Monday, May 9, 2016

The Visitation

My first name is Maria and my middle name is Beth, so my Protestant parents unknowingly gave me the Visitation for a name.

As I was preparing to come into the Church, I learned to pray the rosary and discovered the name for the second Joyful mystery. I could write about this mystery, but I have a friend that wrote a book on this very mystery and she does a much better job.

Denise Bossert belongs to the Heart of Mary. My parish's branch of the Legion of Mary. I watched how God blessed her as this project unfolded. First, she was offered a book deal. Then they accepted one of her proposals, that of writing a book on The Visitation. “I don't know how I am going to do this.” Denise confided to our prayer group “I am writing about the Ein Kerem and the hills of Judea and I have never been there.” Then God gave her the opportunity in spades. Denise had submitted her name to represent Catholic press on a trip to the Holy Land. Denise has a blog Catholic by Grace and has a column in several Catholic newspapers. Denise was chosen from hundreds of applicants to represent the Catholic press in the Holy Land. “I'm going to the Holy Land and one of the places we are scheduled to visit is Ein Kerem.” Then God blessed her even further. Pope Francis had announced his intentions to visit the Holy Land and it coincided with Denise's trip. The next prayer meeting, Denise said “I will be representing the Catholic press when Pope Francis visits the Holy Land. I will be in the press box!” Inspired by her trip to the hills of Judea and Ein Kerem, Denise produced a beautiful book. Like Denise herself it encourages you to pray, to contemplate the goodness of God, and encourages you to grow closer towards Him.

 

It is even styled so that you can pray a novena to become a bearer of Christ to the world. I plan to pray this very novena starting May 22nd in preparation for May 31st the feast day of The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  You can order your copy of Denise's book through her blog or by clicking here.
 





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