Mary Bearer of God
Advent 4B
2 Sam. 7:1-11, 16; Luke 1:26-38
12/21/08
Lorraine Ljunggren

        “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you,” says the angel Gabriel to a young Mary of Nazareth. We're told the greeting is perplexing, but wouldn't the appearance of a particularly mysterious and possibly daunting stranger be perplexing of itself? The messenger immediately puts Mary on notice that something momentous is about to follow, otherwise, why the next words, “Do not be afraid, Mary.” With the advantage of hindsight we know that Mary has reason to be afraid because we know that even good momentous things can turn our world upside down. That is exactly what happens in the conversation as it continues between Mary and Gabriel.

        The angel goes on to outline a plan of sorts in which Mary will find herself pregnant while still in the betrothal stage of her relationship with Joseph. While traditions differ, we're led to believe that in Mary's society a woman who is found to be with child outside of the socially acceptable or even expected timeline is asking for trouble – very big trouble.

        Mary is asked to participate in a plan which will take her from being a normal, accepted, insider in her small town of Nazareth to being someone who would be labeled “The Other.” It is no wonder she stops the angel's monologue by asking 'how' all this would come to pass. There is a lot at stake for Mary – in fact, her saying 'yes' could well prove to be a matter of life and death for her, or, if not that extreme, then she at least risks being shamed and cast out.

        I imagine Mary standing stock still wherever this conversation takes place, perhaps with her arms wrapped around a water jar or with her sleeves rolled up -flour up to her elbows - her hands buried in dough. It's as if the angel senses the need to prove to Mary that the anticipated pregnancy is of God's will and so rushes on to tell Mary that her cousin Elizabeth – long thought to be unable to have a child – is actually six months pregnant. “For nothing will be impossible with God,” the angel concludes, perhaps a bit breathless, certainly hoping against hope that the young woman in whose presence the angel stands will say 'yes.'

        Mary's God – our God – will call us, will cajole us, will encourage us to say 'yes' when need arises, but does not force us. Even the great prophets in all their reluctance to agree when called by God could, I believe, ultimately say 'no.' We tell the stories over and over again of those who say 'yes.'
        This young woman, who has become such a giant figure of our faith around the world, I believe pauses, stands silently wondering if this is the right thing to do. Mary surely takes some time – accompanied by some deep breaths, remembering the stories of other women in her tradition as told in the Torah and in the prophets, considering the implications before ever she speaks words familiar to our ears, praying from the core of who she is – digging deep down into her soul, calling on all that is holy in God's universe for wisdom before she says, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

        Across time I hear strength and resolve in Mary's voice as she assents. By agreeing to become a mother in an out-of-the-ordinary-way-of-doing-things, Mary is taking the first of many great risks she will face in the course of her life. I admire her faith and her courage. In those moments with Gabriel I believe Mary struggles every bit as much as we struggle whenever momentous events present themselves to us – whenever we are called on, particularly by God, to step out and move our faith beyond our lips into the actions of our lives.

        Mary's assent – her saying 'yes' to God in this mysterious event demonstrates fully what it means to radically welcome God's will into one's life. On top of that, in risking being labeled 'the Other,' Mary shows that she trusts God to be with her however her actions are perceived by those around her.

        Radical welcome is a concept we've been grappling with here at St. Mark's. We have been asking ourselves what it means and where it might lead. We can begin to understand what it means by realizing it begins with “…God's grace-filled embrace of all creation. Picture [Mary's firstborn] Jesus, who shows us how to really love, share, heal and connect across every imaginable barrier. That's radical welcome.” (A Guide to the Practice of Radical Welcome, Epis. Dio. of MA, p.2)

        “Radical welcome is flinging our arms wide to embrace God, who asks us to be humble, flexible and faithful, and to follow wherever [Mary's firstborn] Jesus leads. It's the spiritual practice of embracing the presence, gifts, voices and power of silenced, closeted, or oppressed people on the margins….just like Jesus would. (ibid.)

        Author Madeleine L'Engle once wrote, “God always asks the impossible.” (Synthesis, p. 2, 2008) Truth be told, the whole story of God being revealed in the birth of a baby to a poor young woman and the concept of radical welcome can both seem to our modern ears impossible. And, yet, here we are, gathered in this parish church, hearing the story either for the umpteeth time or perhaps for the first time. But, still, we are here. There has to be in the telling of the story a lasting truth that causes us to have faith even though things may seem impossible.

        The angel's voice gives us a timely reminder of a great truth, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” Though, my friends, I believe sincerely that God counts on us to put that truth into action.

        In writing about this Gospel story, Barbara Brown Taylor points out another and perhaps obvious truth when she writes, “Deciding to say yes does not mean that you are not afraid…It just means that you are not willing to let your fear stop you.” (ibid., p. 2)

        Mary didn't let her fear stop her. As a priestly acquaintance wrote, Mary was, “…the first who, for the sake of Jesus, lived day after day in what Martin Buber has aptly called 'holy insecurity' – a daily walk of faith in which you do not know even the next step, let alone what the end product will be. But you keep putting one foot after the next anyway.” (ibid., p. 4., H. King Oehmig)

        In a part we did not read today, later in the story Mary goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth. From that encounter Mary's voice reminds us that we journey alongside God whom she says has mercy on those in every generation who look to God in hope, God who scatters the proud in their conceit yet whose arm is strong to save, who casts down the mighty from their thrones but lifts up the lowly, who sends away empty the rich who already have so much while filling the hungry with good things, who helps Israel and all who remember God's promise of mercy – a promise handed down from as long ago as Abraham and Sarah's time. (The Magnificat paraphrased)

        Around the world Mary stands tall in our tradition, not as one to be placed on some alabaster pedestal, but as one whose courage and faithfulness remind us that we are to be people of courage and faith, as well as people of action and welcome. By way of example, Mary, in all her humanity takes tremendous risks in doing what she perceives is God's will for her life and for her family. Though the details and specifics of our paths and our challenges may differ greatly from hers, we still are to follow her example, to listen carefully for God calling to each of us, and then using all the wisdom we can muster when we say 'yes' and after saying 'yes' not letting our fears stop us.

        Around the globe in our tradition Mary is also said to be full of God's grace. She has come to be known as theotokos – God bearer or mother of God. Famous mystic Meister Eckhart once said, “We are all meant to be mothers of God. … What good is it to me, he said, if this eternal birth of the divine Son takes place unceasingly but does not take place within myself? And what good is it to me if Mary is full of grace and if I am not also full of grace? What good is it to me for the Creator to give birth to [the] Son if I do not also give birth to him in my time and my culture?” (ibid., p. 2)

        This is where the story in today's Gospel ultimately leads us. We are to be bearers of God – to invite the Spirit of God we meet in Christ Jesus to dwell within us – to acknowledge that in our created-ness the Spirit of God is part of who we are as people made in the image and likeness of God. We are to live knowing God's grace is within us and we're to share that grace with all those whom we meet. We are to give birth to the essence of Mary's son Jesus the Christ's life and ministry in all our thoughts, words, and deeds, in our time and in our culture so that both may be transformed into ones of justice and honor – into a time and a culture of radical welcome. Amen.
        

©2008 Lorraine Ljunggren