Sermon for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 24, 2023

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16+Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26+Romans 16:25-27+Luke 1:26-38

Throughout scripture when angelic beings appear, the usual reaction is one of terror. This is understandable, I think. We don't really know what angels looked like, although there are some horror-movie-worthy descriptions of cherubim and seraphim. I think it's enough to say that an angel is a messenger from God, and that is reason enough to cause someone to shake in their boots.

In the earlier part of the first chapter of Luke that describes how Elizabeth became pregnant with John the Baptist, the archangel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah, and the text says, "When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him" (1:12). And so, as so often happens in such circumstances, the angel issues a word of assurance. "Do not be afraid" (1:13).

But that's not what happened with Mary. Luke doesn't say anything about Mary being afraid. Luke says that she was "perplexed by his words and wondered what sort of greeting this might be" (1:29). She was not afraid but puzzled. And not by what he said would happen with her, but by Gabriel’s greeting. "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you" (1:28).

I think we can imagine Mary, looking all around her with a "who, me?" expression of puzzlement.

But she stays in there with Gabriel as he tells her she is to be the God-bearer. She may not fully grasp the implications of this, but she trusts that this comes from God, and she agrees to partner with God in this project of salvation. And just like that, Gabriel departs. Wasn’t it Dorothy Gale in the Wizard of Oz who said, "My, people come and go so quickly here"? Think that when you imagine this scene.

But why? Why did God come to this peasant girl from a no place town in Palestine where the risks to her and to her pregnancy were so grave? These days, women are not fully trusted with their bodies and their pregnancies in many parts of this country as has been on full display in recent weeks. But God trusted Mary. God entrusted our salvation to this girl who was not even married in a culture in which that was forbidden.

I wonder if she continued to be perplexed at all of this?

And I wonder why we have come to believe that she is the only one who is favored, who the Lord is with?

Mary was no more worthy than any of us to receive this visit from Gabriel. Do you really think that God does not also come to us and call us favored, assuring us that God is with us? God comes to the least expected people and calls them favored. God's word went to shepherds watching their flocks and, in Matthew's telling, to foreigners, for Pete's sake. That seems to be God's way. Why choose old and barren Abraham and Sarah, or scheming Jacob, or Rahab the prostitute, or David the serial adulterer and killer? God seems to have a habit of calling people who are not the usual suspects.

Calling people who are just like you and me.

In fact, I think this happens all the time. Almost every year as the Annunciation scene rolls around, I pull out the quote by the 14th century German mystic Meister Eckhart which says that "We are all meant to be mothers of God, for God is always needing to be born."

God works out God's plan through and with us.

When you go home today, I want you to look in the mirror and imagine God saying, "Greetings, favored one. The Lord is with you." And when you have done that, you can begin to discern what it is that God is asking of you in redeeming this world, in restoring all things to unity with God and one another.

Who, me?

Yes, you.