The first chapter of Luke’s gospel is full of visitations.  There’s the angel Gabriel’s visit to Zechariah in the temple, promising a birth to him and Elizabeth in their old age.  Gabriel visits Mary with words almost too terrifying and wonderful to bear, but bear them she does.  Mary visits Elizabeth for solidarity and perhaps some pregnancy advice.  Mary sings of God’s visiting justice to the poor and hungry, scattering the proud.  Angels visit shepherds who in turn visit the manger scene.  Mary and Joseph visit the temple carrying the infant Jesus, met by the elders Simeon and Anna who offer their blessing.

Advent begins this Sunday, and throughout December we’ll be pondering visitations in their many forms.  It’s a season in which we are often the visitors, but the stories from Luke invite us to put ourselves in the place of the visited.  This Advent, this coming year, expect visitations.  Expect the terrifying and the wonderful, expect solidarity, expect bearing something into the world, and expect blessing.

Joel