The Time of My Visitation

Today the Church celebrates its birthday in the Feast of Pentecost. If this were not a Sunday, let alone Pentecost Sunday, we would be celebrating another beautiful feast day ~ that of the Visitation. Shortly after learning of her own pregnancy, Our Lady rushed to her cousin Elizabeth who in her somewhat advanced years also found herself pregnant.
The reason I am writing about this particular feast is because it was this day seven years ago that I made the decision to come back to the Church. Now my actually being able to walk back into a church and receive Holy Communion worthily would be about six months down the road, but on this particular day I could no longer resist Christ's invitation to return to Him. What I have come to believe over these last 7 years is that our Blessed Mother was behind it all. She was doing at that moment what she always does; she was leading me back to her Son. Although in my case at this point in time I think there was some dragging by my hair involved ~ at least at the beginning. The date of my reversion is no mere coincidence. Just as Elizabeth was visited by Mary and Jesus, I too had my own moment of visitation.
One thing I began to do almost immediately after this day was I began to pray the Rosary again. The Visitation would now play another key role in my coming back fully into the Church. When I had signed up to make the Rachel's Vineyard retreat for post-abortion healing, I was told that I would need to name my aborted child. Well, all I could think was how am I supposed to name someone I never laid eyes on before? Our Lady took care of this as well. One day as I was praying the Joyful mysteries of the Rosary, just as I began the second mystery of the Visitation, the name Elizabeth~Anne seemed to just find its way into my mind. I knew almost in an instant that I had a daughter and I now also knew her name. Now to some who may read this, it may sound a bit far-fetched or just the wishful thinking of a grieving mother; I assure you this had very little to do with me. I truly felt as though that name had been given to me.
So today as the Church celebrates its birthday, in some ways I also celebrate my own. Yes, there are still some growing pains along the way, but I am so very grateful that I am able to feel them again. And like most school children, I continue to learn something new each day. This has been and continues to be the time of my Visitation.

Comments

Deanna said…
Dearest Karinann,
May God heal you in every way.
We are so blessed to be Christians and have fellowship with God as His children because Jesus is our Lord! You are my blogging friend and Sister-in-Christ.
Tis so sweet.
May the Holy Spirit continue to minister to you and pour a healing balm on you.

Blessings,
~Deanna~
Kay said…
These are beautiful, inspiring stories of your life you have given us, Karinann. I'm sure they rejoiced in heaven when you returned to the Church.
Judy Dudich said…
Karinann,

I REJOICE in the mercy and complete forgiveness you have been given...I DEEPLY admire your courage and humility.

Elizabeth-Anne is such a beautiful and perfect name...God rest her tiny soul.

You also, can rest, knowing that your Father in Heaven has wiped away your tears...His MERCY is the blanket which covers our past. May you be warm in it forever.
Barbara said…
Always wonderful and exciting to read of someone's return to their Lord. He will never fail us nor forsake us no matter how much we fail and turn from Him.

May the Holy Spirit continue to lead you and speak to you andmay you have open ears and an open heart to follow.
Elizabeth, "consecrated to God". God bless you and your little angel.