Luke 1:26-38I remember 20 years ago in ahospital in Orlando, how in my hands, I held a new life. My daughter Erica is now twenty years old, abeautiful young woman who is a world traveler, a fine musician, and most ofall, a beloved Child of God. Many of ushave had this same experience; the gift of holding a child so precious, sosmall, so fragile, resting in our arms. Recallhow dependent they were on us for their very survival. What a responsibility, what a commitment thatwas to take on. This decision is no merecasual, “OK, I’ll do it.” The responseto become a parent is a decision that is for a lifetime. It is a commitment notonly to bring the child into the world, but a decisive acknowledgement of theresposibility to be with that child throughout the entire journey.
Imagine how the Ever BlessedVirgin Mary felt on that fateful night some 2000 plus years ago. At probably the age of 13, she was holding inher arms a baby, but not any baby, a baby who was God in flesh,"Immanuel," God with us. Marystands as a significant example of of obedience and faithfulness for allChristendom. Because of our Protestantpredispositions, Mary though, has been diminished to a place in our traditionthat for some, is less than significant. She has in some cases devolved to a simple figurine in the manger scene,a mere vessel through which the babe was born, but she was and is so muchmore.
Our church tradition has heldMary in special regard for centuries. Earlyin our tradition, she was known as “Theotokos” or the “Bearer” or “Mother of God.” Like many church traditions, this title forthe Ever Blessed Virgin was one fraught with controversy. In the 5th century, Nestorius, anearly church leader, had difficulty with the doctrine that Jesus wasmysteriously both fully human and fully divine, thus, the title “Mother of God”was for him, unacceptable. Notorioussomehow regarded Mary as merely the bearer of his human flesh and thus, hewould have embraced another title for Mary, “Christotokos” or the “Bearer” or “Motherof Jesus.” Well, Nestorius was deemed aheretic by the orthodox leaders of the church because the doctrine of themystery of the Incarnation, is all about God fully present with us in theflesh; Immanuel (God with us).
Mary was the bearer of God in Christ – both fully divine and fullyhuman in a baby, in a manger. It’s hard for us to imagine that, but asscripture asserts, “nothing is impossible with God.” God dwelt among us as a baby, as a child, asa man. In this mystery God, broughtsalvation to all of creation and the point is, that “at the root of everythingit is God's initiative and grace. We cannot create ourselves, we cannot redeemourselves, we cannot "ascend into heaven ... to bring Christ down"and we cannot * 'descend into the abyss ... to bring Christ up from the dead.''Everything that is comes from God. Every hope we have for the redemption of allthings comes from God.” It was by God’s initiative that we are unlikelyrecipients of God's favor, people who are freely offered God’s love, mercy,reconciliation, and joy; not forced to take. We like Mary, are offered the opportunity to have Christ in us, but westruggle to answer that invitation with a "yes.". Mary said, “yes.”
Mary, the Ever Blessed Virgin,the Mother of God, "Theotokos" - she is a model of discipleship forall of us. From the obedient young woman the angelvisited, to the broken-hearted mother whose tears at the foot of the crossflowed, Mary teaches us what it means to allow the Spirit to work in andthrough us. Her journey began when shesaid, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according toyour word." John Stendahl, atheologian, wrote an interesting commentary on Mary’s "yes." Stendahlcommented, “To me it seems as if her yes has transfigured the story, for now ithinges on her word, her participation and presence in the drama. That's thekind of story the Bible repeatedly tells. The suggested pattern is no longer somuch of divine imposition, but a story as one in which Gabriel and God and allthe heavens stand in breathless suspense. All history, the salvation of theworld, now seems to hang on this one young woman's answer.” (1) The notion that God imposes God’s will on us isthwarted by this young woman’s optional response to the angel. Stendahl adds, “Mary's consent subtly recaststhe story of power. It is as if the grand God of Israel has become for us—iswilling to be for us—like Myles Standish, dispatching Gabriel as a substitutesuitor to plead his case. The case may be pressed with claims of power andpromises of blessing, but still the ancient one trembles and waits for ananswer. Imagine that. Imagine that he'swaiting for us too.”(1) God waiting on us to respond. Let that sink in for a moment. God is waiting on us – to respond.
God in a sense is asking us,like Mary was asked, to bring the presence of God into the world through ourown lives. “Go out and make disciples ofall nations.” “Love your neighbor asyourself.” “'I tell you the truth,whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did forme.” The Spirit beckons us, with “claimsof power and promises of blessing,(God) trembles and waits for an answer. “(1)
Mary’s place in our traditionand in our hearts is firmly planted. “Maryshould have been central and not peripheral. For who better than sheillustrated the fact that every one of us is . . . indeed a virgin recipient of God's purposeand calling? Christianity is the religion of what God has done for us and tous.” We are more than mere passive recipients of Grace, mere holding vessels, simplefigurines in the grand manger scene of everyday life. In us, we carry the Christ, the babe, theSpirit of God and we are given the choice to say, “(Yes) Here am I, the servantof the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." (2) The late Ronald Goetz, former ProfessorEmeritus of Theology at Elmhurst College once asserted, “We could do worse thanto claim Mary as our patron saint, she who was the simple and pure recipient ofthe grace of the Holy Spirit.” We are thus left before the Almighty with thechallenge and exhortation, “God is awaiting your Yes!”
God is waiting for each of usto allow our lives to be filled with him so that through us we may birthreconciliation, joy, restoration, peace, and love in a hurting and brokenworld. The Holy question is before us,but we must wrestle with a great deal before we respond. we may ask, “Am I ready to allow the HolySpirit to transform me?” “Can I makeroom to grow in a deeper love and commitment to Our Lord Jesus Christ?” When all that we have and all that we are ischallenged and we may have to change our path, to look at life through adifferent lens, to accept the real possibility of change in us, will we beready? Will we say yes? The messenger is telling us, “Do not beafraid, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will take into yourselfthe son whose name is Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son ofthe Most High.
Our answer should be a rousing, possibly reluctant, butfaithful and persistent "yes."
Notes
(1) Stendahl, John K. "Mary Says Yes."Christian Century 119.25 (2002): 16-22. ATLASerials, Religion Collection. Web.13 Dec. 2011.
(2)Goetz, Ronald. "The Mary In Us All." Christian Century 104.37(1987): 1108-1109. ATLASerials, Religion Collection. Web. 13 Dec. 2011
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