Our Gospel story started with Mary rushing off to Elizabeth’s house but I want to step back a bit to the verse directly before. This is the line I want to begin with from the angel Gabriel.
“For nothing will be impossible with God”
And Mary’s response is:
“Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
Up until now, I have missed this line from Mary and felt that she really didn’t get the chance to say yes or no to God’s call through the angel. I am not the best at hearing every word when I read or hear someone read to me. So, I didn’t realize or maybe I just didn’t remember that she had a choice. She could have said, Oh not me, I am not worthy or prepared to be this child’s mother. But she said yes.
And God prepared her, just like he prepares all of us to do what we are called to do. Also in the prior verse of Luke, Mary is told that her relative Elizabeth was also pregnant, which would have been a miracle too, because of Elizabeth’s age and previously being barren. Right after the angel appears to Mary, she goes to Elizabeth. I wonder if they were close relatives. Maybe Elizabeth was like that special Aunt that you could go to and tell your troubles and not get the same reaction you would get from your mother. Elizabeth was there to help Mary understand what was happening.
God chose two entirely different women to give birth to babies who would turn the world upside down. Mary, being very young and a virgin who gives birth to Jesus and Elizabeth an old, barren woman, who gives birth to John the Baptist. As I looked for help with doing this reflection I came across a commentary that spoke of this being a bit of a theme for God. He does seem to use the old and the young often to get his point across. On the young side, we have David, Samuel and Jeremiah and for the old, Abraham and Sarah and Moses.
Although Mary was very young she seemed to take this pregnancy in stride. She isn’t hiding her call from others. In fact, almost immediately she is saying a ‘Song of Praise’, somewhat like shouting what has happened from the rooftops. Amazing woman she was.
When I was first called by God to be Deacon, I was pretty quiet about it. I was in no way ready to spread it around town that I was called by God. I was unsure of what others would think, or what they would say and I was sure what I was in for was going to be difficult. I had been concerned about me and not what a Deacon is called to do and that is to focus attention to the poor, sick, lonely.
But Mary is different. She actually thanks God for this honour, “for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant”. She speaks about God’s strength in “bringing down the powerful from their thrones and lifting up the lowly”. Mary is not just thanking God for herself, she is speaking for all those who are poor. The voice of a social justice leader for sure. Each year we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Not like a birthday party for one of us, where we celebrate getting another year older, instead, each year we look back at that day so long ago when God so loved the world he brought to us a baby, who was the Messiah.
This week we light the candle of Love. How appropriate to light this one just before we celebrate the birth of Jesus, which comes from the love of God for each of us, whether we are rich or poor, young or old.
In the words of each of our candle lighting. Go about your days filled with hope, peace, joy and love. Have a blessed Christmas everyone and remember why we celebrate this day!