A Grandmother in Rome

While visiting the Pantheon I came across this statue of St. Anne with her young daughter, Mary, who later gave birth to Jesus. The statue with all the pomp and circumstance of this church (as it is now) and the myriad religious doctrines surrounding Anne and Mary,  portrays an ordinary and affectionate scene. I found it compelling and it struck me not from a religious point of view but from a grandmother's point of view.  Anne became the grandmother of Jesus. I'd never thought of her that way before.

It got me thinking that behind even the holiest or most famous person is a grandmother or two. A grandmother who wants what is best for her grandchild, who cooks for and cuddles that grandchild, plays with, reads to, teaches, laughs with and encourages that grandchild, thinks that her grandchild has rare abilities and gifts and can become a great and important person. Hopes, at least, for her grandchild's full unfolding as a person. We know how her grandson turned out, his pivotal role in history, his enormous influence through the ages. We can only speculate about her role in the early life of Jesus since she isn't mentioned in the gospels and was already older when she had Mary. She was at the very least the model of mothering for Mary.

I spent more time with this obscure statue than any of the better known others since it seemed so personal and spoke to me of my unique and important role in the lives of my grandchildren. Like Anne in the statue, I'm unaware of my grandchildren's future.  They will walk their own paths in response to their own callings. But I love their mother and father, love them and stay involved in their lives telling them stories of their ancestors, cheering them on and believing in their possibilities. Just like St. Anne.

Who's inspiring you these days?