Gabriel said to Mary — ‘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.
Did you notice? What perplexed Mary was not the appearance of an angel. That wasn’t what threw her. Maybe she was one of those people who, like some folks I know, have more of a keen awareness of angels and the divine presence around them. Maybe the appearance of an angel wan’t all that new or surprising for Mary. But, what did confuse her was his greeting …he called her “favored one”…and said that God was with her.
I imagine Mary, in here day to day life, did not see much of God’s favor in her life. She was a poor young Jewish girl living in Roman occupied Palestine. Her ethnicity, her gender, her age, her religion, her socio-economic status were all about as far from “favored” as anyone could be. Why on earth would someone call her that? What about her life would indicate that God was with her? That was the puzzling part of Gabriel’s greeting.
It got me thinking…how often Matt and I announce that God is with you…that you are beloved of God…that you are God’s precious child…that you are important to God…God’s “favored one”. And how often does that feel like it “fits”? How often is it perplexing? Maybe some days more than others? Because if you’re sick…or grieving…it might be hard to give it more than a sarcastic “Yeah right…”.
But I think this is the way Christmas comes….still…today. Often, it doesn’t seem possible…or real…that God could use us, or be with us, or enter our lives in any significant way. But that’s what it’s all about, my friends. Christmas is exactly about the unbelievability of God with us in the midst of this messy broken world… a world filled with hate and violence and anger…a world filled with grief and disappointment and failure. Christmas is about the utter ridiculous truth that in the midst of all of this…God favors you. Delights in you. Is present in you and with you.
One of the images I loved best in the book, “The Shack”…was how every time God talked about a person…God would say…”oh…she’s my favorite” or “he’s my favorite”. And mean it fully. About every single person. Their uniqueness…their heart…the person they were made to be…God delighted in them. Loved them completely. Even when they had gone completely off the rails. Even when all their goodness had been destroyed by drugs or abuse along the way. God still saw who God created them to be…and they were her favorite.
Jeane Frandrup always did that with her kids, too…Jeane was our secretary and organist here for many years. She would write them notes, ”Heidi..don’t tell your brothers or sister…but you’re my favorite. I just love how kind you are.” Heidi would beam. But the thing is.. they all got the notes. “Scott…don’t tell your sisters and brother…but you’re my favorite. I just love how hard working you are.” Karen…Eric…they all got the notes and they all delighted in being her favorite…and they all were.
Mary is God’s favorite. A young Jewish girl with depth and faith and strength that most people wouldn’t have imagined…that she wouldn’t have imagined, honestly. She is shocked. But when Gabriel says nothing is impossible with God…she believes it. And she says..”ok…let it be as you say”…..instead of “yeah, right.”
And she goes to see Elizabeth…who is also God’s favorite. Doing more impossible things. And who is finding joy…ridiculous joy…in discovering God with her in the midst of her ordinary world of pain and struggle.
So…here’s the thing. This story isn’t just true for Mary and Elizabeth in the Middle East 2000 years ago. The Christmas story is meant to be true for us here…now. You are God’s favorite. God is with you. And in your life…God wants to be born. In your life, God wants to bring hope and mercy and love to life.
Meister Eckhart was a Christian mystic in the 13th century…and he said “We are all meant to be mothers of God. What good is it to me if this eternal birth of the divine Son takes place unceasingly but does not take place within myself? And what good is it to me if Mary is full of grace if I am not also full of grace? What good is it to me for the Creator to give birth to his Son if I also do not give birth to him in my time and my culture? This, then, is the fullness of time. When the Son of God is begotten in us. “
I know it sounds crazy…and you might be perplexed at hearing it…but you are God’s favored one and God is with you….and God desires that Jesus might come into the world through you….in our time and our culture. In 2020.
We sing O come O come Emmanuel at this time of year…and when we do, we are praying for the reality of Emmanuel, which means ‘God with us’, to break through where we are…whether we are in lonely exile…or facing death…or grieving or caught in the darkness of depression…or broken hearted or broken in spirit. We pray…O come, Emmanuel…Come, God be with us.
And God answers that cry through you. You are God’s favored one…and in you God chooses to enter the world in this fullness of time. To be present…to love…to have mercy…to show compassion…to heal..to mend what is broken. In your life…and in the lives of those around you. And Mary shows us what to do…how to respond. Say ok. Let the sarcasm go..and just say ok, let it be as you have said, God, Let it be.
When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be
And when the broken-hearted people
Living in the world agree
There will be an answer, let it be
For though they may be parted
There is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be
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