Isaiah 7:10-14,8:10; Luke 1:46-55; Luke 1:26-38
I shall, in a few weeks, be attending Walsingham for the first time in my life, for a long overdue retreat. Our Lady, the Mother of Jesus, graced our land with a vision in which the lady of the manor of Walsingham in Norfolk, Richeldis de Faverches, was instructed to build in her village an exact replica of the house in Nazareth in which the Annunciation had taken place. The shrine was built (about 100 years later) but like many good things, was destroyed in the reformation. It was replaced by the current shrine near Kings Lynn in 1897, and is very much an ecumenical place, as now in more peaceful times both Catholics and Anglicans pray there, often, together.
It will for me and my wife, be a time of pilgrimage, certainly I struggle with 'complicated' and 'busy' places and find the anticipated fuss and bother worrying. But others I know who have been there have always returned full of peace and joy - and I shall pray that I am also. I will be returning into the Month of October, when we shall be remembering Mary in regular Friday prayers in the church (see newsletter for details).
Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us.