St. Anne's Feast (Final)

Now that the remnants of last week's crazy schedule have been finally put to rest, I will try and put my thoughts on the last installment of the “St. Anne trilogy".....

What is it then that makes people return year after year from far and near?

“Build it and they will come” – so goes a line from the movie Field of Dreams. 10 years ago, it would have been accurate to say that the feast resembled more of a carnival than a religious celebration. People came for all sorts of “questionable” reasons. In recent times though, that picture has changed a little. That may partly be due to the building of the new church in 2002. With the advent of the new building, there is now a proper place for pilgrims to worship. The “carnival” atmosphere now is largely reduced to outside the premises of the church. Even then, there is less blaring of loud popular music, less noise, less commotion.

To answer the question though, for some, it could be a chance to recharge the spiritual batteries. It may be a time to chill out by soaking in - the Word of God and listening to the sermons and come away a little soothed and invigorated spiritually. Traditionally there has always been a good response for Confessions through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, although I don't know how many actually took up the opportunity this time out. Many more come in the days before the main feast days and spend quiet time alone - praying and meditating.

Outside the church compound though, it's a different scene. For BM generally, it's a mini economic boom. Hotels are sold out months in advance. Restaurants witness a huge increase in diners during the week. Illegal parking spaces sprout up along the access roads, residential areas not being spared either, charging a hefty parking fee. Rubbish becomes gold. The town council obligingly cleans up the vast sea of rubbish - at a price. Traders and peddlers hawk their merchandise everywhere, their music blaring from loudspeakers.

Mingling among them are the many the many physically handicapped persons who line the street begging for alms. A couple of years ago, there were the Rohingya refugees from Burma. I also remember seeing some women from India. I heard from one local seller this year how the town council only allowed the hawkers to open their stalls for the last 3 days of the feast compared to the usual 7. She alleged that the FRU (Federal Reserve Unit) police also gave them a tough time. There have been allegations too that these police forces raided some of these stalls for contravening the terms and subsequently disposing off their ware back to them at a profit...

Still others make their annual trek for the candle-light procession on Saturday evening - the eve of the main day, the obligatory hike up St. Anne's hill and the petitioning of prayers to St. Anne. Many grateful pilgrims who have had their prayers answered return in turn to hand out free food to other pilgrims as an alms giving and thanksgiving. Interestingly, most are non Catholics and people of other faith.

Finally, there are the organizations that set up stalls seeking to promote their work and raise funds. Over the last few years, the Daughters of St. Paul's has become my favourite place to get my annual "quota" of reading materials at low prices. During the past 12 months especially, these have unintentionally become of great help to others who have found some solace in them. They happen to make great gifts too.

I can't help thinking it must have been like this too whenever Mary, Joseph and Jesus went to Jerusalem on their annual pilgrimages so many years ago. Just like now, there must have been plenty of noise and hassle that permeated the holiness of the occasion. Just like now, they would have journeyed with others who made theirs for all sorts of reasons - searching for answers, looking for healing, praying and being in need of prayers, fulfilling vows made previously, etc. etc. And just like now, the holy family too would have been caught up with the many distractions that came their way. They must have some great moments too - families and relatives traveling together, enjoying the company - just like the so many who throng St.Anne's today.

On one of these journeys though, the boy Jesus chose to stay back in the temple, to the great distress of his unknowing parents, to "discuss" and "debate" with the religious scholars and elders. Mary and Joseph, already halfway back on the journey home and worried sick, chose to leave everything behind and tracked back to Jerusalem in search of their son, who nonchalantly asked them, "Why were you searching for me? Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:41-42)

The wordofgod website has this to say:

My mother Mary, and Joseph my foster father, experienced my absence during three days, something symbolic about the three days that would happen after my death, and also the separation from God that every human being experiences. My coming into the world was to build the temple of God....Everyone who listens to me receives a call to holiness. I am the perfection that God expects, that's why I invite the soul to recollection, prayer, meditation, so that by these means he may enter the interior temple where God listens and speaks...It is through these visitations to the altar of the interior temple that the soul receives my blessings and my light; it is there that the Holy Spirit grants his gifts. It is there that I am always doing the work of my Father, who has sent me to raise this humanity from dust and darkness to light, from sin to grace, from ailments and fragilities of human life to the glory and joy prepared for eternal life.

For me, these are the words which linger long after St. Anne’s over: That God is constantly inviting us to experience Him in our own journey of life. St. Anne’s feast then, becomes one such occasion. There have been, are and will be many more such opportunities in our lifetimes. Are we ready and willing to take God up on the offer?

If we look at the world today, there are so many areas of concern that need attention. At times, the troubles that plague us seem so insurmountable. One of the greatest worries of parents today is the future of our children.

Many of us are or will be parents one day, others may be grandparents already. Whether single or married, we may have nephews and nieces in our extended families. We may be in charge of children in our kindergartens, schools, playing fields, clubs, youth groups, catechism classes, hospitals, etc. etc. In a world which is seemingly becoming more and more difficult and dangerous for kids, we have a responsibility to protect, educate, correct and guide them so they can become the persons they are born to be.

In this context, the examples of Mary and Joseph, who left everything and tracked back to Jerusalem in search of Jesus and the attention of Joachim and Anne to Mary – how they nurtured her for her eventual role in salvation history may help us in our own life situations. May the intercessions of Sts. Anne and Joachim continue to be a powerful testament for all of us.