Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? (Luke 1:43)
Visiting relatives and friends is an important part of the observance of Christmas, isn’t it?
Of course we can send cards - and we do, in great quantity and at extraordinary cost.
We can write and receive letters - including those dreadful show-offy circular letters that some people seem to go in for.
Though perhaps those older, more established ways of communication, in recent times they have given way more and more to technology - to phone calls of course, but also emails, texts, and Facebook messages. Skype and FaceTime too, have made such contacts so much easier and better, especially when relatives live so far away.
But despite all these possibilities, nothing quite replaces the visit, the face to face encounter.
We may sometimes find it a chore to be visited or to visit, but often too it is a great joy. To see how much the children have grown. To catch up with news - sad and glad. To remark how much someone is ‘looking well’ (put weight on) or looks exactly the same (has aged) or must take care of themselves (looks ill). No remotely transmitted message, however necessary and however kindly meant can replace the personal contact. And sometimes - let’s not forget - what is a chore for one party may be a joy for the other.
Todays Gospel is about a Christmas visit (well sort of). And it is an encounter which St Luke narrates to us with this beautiful detail - that the presence of Christ within His mother touched both Elizabeth and her unborn child with joy. And it is the greeting of Mother which brings that presence of Son.
When we are visited or visit we make similar encounters. We bring Christ to others and we meet him in others. We are blessed through what may seem a simple duty. Christ will be born amongst us, if we make him present through our greetings, our compassion and our love.
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