THE
IMPORTANCE OF SAINT ANN IN OUR LIVES
Devotion to
Saint Ann is devotion to the gospel message. As the mother of Mary
and the grandmother of Jesus, St. Ann embodies and symbolizes devotion
to Mary and love for our Lord and His teachings. As a Jewish woman,
Saint Ann represents ecumenism and respect for another's faith and
race. As a grandmother she exemplifies the importance of family and
respect for the elderly. As an ordinary woman of faith she represents
down to earth, common, human virtues, and holiness through love for
family and neighbors.
Saint Ann had a daughter with an unplanned pregnancy and a son-in-law
who threatened to divorce her. Saint Ann's daughter was a refugee
in her flight to Egypt, and her grandson was a prisoner on death row.
She had to deal with the death of her spouse. Saint Ann knew hard
work and her simple lifestyle places her in solidarity with the poor
of today's world. She taught her daughter how to pray, to work, to
be a good neighbor, even how to decipher political situations, whether
at home before Herod, or on foreign soil.
A novena encourages and recognizes the power of prayer. Our Lord told
us to "pray always". St. Ann's novena is a prayer of persistence.
Our Lord encouraged us to "knock and the door will be opened,
to ask, and you will receive".
Saint Ann's Novena is a community prayer. Jesus said, "if two
of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for
you by my Father in heaven." Mt. 18:19.
Saint Ann's Novena imitates the disciples and Mary who gathered together
after our Lord's Ascension to pray for nine days and who were then
"filled with the Holy Spirit...They went to the room upstairs...All
these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with
certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus...They were all
together in one place. And...all of them were filled with the Holy
Spirit". (Acts 1:13,14 & 2:1,4.)
Saint Ann's Novena recognizes that God has put us on earth to help
each other in a variety of ways including prayer for each other. We
pray for one another just like St. Paul who said, "Join me in
earnest prayer to God on my behalf." (Romans 15:30)
