Let us pray: O God whose power and greatness display your goodness, and ours, bless these words to our use and bless us to your service. Amen.
“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord." Blessed is she who believed. Today’s gospel story of two women coming together in their expectancy, of John the Baptist’s mighty in-utero kick at the sound of Mary’s voice, of the Holy Spirit filling Elizabeth inspiring her prophesy, is an amazing tale of two women realizing how God is at work in their lives. In this meeting, the older, much older Elizabeth finds herself in the same pregnant state as the younger, much younger, Mary. They are both, through miraculous means, pregnant. What could, what does this mean? When Elizabeth feels John leaping in her womb and the rush of the Holy Spirit, she and Mary begin to realize the immensity of their pregnancies. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed in the fruit of your womb. And blessed are you, Mary, for believing that God would bring all of this to pass, all that God spoke to you through the angel. Blessed are you for waiting, for hoping, for daring!”
“Yes! I can’t help but give thanks and praise to God!” Mary sings out.
Mary responds with adoration as she realizes that the Creator God is talking to her, looking at her, smiling at her, blessing her.
Blessed is she who believed.
Author Brian McLaren speaks about how Mary’s courage and trust lead to her openness to God.
“Mary presents herself to the Holy Spirit to receive and cooperate with God’s creative power. She surrenders and receives, she nurtures and gives her all, because she dares to believe the impossible is possible.” It’s never easy to give in, to give up, especially when it comes to control. But…if the one to whom we are surrendering is good, is loving, and has shown faithfulness and genuine care, then, then, might we allow ourselves to surrender, to place our trust, worries, doubts and anxieties in their hands? Although it runs counter to what we see and believe, counter to our pride, “I can do it. I don’t need any help!” when we surrender our will to our loving God, then we too, like Mary, can dare to believe that with God all things are possible. Mary knows God’s loving gaze and favor and it is awesome and disorienting and beyond belief. And yet it IS believable and very real. Very real in her cousin Elizabeth and in her own womb. The Mighty One, has done great things for Mary. This source of ultimate power has stooped down, noticed, and blessed her. You see, this is how God works, not through force or violent might, but rather through overpowering love, care, and compassion. God’s mercy, God’s compassion and forgiveness are part of Mary’s life experience. And they are not meant for her alone but for everyone, from generation to generation. God’s promise is for those who went before, for ancestors, for us now, and for our descendants FOREVER. Mary knows very personally this promise of God. The promise to show mercy, to have compassion, and to forgive, and Mary proclaims that this gift of hope if for ALL who surrender to God. The promise to lift up those who have been cast down, those who find themselves at the bottom, on the outside, feeling alone. The promise to fill the hungry with good things, to meet our needs and satisfy us. The promise to look upon us, as God looked upon Mary, with favor, with love, and with joyful expectation. Professor of Theology Robert Redman reminds us of our connection through Mary’s words. “The best hope of the Christian in every age finds its voice in Mary’s Song, and it has rested securely on this: God is good, and God keeps promises.” God is good, and God keeps promises.
Siblings in the love of God, this Advent season, as we wait and watch and hope, can we, like Mary, dare to believe how blessed, how loved, how precious we are in the eyes of God? Can we, like Mary, dare to say yes to God’s love for us? Yes, to God’s mercy? Yes, to ourselves, our TRUE selves, beloved and adored, powerfully good, pregnant with possibilities and hope?
Yes! Yes we can, with God’s help!
And so, on this the last Sunday of Advent, may you be reminded of God’s goodness as you wait for Christ’s coming. May you come to believe and claim your essential goodness as a human being created in the image of God. May you grow to understand the story of your birth as a story of love: created by love, created for love, created to be in love with the creator, and all of creation. May you seek to share this love and light with all those around you. May you hold fast to the promise of God’s mercy and compassion, and may you always know that a good and loving God looks on YOU with favor. Amen.
