Advent 4  The Visit

Christmas is a time for friends and family to make trips by car, plane, train and bus to see family and friends.   The very first of these late Advent journeys was made by Mary to see her relative Elizabeth in the hill country.  This is perhaps the first of a number of trips Jesus makes up a hill or mountain and, of course, his earthly life will apex on one three decades later.

Liturgically, the celebration of this event is called The Visitation although it does ask the question as to who is doing the visiting.  Is Mary going to see her cousin and Zechariah or is it Jesus already beginning to visit more of this world.

The Gospels share much more about Jesus earthly ministry of some three years than it does of these early days of infancy and youth.  Are these early days of the new church year, Year of St. Luke, times for bearing Christ to others in the world, both those in low and high places?  Luther’s used an expression, was Christus trieben to say that the Scriptures and we with their message bear, carry, drive home, inculcate Christ.  In the latter days of December doings people will worry whether the mail or electronic messages will bring the last minute cards, greetings and invitations to their addressees, packages safely to doorsteps, the steps of family and friends home, gifts of food and surprise to neighbors and children’s eyes… but who will bear the good news of great joy that magnifies the Lord?  Who will share the rejoicing in the saving God, the blessed great things done for us, the holiness of the name of Jesus, the hunger filled, the proud and powerful fallen and the lowly lifted up?