The Diaries of Joseph and Mary by Dennis P. McGeehan

“Sometimes while I pray I lose all sense of time. I am lifted up, my soul fills with joy and in my mind, I see beautiful visions. Some nights these events last until morning. I find I am more refreshed afterward than if I had slept all night” – Mary (from the Diaries of Joseph and Mary).

This is just some of the beautiful prose written by author Dennis P. McGeehan in his charming book. After years of study and prayer, this talented author has gathered together the writings of the historic saints and scholars of the church and woven the biblical text and their insights into a delightful insight of the life and marriage of Joseph and Mary.

The visions and thoughts of men like St. Irenaeus, St. Athanasius, St. John Chrysostom, St. Augustine, and St. Jerome are included. Mystics like St. Birgitta and Venerable Maria d’Agreda add color to the tales that this author weaved together. In the form of diary readings, the story of the incarnation, the flight to Egypt, the childhood of Jesus, and the death of St. Joseph are given in bite-size portions that are perfect for daily meditation or an hour before Our Eucharistic Lord.

The end portion of the book includes questions and answers about St. Joseph and I learned much about the foster father of Jesus. For example: a rosary to St. Joseph, who knew? An Italian tradition of filling a large table with food and inviting the poor to come and eat, as a person dressed as St. Joseph presides over the feast is a piece of history that I learned between the covers of this book. The traditions of a community bringing loaves of bread to the church to be distributed to the needy continue the care and love that so personified this great saint. I learned more about St. Joseph in this easy to read volume than I did in all my years as a cradle Catholic.

Mr. McGeehan has a talent for taking complicated historical reading and making them easy to understand with everyday language. His words are simple, but filled with faith and insight.

“His last breath was peaceful, his face joyful. Jesus nodded his head saying not goodbye but more like in a little while I will see you again like when he went on an errand for Joseph.”- upon the death of Joseph – (from the diary of Joseph and Mary).

Here between the covers, the simple yet glorious life of the Holy family comes to life. I learned much about the Jewish faith and the traditions and holidays that Jesus shared with his parents as a child. This book made their life real, more human, and even more miraculous with the trials they endured. A great book for meditation, I highly recommend this work. And I look forward to future works by this gifted author. You can purchase this book on amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Dennis+P.+McGeehan