The Fourth Day Of Christmas - Visitors
We go back now to the first week of Jesus? life in that cave. What kind of people would visit a family in such a situation? The Bible only tells us who were the first visitors ( shepherds from up the hill) and the last (magi from the east). But news soon spreads. No doubt all sorts of people wanted to visit in between times. Who would they be? The curious, the equivalent to today?s paparazzi? Maybe, though they may have preferred VIP?s in expensive inns.
The Irish had a better intuition. They thought that Mary would have needed a mid-wife, someone just like their saint Brigid. Out of her heart poured compassion. She would not hesitate to visit anyone who needed help. Out of her practised hands flowed skill. Out of her mind flowed a shrewd appraisal of the situation Jesus' family was in. And in her heart she knew God was there and that He demanded the best she could give.
Brigid was called the mid-wife who, second only to Patrick, brought pagan Ireland to faith in Christ. It was she who taught that a person who welcomes someone in need really welcomes Christ in the guise of that person.
Today, as we listen to our hearts, we may be shown who we should visit. And we, too, shall be visiting Christ.
