Luke 1:26-38 Luke 1: 39-55 Impossible Grace Mary R.

Brownlow December 18, 2011 There are so many paintings based on the annunciation, the appearance of the angel Gabriel to Mary of Nazareth. In the Middle Ages, it was a favorite subject, and Mary is almost always shown with a book on her lap. Sometimes the book is open to the seventh chapter of Isaiah, where it says, Behold, a virgin will be with child In one painting, she is actually holding the book against her abdomen, as though to illustrate, The Word became flesh from the first chapter of John. Lots of images, lots of imagination of how it must have been. This is a great passage for preaching: so rich, so hopeful. Every year I love hearing it, and I wonder what new facet of that picture of Mary will present itself. This time around, I am thinking of Mary as one in a long line of prophets, called by God to some special task. One of a long linebut different. It isnt just her gender and her age, its her attitude. When Moses was called by God at the burning bush, he spent 2 chapters explaining why he couldnt do it. When Isaiah was called by God in the Temple at Jerusalem, he says Woe is me! I am lost, I am not worthy. When Jeremiah is called, he says, I am not good at speaking and I am too young. Lots of denial and evasion in this prophetic tradition. But Mary is different: this teenager is a clever, book-reading kind of girl. When greeted by an angel, she thinks. Shes perplexed. She ponders the words. When the angel continues with Do not be afraid, Mary, I get the impression that she thinks, Who said I was afraid? I am just trying to figure this out. So she listens to Gabriels announcement. Her first words are not, Woe is me! or I cant or Im too young. This girl with the inquiring mind starts with a question: How? Good question, Mary. This is something people have been perplexed by ever since. No wonder you ask this first. The angel does not give a lesson in obstetrics. Thats not his job. Frederick Buechner once wrote, "Angels are powerful spirits whom God sends into the world to wish us well. Since we don't expect to see them, we don't." Gabriel wants to wish Mary well, and somehow she can see this. He starts talking theology. He uses the word grace or favor: having grace, finding grace. There is a Divine Spirit in the world that makes strange things happen. Somehow Gabriel draws a line between the pregnancy of Elizabeth and the pregnancy of Mary. Apparently this Holy Spirit sweeps away the usual order of things: For nothing is impossible with God. Mary listens, she ponders, then she takes a brave step. Mary agrees to all this. She consents to cooperate with impossible grace. I am admiring her more and more. She understood from the angels words that God is looking for collaborators in this world willing, informed collaborators and she says, Sign me up. She has been studying the Hebrew Scriptures, studying them and believing that God fulfills promises. She wants to be part of that. Next, she gets on the road - with haste - to compare notes with her older cousin, Elizabeth. Another smart move. These two women are in this together, the prophecies and their lives intertwined. In Elizabeths house, Mary finds the human affirmation she needs: the affirmation that gives her a voice and a song. The prophet sings, and once more, Gods impossible grace is expressed.

The Eastern Church calls Mary Theotokos, the God-Bearer. She carries the incarnation of divine life inside her for 9 months, then cares for the life until the words of the prophecy are made plain. Maybe our spiritual journey is not so different. We get puzzling messages. We read our Scriptures. We ponder and wonder, How, exactly? How is this going to work? How can God be within us, waiting to be born? Is it possible that God is looking for my consent to this impossibility? God seems to be asking for openness. When we open our spirits to this mysterious grace, we discover that we are also God-bearers. Because, the angel says, nothing will be impossible with God. How does a person bear God? How can we in our limited lives, our limited span, too young, too old how can we do such a thing? This is the mystery and beauty of the incarnation, the living out in our world of spiritual realities. Though it is mysterious, it is also particular. We incarnate the Divine in our individual, unique lives, in our unique life stories, our joys, our sorrows, our energy. We are graced with this gift, and charged with becoming more truly what were truly are. We become collaborators in mystery, each one bringing their unique possibilities. With Mary, we ponder this through. How, exactly, can this be? So we keep reading, and hear the Marys song, the Magnificat: her working through of what it means to take this step of consent, of cooperation. We start with praise, with amazement, with gratitude for the ways God has moved in the world, and for the way divine grace has expanded to include everyone, even the lowly, even us. Then we get a sense of what lies ahead for those who partner with God in this endeavor. We are called to bring the good news of impossible grace to those seen as lowly by the powers of this world. We are called to fill the physically hungry and the spiritually hungry with good things. We are called to works of mercy. And we are supposed to do this, while singing, with Mary, making Gods hope, peace, justice and love real and alive. We are called to think. Then we care called to do. Earlier this morning we received new members into our congregation. We ask a series of questions, looking for their assent and cooperation in the soul and work of this local church. And we voice our welcome in words of covenant and purpose. It occurred to me that this is a kind of mirror to todays Bible story. I can take the part of Gabriel not that I am an angel. I could say, Greetings, favored ones, graceful ones. The Lord is with you and intends to do great things through you. And you could stop, and think, and ponder. Good. Thinking is good. So are questions. So you might ask, How, exactly; how can this be? We are ordinary, everyday people. So I would proclaim, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, overshadow you, guide you and comfort you. The Spirit will work through you to care for this world, upsetting human structures with Divine grace. Because nothing is impossible with God. And, I hope you could say, Here are we, servants of the Lord. Let your words come true in me. A different kind of member reception, a different kind of calling. But it helps us to remember Mary as a role model, unique in her own personality and gifts, but not so separate from our own experience. Mary is all of us ordinary, loved, full of grace, full of questions. We are all visited by God at times, overshadowed by that Spirit, offered the possibility of collaboration in the meaningful work of the coming Kingdom. This is my annunciation to you: God sees all of us as necessary to the birth of new life, as trustworthy, favored, loved. We see messengers of God as a presence, a reassurance, a nudge in our sleeping or waking lives to consider, to ponder how we might be part of a magnificent endeavor. We think as hard as we can, we study our books, but it still sounds impossible. Thats where grace comes in. I pray that this impossible, challenging and comforting grace is born anew in your life this Christmas. I pray that we will all sing songs of amazement with clever Mary. Nothing is impossible with God.