Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
Religious Events
From Barrenness To Blessing: The Story Of Anne And Mary

From Barrenness To Blessing: The Story Of Anne And Mary

Last updated on: December 8, 2025 at 2:13 am by Henry Karlson

0 Comments

From Barrenness To Blessing: The Story Of Anne And Mary 2025-12-08T02:13:00-05:00 Henry Karlson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Faras: St. Anne / picryl

Miracles surround the events which lead to the birth of Christ. On both sides of his family lineage, that is on Joseph’s side, as well as on Mary’s side, we find many who have had miraculous experiences, showing us that God was at work with them, preparing his family tree for the coming of Christ. Certainly, Mary was conceived and born with the help of God. When her mother, Anne, conceived, it was in her old age. Anne and her husband, Joachim, had long wanted children, but, over the decades of married life, they never had any; those around them began to suspect there was something wrong with Joachim and Anne, that they had done some great evil which led them to be without children. They were derided in a way similar to the way Job’s friends treated Job. They were righteous, but people believed the opposite. Just as God is said to have intervened on behalf of Job, so God intervened with Anne and Joachim by allowing them to have a miracle child, and not just any child, but one born as the fruit of their trials and tribulations and struggles for holiness, that is, one conceived in and with grace:

Today the bonds of barrenness are loosed, for God has heard the prayers of Joachim and Anna. He promised, beyond hope, the birth of their godly daughter. The Indescribable, himself, born of her as a mortal, commanded us through the angel to sing to her: Rejoice, O woman full of grace, the Lord is with you (Troparion For The Conception Of St. Anne).

Mary was conceived, born, and lived her life full of grace; she always cooperated with the prompting of the Spirit in her life. She represents both the natural perfection of humanity, but also the way humanity in that perfection can receive God’s deifying grace. Mary was always taking in grace, and becoming better and better with it, until through her receptivity of grace, she conceived Christ and gave birth to him while yet a virgin. She is his connection to humanity. It is in and through her, through her body, that he became one of us. Her humanity is his humanity, her family tree is his family tree, and it is a tree that was consistently watered with grace, allowing it to grow through the centuries until, at last, it was time for the world to receive the God-man. It was that grace which had come upon her to prepare her for her holy work as she conceived Christ, even as it was that grace which was with her when she was conceived. Her parents were holy parents, despite what gossip suggested. Their incomparable love opened them up to each other to come together in a holy and blameless union.

Thus, when Anne conceived Mary, what God had sowed through the ages came to fruition, as the time was ready for the coming of the messiah and the revelation of the kingdom of God. But, as we see, the light of Christ shines in the darkness, even as those in the darkness hate to be exposed by the light. Those in the darkness struggle against the light and try to snuff it out. Those who ridiculed Sts. Joachim and Anne reflect this pattern, as they tried to pretend they were of the light, and were not; indeed, it seems some of them hated Joachim and Anne because the light of true holiness was revealed in them and their humility.

This, then, is the pattern which Jesus said we will see happening throughout history. Those who are holy, those who follow the way of God’s love in the world, will find those filled with hate expressing their hatred towards them (and the innocents of the world). Many who are holy will find their status in society questioned, if not undermined, by those in positions of power, power they use for their own ill-begotten gains. Indeed, those with power will suggest they have been given it by God as an indication that everyone must do as they say because what they want is what God wants. But the reality, as we see in Scripture, is that many of those who are holy will be impoverished and without political power as they suffer at the hands of those who pretend to be with God. Jesus said it would happen, and if it happens, those who experience it should keep their faith and trust in God, believing no matter what happens, God will preserve them (if not in temporal history, then in the eschatological kingdom of God):

This will be a time for you to bear testimony. Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death; you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives (Lk. 21:13-19 RSV).

We must be careful when we read this passage and not assume that if we find ourselves being punished for something we have done, we are being persecuted. If we act poorly, if we act in ways which run against the ways of love, against the ways of justice and mercy, against the ways of grace, that is, if we become antagonistic towards others, their response to us must not be seen as some kind of persecution for our supposed righteousness. We can only be martyrs and confessors if we are living the way of the light, the way of love. Christ, Mary, Joachim and Anne, all show us the kind of love which we are to have; they did not strike out against those who wished them harm, but the opposite. Christ, especially, proved that point on the cross whenhe forgave all that was done to him.

Anne has a special place in Christ’s family tree. While we often think about the men which are on it, it is two women, more than any others, who represented the culmination of the work of God in his family. When Anne conceived Mary, we learn it is never too late for God’s grace to change things and make them better. Anne pressed on when others might not. We should always try to do the same. We must press on, seeking what is good and true, having faith in God that if and when it is time, God will make sure our actions, our fidelity, prove to be fruitful as well.

Stay in touch! Like A Little Bit of Nothing on Facebook.
If you liked what you read, please consider sharing it with your friends and family!

N.B.: While I read comments to moderate them, I rarely respond to them. If I don’t respond to your comment directly, don’t assume I am unthankful for it. I appreciate it. But I want readers to feel free to ask questions, and hopefully, dialogue with each other. I have shared what I wanted to say, though some responses will get a brief reply by me, or, if I find it interesting and something I can engage fully, as the foundation for another post. I have had many posts inspired or improved upon thanks to my readers.

General Christian

Religious Events

History and Religion

Previous Post

December 7, 2025

St. Ambrose: On Living Justly Amidst Life's Temptations

Next Post

December 9, 2025 The Role Of Christians In The Erosion Of Human Rights

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Gosh, did that hit the spot. I have been having great anxiety lately. And I ..."

Mark Wilson

Rejecting Doom: Christian Hope And Human ..."

"Justice and peace are two sides of the same coin. Where there is justice, there ..."

Dr.Cajetan Coelho

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Thank you for your very, very powerful and very, very insightful analysis of the relationship ..."

alwayspuzzled

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Given the amount of lethal malevolence that has prevailed in human history for the past ..."

alwayspuzzled

We Must Value Our Health

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abraham abuse Aesthetics AI Aliens Ambrose Ancestors and Everything Andrew Angels Animals Anne Anthony Antisemitism apologetics Apophatic Apostle John Aquinas Artificial Intelligence Asanga Ascension Asceticism Assumption Atheism Attachment Augustine Authority Avarice Balthasar Baptism Beauty Biden birthright citizenship Bishops Black History Books Buddhism Bulgakov Byzantine Calendar C.S. Lewis Calcidius Catholic Catholicism Catholicism Celibacy Charity Chastity children Chrismation Christ Christmas Christology Church Climate Change Common Good Communion Confession Confirmation Conscience Constantine conventions conversion councils Covid Creation Cross Dead Death Death Penalty Debate Deception Demagogues Demons Desert Monks Desert Mothers Desire destruction development Dialogue Dignity Dionsyius Dionysius Discipline Diversity Division Doctor Who doctrine dogma Dormition Dualism Easter Easter Series Ecumenical Councils Ecumenism Education Election Empathy Environment Error Eschatology eschaton Eternity Ethics Eucharist Evangelism Eve Evil evolution Faeries Faith Fear femininity Ficino Florence Florensky Folktale Fools Forgiveness Freedom Future gender Gentile Gentiles Glory Gnostic God gods Good Samaritan Goodness Gospel Government Grace Great Fast Guns Hate healing Health Heaven Hell Hellenism Heresy Hierarchy Hildegard Hinduism History Holiness Holy Spirit Holy Week Hope Horror Human rights humanity Humility hypocrisy ICE icon icons Identification Identity Idol II Nicea Immigration incarnation Individualism Informal Reflections Inklings Intention Inter-Religious Interfaith Internet Interpretation Intrinsic evil Irenaeus Islam Israel Jacob Jerome Jesus Jews John Chrysostom John of Damascus John the Baptist Joseph Judaism justice Justification kenosis Kindnesss Kingdom of God Kingdom of Heaven Law Law of Moses Lazarus Leaf by Niggle Lent Lenten Reflection Liberation Theology Lies Life Listen Literature Liturgy locutions Logic Logos Love Marriage Martyrs Mary Mass Maximos The Confessor Meanness Meditation Mercy Middle Path Migrants Mind Miracles Miriam Morals Moses Movies Music Muslims Myths Names Nationalism Native Americans New Year Nicea Nicholas Nothing Novatian Obedience Occam's Razor Ordination Origen Original Sin Orthodox orthopraxis Pagans Palamas Palm Sunday Paradise Paschaltide Paul Peace Pentecost person Peter piety PKD Plato pluralism Plurality Poem Poetry Poiltics Politics Poor Pope Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV Post Office Prayer Pride Pro-life Prodigal Son propaganda Prophecy Prophets Providence Putin Racism Reading Reason Reflection Refugees Relationships Religion Religion Series Religious Liberty Repent Republicans Rest Resurrection Rich Rites Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation Salvian Santa Science Scripture Self-Giving Sexuality Sibyl Sick Silence Sin Singlehood Social Justice Society Sodom Solovyov Speculations Spiritual Reflection St. Cyril of Alexandria St. Justin Martyr Suffering Sunday of the Paralytic Man Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Superhero Supreme Court Teaching Technology Thanksgiving The Father the Universe Theological Reflection Theology Theosis Theotokos Thomas Timaeus Time Tolerenace Tolkien Tradition Transfiguration Trinity Trump Truth Uncategorized Unity Universities USCCB Value Vatican II Vegetarian Vices Violence Virtue Vocations War Water Welcome Wisdom Womanhood Women Work World View Worship Writing Zacchaeus

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz