Honor Thy Grandparents

July 25 this year is the first World Day for Grandparents and The Elderly and July 26 is the feast day of St. Anne and St. Joachim, the maternal grandparents of Jesus Christ.

The grandparents’ day this year is the first ever celebration as announced by Pope Francis because the Pope believes in the importance of grandpas and grandmas in our respective families, communities, and Church.

Likewise, the lives of St. Anne and St. Joachim during their time and during the lifetime of Jesus Christ are worth remembering and commemorating; thus, we celebrate yearly their feast day to give honor to their participation in the childhood of Jesus Christ though only few have been written about it.

The Ten Commandments never mentioned about honoring our grandparents but Pope Francis is making it clear that we will not forget the sacrifices of our grandparents even before the grandchildren were born.

In this time of pandemic, to honor our grandparents would mean to pay them a visit while observing the health protocols as to avoid infecting them with the virus. To honor them would mean to console them and comfort them in this time of anxiety and unknown fears. If they are under our care and provision, let us honor them by providing their daily needs such as medicines and supporting their proper diet and most especially by showing them our care, love, and affection. We should not let them feel that they are a burden because that hurts their fragile feelings.

As the world celebrates the Grandparents Day on July 25, let us honor our Lolo and Lola in the same way that we always honor our parents not only because it is our Christian duty but because we love them dearly.