It’s strange to think of God as having a family history. Yet He does. He came down from Heaven and became man – Jesus Christ. His mother, Mary also had parents. They were His earthly grandparents. Let that sink in for a moment.
While Protestants give Mary the recognition as Mother of God in that she gave birth to Him, that’s about as far as it goes. I don’t mean to be dismissive of their faith in Jesus Christ, I just feel that they are missing some very beautiful pieces of His early life. The Bible is limited in that it touches only briefly on that part of faith, focused more on the Ministry. And that’s important. Without His Ministry, there would be no Christian Believers – not Catholic, not Protestant. And certainly not all the non-denominational Born Again or Angelic groups.
Catholics are not of a single book. While the Bible is the most important source of faith, there is so much more. There are the traditions. There is a rich oral history. There are Church Fathers and Doctors that have expanded and enriched our faith. Part of that includes Mary’s own story. There are works of art that sometimes portray a baby Jesus with His Mother and her parents. There is no proof that Mary’s parents, Anne and Joachim, were alive when Jesus was born. We know from reading Apocryphal Literature that her parents were advanced in years when God blessed them with a child. It makes me wonder about people who are advanced in years and childless – that maybe God has something very special in store for them. No prayer goes unanswered. Sometimes the answer is no, or not yet.
Apocryphal Literature is based on oral tradition that has finally been written down. While not authenticated, many believe these writings to be true. Saint Ann prayed for a child. The Lord gave her Mary. In return, they consecrated their daughter to the Lord, and she became the Mother of God. Today we celebrate the Feast Day of Saints Anne and Joachim, our Blessed Mother’s Parents – the Grandparents of our Lord.
Since today is also Coffee Milkshake Day, I thought we’d share a variation on Kiddo’s Mudslide Coffee Milkshake. Still have the liqueurs, but we’ve lost the Maraschino Cherry Juice and Butterfingers Candy Bars. If you want to go for Kiddo’s Crazy Recipe, feel free.
Mudslide Coffee Milkshakes
3 oz Mexican Mudslide Liqueur
3 oz Kahlúa Liqueur
8 scoops Coffee Ice Cream
Cold Coffee, if needed to thin
Sugar, if needed to sweeten
Chocolate Syrup
Whipped Cream
White Chocolate Shavings, garnish
Milk Chocolate Shavings, garnish
Place liqueurs in a large blender. Add ice cream, blend well. Add a few tablespoons cold coffee at a time to thin the milkshake if too thick. Taste, sweeten if desired.
Drizzle chocolate syrup into 2 chilled glasses. Divide milkshake between the glasses. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Serve with a straw and enjoy.
Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart
and yield a harvest through perseverance.
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