necessary interruptions in order to meet Jesus - 4th sunday of advent C 2018

Advent comes from the Latin word adventus which means the arrival, the presence or the visitation of a high ranking official, the emperor himself or of a god who reveals himself to his people.  Advent is visitation, to be visited upon.

Today however to be visited upon or a visitation may no longer connote its original emotions.  Not only did it lose its excitement but many times a visitation is even dreaded.  When a parent is called to visit the principal in school, it means things may not be good.  And the reaction is almost always - what have you done this time?

When I was growing up in the Philippines whenever I got sick, though my mother owns a chain of pharmacies, whenever we get sick, the first person to be called is the village healer - an old woman.  She would slice ginger, put it on the crown of my head, and blow like she was blowing a balloon, then again blow, and then she would make a deep yawn and declare her diagnosis.  I was visited upon by a relative long dead which caused my illness.  It almost always works, but of course my mother always supplements this with aspirin or paracetamol.

Visitations may no longer evoke the emotions they once have.  Some visitations today evoke hardships, painful confrontations and inconveniences.  And many times the joy that should have been felt in this presence can only be felt when the visit is over and the visitor gone – and we can breathe a sigh of relief.

Today however in our gospel we are reminded of the joy of a visit, the happiness of presence, the gladness of an arrival.  Please be reminded that these visitations were not in the best of circumstances. For one both Mary’s and Elizabeth’s pregnancies were difficult.  According to scholars Mary must have been 14, a virgin and only betrothed, not yet married – we know the complications of such matters.  Elizabeth was old and old according to scholars must have been 55 to 60 years old.  And yet these two women found joy in the visitation, both of whom launched into a song – Elizabeth exclaimed Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb; and Mary sung, My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.  Both were visited by the Lord.  Both went through difficult circumstances.  However, both found joy in this visitation.

I remember during the funeral of my mother the priest who prepared the funeral gave me the gospel from which I must give a homily.  The gospel recalls the visit of Jesus on the death of his friend Lazarus.  It recalls that moment when Martha greeted Jesus as he arrived.  I’ve been using this gospel in funerals before but it never occurred how significant it would be.  We all know Martha in the gospels – she was always up and about, always working, always preparing something, always helping here and there.  She even complained to Jesus that Mary her sister was not helping her.  But here in the death of his brother everything in her world stopped, whatever she was doing was interrupted, everything came to a halt, and finally Martha found time to meet Jesus, Martha finally got to hear Jesus, speak to Jesus, reveal her heart to Jesus.  And more importantly, Jesus was given the time too to ask her a question, Martha do you believe this?  The joy of Martha, the joy of an encounter with Jesus even in the most difficult of circumstance.  

We always equate Christmas, the arrival of Jesus, his visitation, with peace, with being fine, with goodness all around.  But sickness can be a time of visitation too, a time of encounter. And so is the death of a loved one, or a difficult confrontation of old wounds in the family.  They are necessary interruptions so that Jesus can meet us, visit us.  Whatever the circumstances, it can be an advent, a visitation, an encounter with the Lord.  Meet him as Martha did, find joy in this visit like Mary and Elizabeth.