Mary’s Story: Catholic Version I – Ch. 1 – Origins: Joachim’s Visitation
(This chapter is based on sections 1, 4 & 5 of the First Gospel according to James)
The great day of the Lord was coming and Joachim, being a wealthy Judean man, had determined to give double the required offering to obtain forgiveness from his God. However, before he had even begun to carry out his plan in anticipation of the coming religious event, a neighbour admonished him, saying, “It is not appropriate for you to bring your offerings, because you have no descendants in Israel.”
Joachim was quite put out by this. He felt humiliated but he was determined to establish whether his lot was really that serious. He obtained some help to look into the registers of the twelve tribes of Israel, saying: ‘I shall see the registers of the twelve tribes of Israel, as to whether I alone have not been successful in having offspring in Israel.’ The search seemed to show that all the righteous had in Israelhad been blessed with offspring. However, he remembered that even the patriarch Abraham, the Father of the Jews had initially been childless. But in the last days of his life, God gave him a son Isaac. This still did not entirely reassure nor comfort Joachim.
Joachim determined that he was simply not worthy. He felt he had failed his wife. In his grief over his lot, he decided to leave his wife, Anna. He instructed his servants on the care of his animals and land and turned his face to the desert. Where else should he go? He pitched his tent there, alone, and began a fast of forty days and forty nights, saying in himself: ‘I hereby make a vow not to partake of either food or for drink until the Lord my God shall look upon me. Prayershall be my food and drink.’
Joachim’s fast was drawing to a close and still he had not heard from the Lord. He was beginning to be concerned about what his next step should be when suddenly, one evening, there was a great rush of wind and he was confronted by a strange being, radiating light and clothed in a shining white robe. He fell on his knees, sure that judgment had come to him, but the figure quickly reassured him, “Don’t be afraid, I have come to bring you good news. Joachim, the Lord God has heard your prayer. Go home to your wife and resume normal relations. Your wife Anna will conceive.”
Joachim was overjoyed. His prayers were going to be answered! He was practically singing as he packed up his tent and headed homewards. He first found his shepherds and gave them some orders: “Bring me ten ewes without spot or blemish, and they shall be for the Lord my God; and bring me twelve tender calves, and they shall be for sacrifices for the priestsand the elders; and a hundred goats to sacrifice for all the people.”
Then he continued joyfully homewards, leading these animals to be taken for sacrifice offerings. When he came in sight of his gate, he saw Anna waiting for him. As soon as she saw him she rushed towards him, threw her arms around his neck and said, “Now I know that the Lord God has blessed me richly; for the widow will no longer be a widow, for I the childless shall conceive.”
Thereupon Joachim broke his fast and took great pleasure in enjoying a meal his wife prepared for him that evening. That night he rested from his fast and in preparation for his self-imposed task of the day to follow. He was up early the next morning and gathered his servants to help him take all the animals selected to be offered before his God at the temple. He watched attentively as the priests went through the rituals of slaughter and sacrifice on the altar, burning incense all the while. Everything went as well as good be expected and he knew from the signal he received from the priest in charge that his offerings had been well received; his sins were forgiven.
Tired but relieved, feeling like a heavy load had finally been lifted from his shoulders, Joachim returned home. That night he and Anna made love with a passion they had not shared for many years.
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