Many of you know that I have the unique blessing of a prison ministry. Several times a month I and a team of volunteers travel up to Angie, Louisiana and minister to the men of Rayburn Prison. If you could ask them what is important about these visitations they may tell you, among other things, that we simply come to them. We indeed do come and they appreciate these visits. They appreciate our presence!
As we arrive at December 23rd perhaps some of us in the pews are here visiting family for Christmas. Maybe others of our own parish family are not here today because they have gone off to be present with their families and friends. Many of us will either host or travel to a grand family affair on Christmas that includes gifts and food but even more importantly, being together and being present to one another. Yes, the greatest present on Christmas Day is often presence. But for there to be presence, some of us must come and some of us must receive our guests.
As people of faith we rejoice that Jesus comes to us, His presence is with us. For us, the question may be, how do I receive Him?
The Gospel we hear proclaimed today is so familiar that it is often referred to as "the Visitation". These same words from Scripture are recalled everytime we pray the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. The Visitation is one of those beautiful stories from Scripture that almost all of us can recall. It is very much a story of bringing the gift of presence to another, in this case the gift of the Messiah to another, and a story of receiving so sublime a gift with great joy! When Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel and accepts the message that she will be the mother of Jesus, conceiving in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, she accepts God's will and says YES. How remarkable and great a gift we all received from Mary by her YES. We only know how the conversation between the angel and Mary went based on that which is recorded in Scripture. We do know that the angel goes on to tell Mary that even her cousin Elizabeth, much older and believed to be barren, is too with child. Elizabeth is carrying in her womb St. John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus. After such a life changing announcement that Mary has just received what does she do. She goes in haste to be with Elizabeth. Scripture tells us that Elizabeth lives in the hill country. Although a distance of maybe 60 miles away, about the same distance from Mandeville to Baton Rouge, this is not an easy journey. Mary, now pregnant with Jesus, a young girl, would travel many days by walking and riding on a donkey through ever increasing elevation. Yet Mary goes in haste. She brings her presence, and the presence of the Messiah to Elizabeth. For her part, Elizabeth greets Mary with great joy. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth greets Mary with the words that we say even today in the Ave', the Hail Mary. And she ponders, how is it that the mother of my Lord comes to me? The answer is simple, Mary shows us the gift of presence, of coming to help, of coming to be a source of comfort and great joy. And there is so much joy that John the Baptist, in the womb of his mother, leaps for joy too at the arrival of Mary and his cousin Jesus, in Mary's womb.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about 3 months and was present at the birth of John the Baptist. Her example is a lesson for all of us as we approach Christmas Day and throughout the entire year. When we arrive at Christmas dinner and family gatherings this year, are we the one that brings great joy to others or are we the one that makes things a little awkward. When those who can make things a little awkward arrive at our home, do we greet them with great joy and do we do our best to forgive those little annoyances? Why am I having a flashback to that dinner scene in Chevy Chase's movie Christmas vacation right now? Let me sum this up: is our presence, whether we are the host or the visitor, a source of joy, a source of comfort and a real Christmas present to all we encounter? If after all this Advent preparation, as an example of our Christian fidelity, how can we be anything but Christ's presence to those we will be with over the next many days, and again, all throughout the year.
In the week ahead, through these holy holidays, be especially mindful of our actions and behaviors. Can we call upon Mary to help us. How about, as a reminder, every day this week, before our holiday adventures begin, in addition to thanking Jesus for coming to us, for being with us, we invoke Mary's help by simply saying each morning:
Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
Be a present by your presence!
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