Luke 1: 26-38 (NRSV)
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.
Blog Reflection
I have just finished reading The Mystery of Christ: The Liturgy as Spiritual Experience by Thomas Keating. He finishes the book by reminding us that Jesus doesn't make the biggest impact on our lives when they are all set in their untroubled moments. Jesus makes the greatest change in our lives, when they are turned upside down. When nothing seems to make sense. When we have the most questions, with no answers.
I think Mary must have felt like God turned her world upside down when the Angel Gabriel came to her, to announce that she was chosen to be the mother of the Son of God. History tells us that Mary was most likely no older than 16 years old. I am sure she had many plans Among them her engagement to Joseph. Suddenly, just like when most are weddings are being planned, comes the shocker that turns everything over. Whatever the plans were before, they suddenly had a new component to them. It was out of order. It was what most human minds would have thought was illogical.
The Annunciation is about keeping in mind that God is beyond logic. God is not bound by human rules or laws. God is not even bound by what humankind perceives to be God's word in the Bible itself. God is bigger than all of that. Yet, God comes not as a warrior to stop the conflicts of our lives. God comes to us in Jesus Christ, through the yes of Mary, to let us know that when our lives are upside down, we too are given the opportunity to make choices.
Are we open to answering yes to God's call upon our lives to bear the presence of Christ in the midst of our messy lives? Or, are we completely bent on having things our way, come hell or high water?
And there is more. Just because we answer yes to God's call in our lives, doesn't mean that everything going forward will be without it's demands on our lives for further conversion. The changes have only just begun. The possibilities of what God can do with and through us are unlimited when we are obedient to God's will. In Mary's case, God's random act of grace continued to pour itself out, even to the moment when Mary stood at the foot of the Cross with John, while her son was dying out of love for God and all of us. For all of us, if we are willing to answer yes to God's random act of grace on our lives, God will only bring out what is truly best. Even if it winds up costing us everything. Even if the rest of the world tells us we are crazy.
How is God calling us through God's random act of grace, to make the Church and society a more inclusive place for LGBT and others who are marginalized?
What price are we willing to pay to answer God's call on our lives?
Our answer is more than a simple sinner's prayer and a statement that we have been saved. It is way more than saying things such as "Religion does not save, only Jesus does." Answering the call of God on our lives, turns them upside down. It means walking the way of the Cross with Jesus, and letting God show us a greater love of God, neighbor and self that is authentic and transparent. It is at total giving of self so that God's reign that is here and now can become ever more real and life-giving beyond our prayers and rituals. Our God is to be found in the ordinary routines of our lives. As God turns them upside down, God also calls us to follow Jesus in the midst of our messy lives. Our choice is to answer yes to the narrow way that leads to everlasting life, or the no that leads to death, darkness and destruction.
St. Benedict has something to say about all of this in The Rule.
Do not be daunted immediately by fear and run away from the road that leads to salvation. It is bound to be narrow at the outset. But as we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run on the path of God's commandments, our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love. Never swerve from his instructions, then, but faithfully observing his teaching in the monastery until death, we shall through patience share in the sufferings of Christ that we may deserve also to share in his kingdom. Amen. (RB 1980, Prologue, vs 48-50, p. 19).
Amen.
Prayers
Pour your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we who have
known the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ, announced
by an angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross and passion
be brought to the glory of his resurrection; who lives and
reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now
and for ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p.240).
O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know
you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend
us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that
we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of
any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p. 99).
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