Fourth Sunday of Advent

Over these last few weeks at Christ Our Hope, we have heard St. John the Baptist calling us to prepare the way of the Lord.  We have talked about having hearts open to the unexpected, and to being held in the tender arms of God.   As we get closer to the great celebration of the Lord’s birth, today we are brought to the very moment of the Incarnation, the moment Word was made flesh. 

Today we look at the story of the Annunciation: Mary’s “yes” to God.
We will also look at what kind of “yes” we are saying in our own lives.
And lastly to the “yes” we speak to the needs of the world.

The feast of the Annunciation is actually March 25, of course, 9 months after Christmas, but we read this account on the 4^th week of Advent as a reminder of the word made flesh.  “You have found favor with God.  You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.  He will be great…”

For us (for Mary), the angel’s announcement was big  - and disturbing  - news.  Luke tells us that Mary was much perplexed – greatly troubled – by these words, and pondered what this would mean for her life. 

Mary had enough going on – she was betrothed to Joseph, she was looking forward to a peaceful and secure life as the wife of a carpenter, who had steady work and steady income.  She didn’t want to mess with that.  A child not of her betrothed was inconvenient, to say the least. 

Mary’s “Yes” to God.

Yet Mary says, “May it be done to me according to your word,” knowing that this “yes” would unfold in her life as she trusted in God’s love for her.  The angel departs from Mary, leaving her alone. But who has come—the Christ Child in her very body. Mary knew in saying “yes” to the child in her womb, she would be saying “yes” to being there for her child through life’s journey.  This is incarnation, the word made real flesh.  As all of us who are mothers know, nothing says, incarnation, like many months of morning sickness, back aches, and hormonal fluctuations, all of which culminate in a pain so incredible that only the cry of a beautiful newborn baby can make it all worthwhile.  And keep it worthwhile – even after you’ve changed those swaddling clothes for the 500th time.  “

May it be done unto me according to your word”.  This is not a passive statement, but a real acceptance of the sacrifice Mary will be called upon to make for her child and for the world.  I believe that when Mary was troubled by what the angel said, she knew she was signing up for some heartache.  As a mother, I have often been reminded of the fragility of life. When Mary and Joseph were pounding on doors, looking for a place to give birth, they couldn’t tell people, my child is precious, make room for us. 

However lonely she feels, a believer is never alone.  As we all do over time, Mary lives into her “yes”, she will be opening her heart, and she will experience being held in the tender arms of God.  No matter what is going to take place in the years and months ahead, she is not going to walk alone.

We brought home a clay image from Bolivia of God’s two hands, holding the holy family as they celebrate the birth of the child in the stable.  They are a fragile little group – in fact our little manger scene has been glued two times, but they are held in God’s hands.  God holds each of us in this way. 

“Yes” in our lives

I believe that the “Yes” Mary said to the angel was a “Yes” to all of life, knowing that there is always suffering and always redemption.  I identify with Mary at so many stages in her life.  – as a young mother, as a proud mother, and as a the grieving mother.  We say “yes” to some difficult things in life.  We all have needed to say “yes” to life experiences we could have lived without – sickness, job losses, untimely deaths and disappointments of all kinds.  Somehow, these experiences, though we would not choose them, help our hearts to expand.  We lost a child to cancer 15 years ago, and her birthday would have been yesterday.  Her best friend called yesterday and remembered our Patty, and my heart expanded again in gratitude that we are not alone in our grief and loss.

I walked by a card shop this week that had this quote on their chalkboard outside, so I stopped to write it down.  “It is not joy that makes us grateful, it is gratefulness that makes us joyful”.  We think a lot about joy at Christmastime, and try to provide joy for others.  This deep gratitude, that produces joy, comes from our connection to God, held as we are in those tender arms.  What makes Christian joy is the ability to rejoice, to say “yes” even in the midst of suffering.  We believe in God, and in a big picture of life, and in the end, find joy.  Joy does not ignore pain in the world and in our lives, but it helps us to find a soft place for that pain to be held.  We see this in Mary’s life a lot!

Our “Yes” in our world

Working at St. Francis House this year has taught me so much about the amazing power of “Yes”.  Each day, we open our doors to a line of people who have been waiting to come in for coffee, for a sandwich, or to receive items from our clothing rooms or household items.  After the door is open we pray together the prayer of St. Francis.  Many of you know that prayer, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace…Where there is hatred, let me sow love…” Last week, after we finished the prayer, a young man shouted out, “I love that prayer.  Holy shit; that is my stuff.”  Holy shit – that is all of our “stuff”   We sow love by planting so many seeds of hope.  

I see the powerful example of the “yes” said by many people to the needs of our poor in Seattle.  It is a yes and a generosity that makes all of our hearts expand.  It flows from the gratitude we feel for being held in God’s tender arms, and helps our hearts to expand.

Right now, there is a toy room upstairs at St. Francis House, filled with hundreds of toys donated by parishes and organizations.  Ove 300 families come to “shop” for their children so that they can give their children something new and wonderful at Christmas. 

This week, we received a donation of thousands of socks for the feet of people who walk so much on our city streets.
A family came by with 200 beautiful gift bags, put together by their grandchildren.
A school brought by wonderful lunches with notes from the children.

Like the Grinch, my small heart grows three sizes when I witness generosity like that.  Gifts like these flow out of gratitude, affirming that we are held in God’s tender arms, and they create much joy, in the give and the receiver. 

Christ Our Hope lives into its mission of being a beacon of light.  Is there another church that better lives out “All Are Welcome”? This parish offer hope and sustenance to so many – and creates a community of love and mutual care.  Our wonderful pastor says “yes” to so many and so much.  Fr. Paul is tireless in his efforts to extend kindness to all who enter – young adults seeking marriage, visitors during the day, and all of us who experience his welcome each Sunday.

I recently read that “a church without a living relationship to those who suffer the wounds of society is no church at all.”  There is a lot of talk about the commercialization of Christmas and how to keep Christ in it.  I saw this on Facebook this week and it rang true for me.  Want to keep Christ in Christmas?  Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the stranger and the unwanted child, care for the ill, and love your enemies.  Christ shows us the way all year long to keep Christmas alive.

Wondering how to prepare for Christmas?  Pope Francis suggests a way.  He says, “In this time that leads up to the feast of Jesus’ birth, teach us how to go against the current… to give ourselves, to listen, to be silent, to not focus on ourselves, but to leave space for the beauty of God, the source of true joy.”

Like Mary, the handmaid who became the first manger, we, too, become a manger, a place for Christ to dwell. – How ready are we to be a manger – a welcoming space for Christ this Christmas?  Here are some qualities of a manger that we might try to cultivate – be empty, be sturdy, be soft inside, be still, be ready.  May we each find some quiet this week to ready our “manger” to welcome the Christ who comes.

The Annunciation reminds us that we are never alone, even in the most seemingly difficult circumstances. God is with us!  God surrounds us in love and possibility.  Our epistle refers to God the one who can strengthen you.  Let us all lean on God to strengthen us, and may each of your celebrations this week be full of peace, gratitude, and joy. 

On this day, may we be reminded that our lives are like Mary’s life.
Our spirits are like Mary’s spirit.
Our hearts are like Mary’s heart.

For we have said, ‘Yes’ to God – We know, deep in our being, that whatever happens, whatever challenges, joys and sorrows we endure, ‘all will be well.’  We can say “yes” to life, and yes to welcoming the Christ Child once again this Christmas.