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| Saint Anne, Pray for us ! |
⛪ Saint of the Day : July 26
⛪ Patronage :
• Against poverty • Against sterility or infertility • Broommakers • Cabinetmakers • Carpenters • Childless people • Equestrians • Expectant mothers; Pregnant women • Grandmothers • Grandparents • Homemakers • Horse men and women • Housewives; Homemakers • Lace makers or Workers • Lost articles • Miners • Mothers • Old-clothes dealers • Poor people • Pregnancy • Riders • Seamstresses • Stablemen • Turners• Women in labour
⛪ Representation :
• Door • Holding Mary or Jesus in her arms or lap • At her betrothal to Joachim • Teaching Mary to read the Bible • Greeting Saint Joachim at Golden Gate • Woman with a book in her hand
Saint Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin, was a native of Bethlehem, a city two miles distant from Jerusalem, frequently mentioned in Holy Writ. Having passed her youth in unstained purity, she was married to a man named Joachim, who was born at Nazareth in Galilee, with whom she lived in such love and harmony, and at the same time so piously, that one could justly say of them what Saint Luke writes of Zachary and Elizabeth: “They were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame.” They divided their income into three parts, the first of which was used for the honor of God and to adorn the Temple, the second to assist the poor, and the third for their own subsistence. They employed the day in prayer, work suitable to their station in life, and charitable deeds.
Their only grief was, that, although so long married, they had no issue; and a barren marriage was at that time considered a disgrace, nay almost a sign of a divine curse. Saddened by this sorrow, Saint Anne, as well as her spouse, prayed with many sighs and tears, that God would take pity on them and remove the disgrace that was weighing them down. But when, after having prayed long and earnestly, they were not heard, they determined to bear patiently the will of the Almighty. As, however, Saint Anne knew that God required continual prayer, and that He had not given to men a certain time to ask for grace, she ceased not to implore heaven with great confidence, for all that she believed was for His honor and her own salvation. Being one day in the Temple, she felt her distress so deeply, that she wept bitterly, but she remembered, at the same time, that there had been another Anne, spouse of Elcana, who had been afflicted as she was, but whose prayers God at last had answered, making her the mother of the great prophet Samuel. While thinking of this, she perceived in herself an invincible desire to beg the Lord for a like grace. Hence she repeated her prayer with earnest fervor, promising at the same time, that if God would grant her a child, she would consecrate it in the Temple to His divine service, as the above-mentioned Anne had done.
God answered the trusting, tearful prayer of His servant, and sent her, according to the opinion of the Holy Fathers, an angel, who announced to her that she would give birth to a child which, blessed among women, would become the mother of the long-expected Saviour of the world. It is also believed that the angel told Saint Anne the name which she should give to the blessed fruit of her womb. The same revelation was made to Saint Joachim, and the happiness of both and their gratitude to the Almighty can be easily imagined. Their happiness was crowned when Saint Anne gave birth to her who was elected by God from all eternity to become the mother of His only Son. Who can describe the joy with which Anne pressed her new- born child to her heart, or the solicitude and love with which she brought it up? The knowledge that her blessed daughter was chosen by God to so great a dignity was incentive enough to leave nothing undone for her welfare. The mind of the blessed child was so far beyond her years, and her whole being so angelically innocent, that her education was an easy task, and Saint Anne deemed herself the happiest mother in the world, because God had entrusted to her so priceless a child. The graces which, through the presence of the Blessed Virgin, she received from Heaven, cannot but have been innumerable. For if, in after times, the house of Elizabeth and Zachary was, by a visit from Mary, filled with heavenly blessings, who can doubt that Saint Anne, who was the mother of the Blessed Virgin, was gifted with extraordinary graces? Knowing, however, that Mary was not only a precious treasure lent her by heaven, but also had consecrated herself to the service of the Almighty, Saint Anne did not fail to return to God what she had received from Him and to offer willingly what she had so willingly promised. Hardly had Mary reached the age of three years, when Anne and Joachim went with her to the temple at Jerusalem, and presenting her to the Priest, consecrated her through him to the Almighty. Nothing could have been more painful to the pious parents than to separate from so perfect a child; but as they were more zealous for the glory of God than for their own joy, even though it was so pious, they made this sacrifice without complaining. Thus Mary was received among the number of those who, under the direction of the priests, served God in the Temple, and were led in the path of virtue. After they had piously offered this agreeable sacrifice, the parents of the Blessed Virgin returned home, and spent the remainder of their days in good works, which were continued by Saint Anne, when she became a widow by the death of her holy spouse. As she had been an example to the virgins before her marriage, as well as a perfect model of a wife, so also was she in her widowhood, a shining light, for all those qualities which Saint Paul afterwards required of a Christian widow, in his first Epistle to Timothy. She went frequently to Jerusalem to see her holy daughter, and died, according to several authors, in the 79th year of her age. Mary, who at that time still lived in the temple, closed her eyes.
As one cannot give to the Blessed Virgin a higher title than to call her Mother of God, thus Saint Anne cannot be more exalted than when she is called the mother of her who bore the Son of God. And for the very reason that she was chosen to be her mother, we must believe that the Almighty favored her here upon earth, with grace above all the Saints, and raised her to high glory in heaven. Hence we may rightly suppose, that her intercession with God is most powerful; and this is also testified by many examples.
⛪ Practical Considerations :
• When Saint Anne perceived that, notwithstanding her many prayers, the Almighty gave her no issue, she submitted to His divine will, and bore her trial with patience. Thus also should Christian people act, when God proves them in a similar manner, for all He does is the best for them. He has His reasons for acting thus, and these reasons are just. Perhaps they would go to perdition if they had children, as many a parent sins greatly in regard to his children, and is condemned on their account. When Saint Anne at length received from God what she had so constantly prayed for during many years, she gave due thanks to Him, educated her daughter piously, and early consecrated her to the service of Heaven. Thus should all Christian parents act. Their greatest care should be to teach their children early to serve God and bring them up for heaven. If one of their children has a calling for a religious life, they must not oppose it, nor, by any unrighteous means, keep the child from it. Saint Anne deprived herself of the great comfort which her daughter’s presence gave her, when for the love of God, she consecrated her, by the hands of the priest, to the service of the Most High. Why shall not Christian parents do the same and willingly consecrate their child to God, to whom it belongs much more than to themselves? They may commit great sin, and may even draw upon themselves eternal condemnation, and may be the cause of their child’s destruction, if they oppose the divine call.
• Saint Anne prayed long, yet was not heard. She, however, complained not against God, but continued in her prayers with undiminished confidence until she at last received what she had asked. God has many reasons for not always hearing our prayers immediately. We sometimes pray when we are not in a state of grace; or we live in sin without repenting, or without the intention of bettering our life. In such cases, our prayers cannot be acceptable to God. We also sometimes pray without devotion and reverence. And can such a prayer have power? At another time, we pray only for things which God knows to be hurtful to us, although we may imagine that they are for our good. In such cases, God bestows a grace upon us by not hearing us. Often also the Almighty does not hear us, in punishment of our iniquities. We have so often offended Him, and have forfeited His grace, that we cannot reasonably expect that He should grant our request immediately. We have so frequently been deaf when God called to us; how can we ask that He should directly hear us? “What right have we,” asks Saint Salvianus, “to complain, when God does not hear us, or, so to speak, despises our prayers when we have so often not listened to Him, and so frequently despised His laws? What is more just than that He should not listen to us, because we heard not Him, and that He should despise our prayers, as we did His laws?” Further, God docs not always hear us immediately, in order that we may pray more fervently and esteem so much more highly the favors He bestows. He does it also to try our patience and our trust in His mercy, or that we may be more deserving of His grace by continual prayers. Finally, besides other reasons, He may do it also to give us something better than we asked for. When all this is rightly considered, tell me, can you justly complain when the Almighty hears not your prayers immediately? Continue in them. Perform them in the right spirit, and you will experience the truth of the words of Saint Bernard: “God either gives us what we ask, or something else, which is more useful to us.”
Source : Lives of the Saints, by Father Francis Xavier Weninger
⛪ Prayers :
Beads of Saint Anne, Mother of Mary
Origin
The Little Chaplet of Saint Anne dates from 1875, and is the pious invention of a devout client of our Saint. If his name is unknown to man, he is surely known to God and dear to Good Saint Anne, for these beads have been the beginning of a chain of blessings, spiritual and temporal. Many graces and favors have been obtained through their recitation.
Explanation and signification
The Little Chaplet of Saint Anne is composed of three Our Fathers and fifteen Hail Marys and is divided into three parts; the first part, one Our Father and five Hail Marys, is said in honor of Jesus, the Author of Grace; the second in honor of Mary, the channel through which all graces come to us from Jesus; the third in honor of Saint Anne, our advocate.
Manner of reciting
Make the sign of the cross; then kiss devoutly the medal of Saint Anne saying the prayer: Jesus, Mary, Anne. While reciting the first part thank Jesus for His favors, ask pardon for sins and future favors. While reciting the second part praise Mary and ask her to present your petition to Saint Anne. The third part is a petition to the good Saint Anne. Each group is concluded with a Glory be as an act of praise to the Blessed Trinity.
– Redemptorists
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Memorare to Saint Anne
Remember, O holy mother, Saint Anne, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided, for you are a most merciful mother, and do aid all who are in distress. Inspired by this confidence I take refuge in you, and beseech you by your great prerogative of being the mother of the Queen of Heaven and grand-parent of the Saviour of the world, to come to my aid with your powerful intercession, and obtain from your Immaculate Daughter this favour (mention it).
In honour of the nine months during which you did bear the Ever Blessed Virgin in your womb, and did bring her forth without stain of original sin, I now offer up these nine Hail Marys, which I offer you through my angel guardian. Amen.
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Prayer for the Wayward Child
O holy mother, Saint Anne, so rich in graces, you will never leave unheard the pleadings and tears of a mother who invokes you for a wayward child. Lo! You know my grief and the anguish of my heart. Look down with your maternal eyes upon this poor erring child, and bring it back upon the way of salvation that it may again serve God faithfully and obtain eternal happiness. I ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Hail Mary, three times.
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The Five Perogatives of Saint Anne
1. Rejoice, O blessed Anne, for you did conceive a daughter who is the Mother of the Saviour of the world! (Gloria Patri, ‘Glory be to the Father’ et cetera).
2. Rejoice, O blessed Anne, mother of the Queen of Heaven, for from you proceeded the bright shining Star of the Sea! (Gloria Patri, ‘Glory be to the Father’ et cetera).
3. Rejoice, O blessed Anne, mother of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, who ever a Virgin, is at the same time the Mother of the Redeemer. (Gloria Patri, ‘Glory be to the Father’ et cetera).
4. Rejoice, O blessed Anne, who alone did merit the grace of being the mother of Mary, and grand-parent of Jesus Christ. (Gloria Patri, ‘Glory be to the Father’ et cetera).
5. Rejoice, O blessed Anne, exult and be glad unceasingly, that you have been so privileged by God! Plead for me with Mary, your most pure daughter, the august Queen of Heaven.
(Gloria Patri, ‘Glory be to the Father’ et cetera).
Verse. Pray for us, Saint Anne.
Response. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us Pray :
O God, Who did will that Saint Anne by being the mother of Mary, the Ever Blessed Virgin, should co-operate in the work of the Redemption of Your Only-Begotten Son, grant we beseech You, that while on earth, we may so venerate the Mother of Your Son, and her Mother, Saint Anne, that at the hour of death we may rejoice in their assistance and praise and bless You forever in Heaven. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
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Prayer to Saint Anne to Obtain Some Special Favour
Glorious Saint Anne, filled with compassion for those who invoke you, and with love for those who suffer, heavily laden with the weight of my troubles, I cast myself at your feet, and humbly beg of you to take the present affair which I recommend to you under your special protection.
Vouchsafe to commend it to your Daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and lay it before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted. Above all, obtain for me the grace of one day beholding my God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the saints praising and blessing Him for all eternity. Amen.
Good Saint Anne, Mother of her who is our life, our sweetness and our hope, pray to her for us, and obtain our request. (Three times).
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Novena to Saint Anne
O most holy and august Saint Anne, Heaven admires you, earth blesses you, God the Father loves you as the mother of His cherished daughter, the Incarnate Word as the parent of His well-beloved mother, the Holy Spirit as the mother of His perfect Spouse. The angels and the elect honour you as the tree producing a flower, the heavenly perfume and beauty of which charms them, and whose divine fruit is their life and felicity. Penitent sinners look on you as their most powerful advocate with God, the just through your intercession hope for an increase of grace, penitents the expiation of their sins, and sinners the remission of their iniquities. Be propitious to us, O most merciful Saint Anne, unite with Mary, your dear and admirable child, and by her intercession and yours we shall confidently expect mercy from Jesus, to whom you were so intimately allied, also the intentions of this novena, and every grace during life, and above all at the hour of death. Amen.
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Litany of Saint Anne
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us
Saint Anne, Mother of the Virgin Mary, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, Spouse of Saint Joachim, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, Ark of Noah, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, root of Jesse, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, fruitful vine, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, joy of the angels, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, hope of the patriarchs, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, vessel full of grace, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, mirror of obedience, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, mirror of patience, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, mirror of devotion, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, support of the Church, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, refuge of sinners, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, mother of virgins, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, help of Christians, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, gate of salvation, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, guide of pilgrims, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, consolatrix of the afflicted, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, health of the sick, Pray for us.
Saint Anne, help of all who invoke you, Pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Lord.
Pray for us, O blessed Saint Anne.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us Pray :
O God, Who by Your grace, was pleased to choose blessed Anne to be the mother of the Virgin Mary, mercifully grant that we who celebrate her praises may be assisted by her prayers to You, Who live and reign in a world without end. Amen.