Our spiritual direction is guided by The Holy Spirit through The Living Word and we turn our ears constantly to hear what The Lord is telling us through scripture. But sometimes we must also listen to what it does not tell us. 

And nowhere in scripture will we find evidence that, if the young Virgin Mary says “no” to the Angel Gabriel, someone else will come and bear The Word made flesh. 

All of us alive now, who came before and who will follow us, owe a measure of our salvation to The Virgin Mary, and also, to her parents. 

St. Joachim and St. Anne never lost hope. They lived in a time when being infertile was ascribed to sinfulness and this surely must have hurt. But, really, they just wanted a baby. 

And, very late in their lives, long after Anne should have been able to conceive, they were informed, independently by Angels, that they would indeed have a child. 

Anne, who comes from Bethlehem, and Joachim who comes from Nazareth, meet at the city gate of Jerusalem and share their news with one another. Then, they embrace in Joy. 

The Holy Spirit will descend into the womb of St. Anne and bring life to Mary, who in that instant becomes The Immaculate Conception. 

Joachim and Anne had been told by the Angels that their child was destined for greatness, and indeed that was true. 

She would one day say to the Angel Gabriel: “Be it done to me according to Thy Word.” 

And that Word, would become flesh, and save all of mankind if only we would say “yes”. 

Oh, Blessed Virgin Mary, please pray for us.