By Catholic Stewardship Consultants
www.CatholicSteward.com
Most of us will never play a highly visible role in God’s plan. We may never lead a ministry, hold a position of prominence or be remembered by generations to come. Yet throughout salvation history, God has accomplished extraordinary things through ordinary people who faithfully responded to his call.
St. Anne is a beautiful example.
Although St. Anne is not mentioned by name in Scripture, ancient Catholic tradition honors her as the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the grandmother of Jesus. Together with her husband, St. Joachim, she is venerated as one of the faithful men and women whom God chose to help prepare the way for the coming of Christ.
According to that tradition, Anne and Joachim endured many years without children and prayed fervently for the gift of a family.
When God blessed them with a daughter, Mary, they recognized that this child belonged first to him.
They embraced their vocation as parents and faithfully raised Mary in love of God, helping to form the young woman who would one day answer the angel Gabriel with her wholehearted “yes” to God’s plan.
That is where we find an important lesson in stewardship.
Long before Mary spoke the words, “May it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38), someone had taught
her to trust the Lord. Someone had shown her the value of prayer, faithfulness and obedience.
Catholic tradition points to Anne and Joachim as among the first stewards in Mary’s life, entrusted with nurturing the gifts God had placed within her.
The same is true for us today.
Stewardship is not only about what we give. It is also about who we help form. Parents, grandparents, teachers, catechists, mentors and parish volunteers all participate in God’s work whenever they help another person grow closer to Christ.
A lesson in faith, an invitation to prayer, a word of encouragement or a faithful example can bear fruit for years to come — often in ways we may never fully see.
Anne could not have known the full role Mary would play in salvation history. She simply embraced the vocation God had given her and entrusted the future to the Lord. In doing so, she reminds us that faithful stewardship is not measured by recognition or results, but by our willingness to use God’s gifts according to His will.
As we celebrate the feast of St. Anne on July 26, let us ask for her intercession. May she help us gratefully receive God’s blessings, faithfully fulfill our vocations and courageously help form the next generation of disciples.