Sunday, December 19, 2021
/The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Micah 5: 2-5a; Canticle 15; Hebrews 10: 5-10; Luke 1:39-1:45
The Rev. James M.L. Grace
In the Name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. AMEN
Today we hear Mary’s song – the Magnificat – the words the Gospel tells us Mary sang, upon hearing Gabriel inform her she was to give birth to God’s son. The word “Magnificat” is simply Latin for the first three words of her song – “My soul magnifies.” Magnificat. Our translation reads “my soul proclaims,” but the meaning is the same.
The Magnificat is Mary’s joy-filled response to God’s invitation. She is to be a mother, and to welcome her infant son, Jesus, into the world. To do so, Mary demonstrated great faith and trust in God. Something I often overlook when I read the Magnificat is that the young woman who joyfully sung them will also be the older woman holding her adult son’s lifeless body in her arms.
But at this point of the story, Mary does not know what is in store for her son. She does not know the pain he will feel, the rejection he will encounter, or the joy he will bring into the world. As beautiful and compelling as the Magnificat is, there is something else – a moment which occurs just before her song, a moment which occurs just a few verses before, in which she speaks the some of the most profound words in all the Bible. “Let it be done to me according to your word.” Mary surrenders to God’s will, unlike many others in the Bible who seek to get out of doing what God asks them to do. Notice what Mary does not say. She does not say, “let it be done to me according to your word, but don’t let it cost me my health.” She does not say “let it be done to me according to your word, but don’t make it too hard, or make it cost too much money.” She does not say “let it be done according to your will, but can I get something out of it too?”
Mary simply accepts the angel’s words, accepting what God gave her to do. She does not ask for more or less, she just receives what God gives. She does not ask God to make things other than the way they are.
This has been a hard year – no question. We have endured more than we thought we would before this year started. At least I have. And if I am going to be very honest with you all, when I have had to endure hard moments and pain, I have not always done so in the spirit of Mary’s words “let it be done to me according to your will.” Sometimes, quite the opposite.
Even so, we are called to be the light. And there are a lot of people who need light right now. A few days ago I made a donation to the St. Bernard Project, which is a non profit organization that rebuilds homes following a disaster. They are on the ground responding to the devastation caused by a series of tornadoes across states in which one hundred people are feared dead. St. Bernard Project has a four star rating on Charity Navigator, which is the highest rating they offer.
Today we are going to take a collection for this charity, and all cash coin or designated checks put into the alms basin today will go to the St. Bernard Project. Mary says in her song “the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” We are the hands of the almighty. Let us do good things. Let us reach out. Let us be light. Let it be according to your word. AMEN.