, and with his grandson Jesus, for our salvation.
He hath distributed, he hath given to the poor: his justice remaineth for ever and ever.
℣. His seed shall be mighty upon the earth: the generation of the mighty shall be blessed.
Alleluia, alleluia.
℣. O Joachim, holy spouse of Anne, father of the glorious Virgin, assist now thy servants unto salvation. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
Sequel of the holy Gospel according to Matthew 1:1-16
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac. And Isaac begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Judas and his brethren. And Judas begot Phares and Zara of Thamar. And Phares begot Esron. And Esron begot Aram. And Aram begot Aminadab. And Aminadab begot Naasson. And Naasson begot Salmon. And Salmon begot Booz of Rahab. And Booz begot Obed of Ruth. And Obed begot Jesse. And Jesse begot David the king. And David the king begot Solomon, of her that had been the wife of Urias. And Solomon begot Roboam. And Roboam begot Abia. And Abia begot Asa. And Asa begot Josaphat. And Josaphat begot Joram. And Joram begot Ozias. And Ozias begot Joatham. And Joatham begot Achaz. And Achaz begot Ezechias. And Ezechias begot Manasses. And Manasses begot Amon. And Amon begot Josias. And Josias begot Jechonias and his brethren in the transmigration of Babylon. And after the transmigration of Babylon, Jechonias begot Salathiel. And Salathiel begot Zorobabel. And Zorobabel begot Abiud. And Abiud begot Eliacim. And Eliacim begot Azor. And Azor begot Sadoc. And Sadoc begot Achim. And Achim begot Eliud. And Eliud begot Eleazar. And Eleazar begot Mathan. And Mathan begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
“Rejoice, O Joachim, for of thy daughter a Son is born to us,” (J. Damasc. Oratio I de V.M. Nativity ex Isaiah 9:6) exclaims St. John Damascene. It is in this spirit the Church reads today the list of the royal ancestors of our Savior. Joseph, the descendant of these illustrious princes, inherited their rights and passed them on to Jesus, who was his Son according to the Jewish law, though according to nature he was of the line of his Virgin Mother alone.
St. Luke, Mary’s Evangelist, has preserved the names of the direct ancestors of the Mother of the Man-God, springing from David in the person of Nathan, Solomon’s brother. Joseph, the son of Jacob according to St. Matthew, appears in St. Luke as son of Heli. The reason is that by espousing Mary, the only daughter of Hili or Heliachim, that is Joachim, he became legally his son and heir.
This is the now generally received explanation of the two genealogies of Christ the Son of David. It is not surprising that Rome, the queen city who has become the Bride of the Son of man in the place of the repudiated Sion, prefers to use in her Liturgy the genealogy which by its long line of royal ancestors emphasizes the kingship of the Spouse over Jerusalem. The name of Joachim, which signifies “the preparation of the Lord,” is thus rendered more majestic, without losing aught of its mystical meaning.
He is himself crowned with wonderful glory. Jesus, his Grandson, gives him to share in his own authority over every creature. In the Offertory we celebrate St. Joachim’s dignity and power.
Thou hast crowned him with glory and honor: and hast set him over the works of thy hands, O Lord.
“Joachim, Anne and Mary,” says St. Epiphanius: “what a sacrifice of praise was offered to the Blessed Trinity by this earthly Trinity!” May their united intercession obtain for us the full effect of the sacrifice which is being prepared upon the Altar in honor of the head of this noble family.
SECRET
Receive this sacrifice, O most merciful God, offered to thy majesty in honor of the holy patriarch Joachim, the father of the Virgin Mary; that by his intercession, with that of his spouse and most blessed offspring, we may deserve to obtain the entire remission of sins, and everlasting glory. Through, etc.
While enjoying the delights of the sacred mysteries, let us not forget that if Mary gave us the Bread of Life, she herself came to us through Joachim. Let us confidently entrust to his prudent care the precious germ which we have just received, and which must now fructify our souls.
A faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord set over his family; to give them their measure of wheat in due season.
The Sacraments produce of themselves the essential grace belonging to them; but we need the intercession of the Saints to remove all obstacles to their full operation in our hearts. Such is the sense of the Postcommunion.
POSTCOMMUNION
We beseech thee, Almighty God, that by these mysteries which we receive, the merits and prayers of blessed Joachim, father of her who bore thy beloved Son our Lord Jesus Christ, interceding for us, we may be made worthy to be partakers of thy grace in this life, and of eternal glory in the life to come. Through the same Lord, etc.
Then is added the Postcommunion of the Sunday within the Octave, and the Gospel of the same is read at the end of Mass, instead of that of St. John.
VESPERS
Yesterday at First Vespers the Church sang the praises of Joachim as “a man glorious in his “generation, unto whom the Lord gave the blessings ” of all nations, and upon whose head he confirmed “his testament” (Ant. of Magnificat at 1st Vespers) The second Vespers are taken from the Common of a Confessor not a Bishop, the Antiphons of which are so full of graceful simplicity. No more fitting words could be found wherewith to praise this just man whose path, as we read in the Book of Wisdom, was truly as a brilliant light going forward and increasing even to perfect day. He offered to the Lord in his temple the Virgin Mother who was to give our human nature to the Word. His life had no evening. It closed when his daughter’s sanctity was attaining its zenith, and the father of the Immaculate Virgin went to carry hope to the souls of the just in Limbo.
1. ANT. Lord, thou gavest me five talents: behold I have gained five more.
Ps. Dixit Dominus.
2. ANT. Well done, thou good servant, faithful in few things, enter into the joy of thy Lord.
Ps. Confitebor tibi, Domine.
3. ANT. Faithful and prudent servant, whom his Lord hath placed over his family.
Ps. Beatus vir.
4. ANT. Blessed is that servant, whom when his Lord shall come and knock at the gate, be shall find watching.
Ps. Laudate pueri.
5. ANT. Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord.
Ps. Laudate Dominum omnes gentes.
CAPITULUM
(Eccli. xxxi.)
Blessed is the man that is found without blemish: and that hath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money nor in treasures. Who is he, and we will praise him? For he hath done wonderful things in his life.
HYMN
On this day, the blessed Confessor of the Lord, whom all nations throughout the world lovingly venerate, merited the highest honors of praise.
Pious, prudent, humble, and chaste, he led a sober and spotless life, as long as quickening breath animated his frame.
Oft does it happen, through his eminent merit, that the languishing limbs of poor sufferers, overcoming the power of the disease, are restored to health.
Therefore does our choir devoutly sing his praise, telling his glorious victories: may we be evermore assisted by his benevolent prayers.
Salvation and honor and power be to him who, seated glorious on his heavenly throne, One and Three, ruleth the whole universe.
Amen.
℣. The Lord hath led the just man through right ways.
℟. And shown him the kingdom of God.
ANTIPHON OF THE MAGNIFICAT
Let us praise this man, despising the world and earthly things, triumphantly, by word and deed, laid up treasures in heaven.
The Prayer is the Collect of the Mass, above. Then is made a commemoration of the Sunday.
The Acts of the Saints reproduce on the 20th March this Hymn from the ancient Roman Breviary, which will serve as a prayer to the father of Mary:
HYMN
O Joachim, Father of the sovereign Maiden, who in all purity gave birth to God, present to the Lord our petitions and our chaste desires.
Thou knowest by what angry waves we are here tossed, whom the cruel sea of this world wearies out: thou knowest how many battles Satan and the flesh prepare for us.
Now that thou art united to the holy companies in heaven, or rather art placed at their head, thou canst do all if thou wilt: for rightly neither Jesus thy Grandson nor Mary thy daughter can deny thee aught.
Obtain by thy prayer that our Blessed God may give us pardon and peace: that united with thee we may sweetly sing canticles to him.
Amen.
Father of Mary, we thank thee. All creation owes thee a debt of gratitude, since the Creator was pleased that thou shouldst give him the Mother he had chosen for himself.
Husband of holy Anne, thou showest us what would have been in paradise; thou seemest to have been reinstated in primeval innocence, in order to give birth to the Immaculate Virgin; sanctify Christian life, and elevate the standard of morals. Thou art the Grandfather of Jesus: let thy paternal love embrace all Christians who are His brethren. Holy Church honors thee more than ever in these days of trial; she knows how powerful thou art with the Eternal and Almighty Father, who made thee instrumental, through thy blessed daughter, in the temporal generation of His Eternal Son.
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This text is taken from The Liturgical Year, authored by Dom Prosper Gueranger (1841-1875)
Dom Gueranger
†The Ecu-Men† 