26 July 2024 (MIA)

Macedonian Orthodox Church Calendar

The Synaxis of St. Gabriel the Archangel

The Holy Archangel Gabriel is a servant of the Divine Almighty. During the time of the Old Testament, he announced to mankind the coming Incarnation of the Son of God. He inspired the Prophet Moses in his writing the Book of Genesis. He announced to the Prophet Daniel the coming fate of the Hebrew people. He appeared to the Holy Righteous Anna with the news that the Most-blessed Virgin Mary would be born of her. The Holy Archangel Gabriel was in constant attendance upon the young Holy Mary in the Temple of Jerusalem, and thereafter protected her throughout her life on earth. He appeared to the priest Zechariah, and foretold of the birth of the St. John the Baptist, Forerunner of the Lord. The Lord sent him to St. Joseph the Betrothed: He appeared to Joseph in a dream, and revealed to him the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God by the Most-holy Virgin Mary, warned him of Herod’s intentions, and directed him to flee to Egypt with the Divine Infant and the Theotokos. According to Church Tradition, when, before His Passion, the Lord prayed to the point of sweating blood in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Archangel Gabriel was sent to Him from the Heavens. The name Gabriel means “Strength of God.” From the Archangel Gabriel, the Myrrh-bearing Women heard the joyous news of Christ’s Resurrection. On this day, in remembrance of the Holy Archangel Gabriel’s many apparitions and of his zeal in carrying out the will of God, the Orthodox Church confesses his intercession for Christians before the Lord, and calls its children to run with faith and dedication in prayer to the great Archangel.

Catholic Calendar

Sts. Joachim and Anne

By tradition Joachim and Anne are considered to be the names of the parents of Mary, the Mother of God. We have no historical evidence, however, of any elements of their lives, including their names. Any stories about Mary’s father and mother come to us through legend and tradition. We get the oldest story from a document called the Gospel of James, though in no way should this document be trusted to be factual, historical, or the Word of God. The legend told in this document says that after years of childlessness, an angel appeared to tell Anne and Joachim that they would have a child. Anne promised to dedicate this child to God (much the way that Samuel was dedicated by his mother Hannah — Anne — in 1 Kings). For those who wonder what we can learn from people we know nothing about and how we can honour them, we must focus on why they are honoured by the church. Whatever their names or the facts of their lives, the truth is that it was the parents of Mary who nurtured Mary, taught her, brought her up to be a worthy Mother of God. It was their teaching that led her to respond to God’s request with faith, “Let it be done to me as you will.” It was their example of parenting that Mary must have followed as she brought up her own son, Jesus. It was their faith that laid the foundation of courage and strength that allowed her to stand by the cross as her son was crucified and still believe.