4 th Sunday of Advent Cycle C December 23, 2012
Micah 5:1-4a Hebrews 10:5-10 Luke 1:39-45
Here in Worcester we have a number of buildings and neighborhoods that would be considered historic. At least from an American perspective.
For example, on Camp Street down in south Worcester off Cambridge Street, the name Camp
Street is named so because that’s the area where many Civil War soldiers trained and marched and prepared for soldier life and duty prior to heading off to Washington, D.C. in the 1860’s. And from
Washington they traveled to other points south.
On Front Street there’s a number of historic buildings that have lined City Hall for many decades, some beyond the century mark.
Coming further up Main Street toward Lincoln Square, which was named after Levi Lincoln, the former 19 th century Governor of the Commonwealth, and not after Abraham Lincoln, you’ll find
Mechanics Hall, a very historic setting. I have a letter from 1865 I’ve read a few times that tells of a huge crowd that gathered at Mechanics Hall for speeches and whatever else when news from Washington traveled up here to Worcester informing the local people of President Lincoln’s death. Mechanics Hall was the place to go, the place to be to address such national circumstances.
I’ve had the opportunity to be on stage there twice now in the past 10 days. Prior to that, never!
It’s feast or famine. The first time was an invitation to give the Invocation for Worcester’s Chamber of
Commerce annual gathering. And then this past Tuesday I was invited to give the Benediction for the annual Firefighter of the Year Awards. And I must say, it’s a lot easier to speak a prayer at Mechanics
Hall than try to perform any type of entertainment in that historic hall.
At the second gathering, a number of firefighters from throughout the state were recognized for acts of bravery that, in many cases, saved the lives of other people. From river rescues to house rescues, to automobiles accidents and apartment buildings. Recognized by the Governor (how lucky was he to be on the same stage as Fr. Riley?) through meritorious citations and awards. All done under the past presence of so many who have stood in that historic place considering and discussing the major events of our city and nation.
I remember being in Jerusalem last year, and one of the places our tour visited was what is today called the Church of the Visitation. And I remember thinking at one point, “This is the area – the incredibly historic area – where two very humble, pregnant women related to one another met for a holy moment. Where the One carried by Mary gave cause to the child carried by Elizabeth to jump for joy as soon as Mary’s voice reached the ears of Elizabeth. That this is the area – the historic hall, if you will – where two mothers united in company also united John’s joy with Divine presence.
I guess what’s amazing about this scene in the Gospel is not so much that John jumped for joy at his Lord’s presence. Rather, that John didn’t jump out of the womb of his mother Elizabeth! It’s amazing the natural birth process and natural forces of nature held him back, and prevented him from beginning his mission outside of the inward protection and safety of his mother. But no, his excitement had to wait a few more months before birth would unleash his lifelong desert experience.
On this final Sunday prior to our celebrating the birth that unleashes the whole of human salvation, the setting of an historic meeting place sets the tone and pace of our anticipation. By placing

our own lives into this Gospel, by travelling spiritually to Jerusalem and listening in on the conversation, in fact, being part of the conversation of two humble, Spirit-filled women whom God has handpicked to be the vessels through which eternal life will flow, we place ourselves into an historic setting, a historic hall, and enjoy the view of what love looks like at its best.
Do we have a yearning, a desire in our lives to capture a piece of heaven’s pie of love? How good would that taste after some of the recent events our nation has experienced? Not for the purpose of turning away from the realities we face in our communities and our world each day. But to know and embrace that the greatest of all human events is shared by these two holy women. We don’t run and hide from tragedy and the uncertainties of life. At least Catholics are not supposed to. We face them, as we should, head on. This is what those firefighters do, which is why they’re invited to stand on a stage before hundreds of their peers and family members and receive recognition for not running and hiding when accidents occur.
Mary and Elizabeth meeting in what is now a very historic place, the Church of the Visitation, was anything but a secret meeting where the world was shut out. Mary and Elizabeth was a most public meeting. It couldn’t be more public! A meeting inviting us into a view of our salvation, the greatest saving act of all.
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does it happen that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”
Well, that’s what our Lord does. He comes to us. Even in historic places.