Advent

December 19, 2020

Scripture Reading:
Luke 1:26-38
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.

We do not know what was really happening in Mary’s life when she conceived Jesus. I doubt if she could explain it in a way that others could understand. We know that her world was in much turmoil with Roman dominion. In a world where parents were more involved in their children’s choices, I find it interesting that we have no reports of involvement either with her parents or Joseph’s.  We know that Mary was present and active in Jesus’ life during his ministry. I have visited Turkey’s shrine, believed to be the home where John cared for her following Jesus’ crucifixion.

More than the facts of the situation, this scripture tells us of a young girl’s great faith and trust in God. How many of us in the same circumstances could say, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ I identify more with the Gideon’s of the world who, when called to serve, asked something to the effect; God are you sure, I am the one you want to lead an army*?

Yet now, 2000+ years later, we worship Mary’s son, who came into being and changed the whole world. God incarnate came to live with us and show us how to love one another. He issued the call for us to be His Body in the World today. At this season, each year, we are invited once again to renew our commitment to this calling to say with Mary, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’

Prayer: Lord, grant us the courage of Mary to surrender ourselves completely to answer whatever you call us to do. Amen.

*See Judges 6-8

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.