LIVES INTERRUPTED

Well, they’re gone. There were some hard feelings at the end, but they are all gone. At the end, there were no hugs, no cheery, “Come and visit us some time,” and I haven’t gotten any thank you notes from anyone. The bags of mini-Pay Day and Salted Peanut bars I was leaving for Santa are decimated, and although there is much evidence of my family eviscerating each of the wrappers, I will never know who the particular culprits were. It’s a small price to pay for the peace I am enjoying, but a piece of candy would taste good right now. I suppose I will have to settle for some challah or just a little piece of kringle—maybe two pieces would be better—almond or pe- pe- pe- pecan would do nicely. Yes, I think I can settle for that.

Speaking of having to settle for something other than what you had planned, this week’s text for Sunday morning (Luke 1:26-38) is a doozy. Imagine what it might be like to think that your life is all planned out only to discover some stranger standing near you saying, “Greetings, favored one…you have found favor with God…you will…bear a son…the power of the Most High will overshadow you…the child…will be holy; he will be called Son of God.” Really? Can you imagine? Betrothed to Joseph, Mary is now told that her entire life is going to be changed. On the one hand, at this end of time, it sounds like a profound honor, but let’s think about this for a moment.

The title, “The Most High”, can be a synonym for God, but it can also indicate the highest political or military personage in the area, or even Caesar himself. Further, Son of God is what Caesar Augustus is calling himself.

And let’s just take a moment to consider what it means to be favored. Favored could mean comely or “a real knock out.” It could be, “I’ll get you my pretty,” from the witch or “Hey beautiful, followed by a wolf whistle” when walking by the construction site. These words might be really frightening. Is this a “come on” line from a cultural power source? Is there a choice that Mary can really make here? Or, is this one of those command performances of a sex trafficker?

In the course of the conversation, the intimation is that Elizabeth is too old to bear children and Mary is too young to know a man. What kind of proposition is this? Yet, when Mary learns that Elizabeth is already pregnant, Mary gives in. Still, the words, “Nothing will be impossible with God,” carries a veiled double entendre. There could be a veiled threat depending on whether you hear these words with a capital G or a lower-case g.

It is in of the uncertainty of the world—of wielded political power and desire to live faithfully—that the words of Mary come to us. “Here I am, a servant (slave) of the lord. Let it be with me according to your word.” Is this a resigned capitulation? Or, are these words an extraordinary statement of faithfulness?

What we know is that Mary immediately leaves to be with Elizabeth in those precarious times. It is not until she encounters Elizabeth and hears E’s greeting that Mary is able to discern the intent of the angelic greeting. It is not until then that Mary is able to feel free of political demands. It is not until then that Mary is able to sing, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”

In this fourth Sunday of Advent, let’s not jump too quickly to the script of promised life-plan interrupted. Take a few moments to walk with Mary. Hear the potential threat. Feel the discomfort of the encounter. Take time to appreciate the kind of courage this young woman possesses to stand before the stranger and accept the disruption of her life-plan. Then consider how that disruption for her disrupts our life-plan. For, within Mary’s words and action here, she becomes the Theotokos, God Bearer, for the world and makes of us God bearers too.

“Greetings, favored ones. God finds favor with you. Overshadowed by the spirit of the Most High, you are invited to bear, in this pregnant moment, God’s Word of hope and promise to the world.” Will you accept the interruption this will make in your life-plans? Can you say with Mary, “Here I am, the servant of the Lord. Let it be for me according to your word”?

It’s time to think about Christmas Eve now. Maybe I need to sample a little Challah left over from Chanukkah, or some pe- pe- pe- pecan kringle set aside for Christmas Eve. What do you think?

Your pal,

Nicodemus,

Editor, Theologian, Counsellor, Mouse

ROME IMPROVEMENT 12/20/2020

MORE POWER! MORE GLORY!! MORE SPIRIT!!!

SURVEYING THE SITE—Luke 1:5-80

The text of the annunciation is so tied to the texts around it that it is difficult to focus on this text alone. Zechariah has spoken with Gabriel and gotten divine laryngitis. Elizabeth has conceived after many years, being declared barren and old. Now Mary, who is too young, is visited by Gabriel and told that, just as Elizabeth is too old, she, Mary, will conceive. Elizabeth’s son will be known as the Prophet of the Most High while Mary’s son will be known as the Son of the Most High.

Mary travels to be with Elizabeth. There the stigma of shame is removed from Mary. While Mary is there, we hear of John leaping for joy in Elizabeth’s womb, Elizabeth declaring that Mary is blessed among women, and Mary singing the words of the Magnificat. She returns home when it is time for Elizabeth to give birth.

After Mary leaves, Elizabeth and Zechariah name their child John. Zechariah, the proud father, regains his voice. He then sings a song of praise that outlines God’s faithfulness to God’s people and places his son in the faith-life story of God’s people. In the end, we hear that John “Grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.”

In this incredible story we hear, “Nothing will be impossible with God.”

READING THE BLUEPRINT

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Gabriel visits Mary who is betrothed to Joseph.  His words are almost a “Boo” with scary implications: “Greetings favored one, the Lord is with you.” Wondering what that might mean, Mary is told that she will conceive a child and name him Jesus, and he will be known as the son of the Most High. His kingdom will have no end.

After questioning how this can happen, Gabriel explains that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and the power of the Most High will overshadow her. Therefore, the child will be Holy. Indeed, he will be called the Son of God. Mary assents to the divine plan, saying, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord. Let it be with me according to your word.” Having heard Mary’s assent, Gabriel leaves.

ROUGHING IN THE HOUSE

While reading the Gospel of Luke, we don’t spend a lot of time thinking about Joseph because he has no speaking part, but it is worth remembering—there are no small parts, only small actors—and then reflect on the Joseph story.

It was another Joseph who saved God’s people during the time of famine back in Genesis. His story leads to the Exodus, from slavery in Egypt, through the wilderness new formation time, leading to the entry into the Promised Land.

This Joseph, the one in the Christmas story, now acts as the door between the old world enslaved by sin, through Baptism and the wilderness of temptation, into the promised resurrection world of Christ’s justifying life, death, and resurrection. In this light, Elizabeth’s and Mary’s pregnancies are minor acts of God’s work proving that “with God, nothing is impossible.”

PUTTING UP THE WALLS

If you take a trip through Deuteronomy 22, you will encounter the penalties of rape and pregnancy-out-of-wedlock. Lots of shame and death are involved. It is important to hold these verses in mind as you hear this story because it was known to the first hearers.

If Mary’s pregnancy could be attributed to rape, even divine rape, then Elizabeth’s pregnancy is subject to the same scrutiny. If Elizabeth’s pregnancy is a gift from God, then Mary’s pregnancy is also a gift from God. The ages of these women are not coincidence—too old and too young. These two women enter into the story of God accomplishing what is impossible.

It is the related stories of these two women that shape the narrative that Luke wants to tell, and it is the acceptance of these two women’s stories that prepares us for the acts of what we might think to be impossible—Jesus’ death and resurrection, promising forgiveness and justifying love for all of the world. With God, nothing is impossible, and nothing will be impossible—even Christ’s kingdom that will have no end.

HANGING THE TRIM

Within the announcement of Mary’s pregnancy for the salvation of the world and the related story of Elizabeth’s pregnancy is a call to celebrate life, remembering that God’s gift to us is the continuation of those who will tell the story of God’s love for the world. The stigma of how these two pregnancies affect our lives and the judgments of those around us are less important than the why of God’s activity—in, among, and around us.  Through these two women, we learn that the kingdom of God draws near in unexpected ways.