Hasten in Joy, 4th Sunday of Advent

It began with a promise, delivered by an angel to a young virgin.

A promise of grace and blessing to all of creation.

A promise of salvation that continues to be the radiant light in the darkness of a waiting world.

We all know the transforming event that we celebrate at Christmas –

the Word (God's life giving and life sustaining spirit) becomes flesh to dwell among us.

What is amazing is that this happened without much fanfare.

In the darkness of the night, in a small stable, in a small town, in a small country,

God comes in an unimaginable way; impossibly small, humanly fragile and in the embrace of a new mother's tenderness.

God choose to enter into the world, as we all do, vulnerable and dependent. In need of care and nurturing by loving parents.

 

We know this impossible Christmas story comes to pass, not by man, but by the life creating overshadowing of the Holy Spirit and the trust of the Virgin Mary.

And what trust; she said yes to the mystery of God's presence and promise, without knowing the details or the outcome, even though she knew the danger of child-birth, the vulnerability of womanhood, the nature of village gossip and what this would mean for Joseph. It was unimaginable and beyond belief, except, Mary did believe.

 

Upon hearing the angel's prophetic words Mary does not run to the temple priests to tell them of her encounter and the promise made to her and to get their opinion. Instead, upon hearing (from the Angel Gabriel) of her cousin Elizabeth's own impossible pregnancy she goes to share their mutual joy and gladness.  Mary would do what her son Jesus would always do, go out to share the good news with others.

 Mary hastens to visit Elizabeth and she surely traveled with what Gabriel had revealed and which the Holy Spirit made happen still swirling in her head. She has already begun to live a mind boggling mystery. A mystery that she is an intimate partner in and which she would live with from manger, the hidden years of childhood and youth, through her son's saving mission, his passion of the cross and even beyond his resurrection.

 

Now Elisabeth, and her husband Zechariah, both had lead righteous lives, but had remained childless. An angel promised them this would be remedied and so through God's grace they conceived a very special child in their old age.

On the day of Mary's arrival, Elizabeth is literally filled with the prophetic spirit, and gives voice to the prophet within her. And in her womb John, who would be known as the Baptist, leaps in gladness. John has already begun to make ready the way of the Lord. And here for the first, but not the last time, he points to the lamb of God, who is still hidden within Mary.

Through the Spirit and the movement of her child within her Elisabeth realizes that Mary has been chosen by God and so is blessed because Mary is carrying the child who will be greater than hers. In this awareness Elizabeth is moved that it is Mary who comes to her.

In gladness Elisabeth cries out - how do I deserve to have the mother of my Lord visit me.

 And she praise and gives thanks for Mary's faith - how blessed is the women who believed what would be done to her would come to pass.

On that day Elizabeth saw what would be hidden from the world.  Mary’s own divine dignity, was and would remain, hidden in an ordinary life with Joseph and the child Jesus.

A life according to laws and the customs of the Jews, doing what all pious parents do; presentation and circumcision, pilgrimages, as a family, to the temple in Jerusalem, introduction to the synagogue, the first teaching of the Torah, the law and the ways of the world.

But, on that day, together with Elizabeth, the prophet bearer, Mary could not contain the prophetic spirit of gladness within her.

In overflowing thanksgiving and deep grateful humility, Mary - the Mother of God, praises God.

Even in her lowliness, Mary knew that great things (God's work) had been done to her and not just for her, but for the sake of the world.

By saying yes to the mystery that is God and by conceiving, by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, salvation for all of us, all of humanity, each generation (in Faith, Hope and Love) would joyfully and gratefully call her blessed.

Within Elizabeth, John already knows that Mary's child is Lord and Savior, who in time will bring real healing mercy into the world in the form of forgiveness and love.

He will bring righteous justice and through him all things will be brought back into right relationship with God.

He will scatter proud rulers and arrogant oppressors. He will pull down mighty institutions and social systems, he will send the rich greedy profiteers away empty. He will raise up the down trodden and exalt the lowly who he will define in the beatitudes.

He will fill the hungry with bread and righteousness, and he will lead all people of good will and sincere hearts to salvation.

And so, at Christmas we celebrate the impossible. We celebrate the wonder of the incarnation, the savior of the world, entrusted to the natural process of human life, entrusted to tender but vulnerable hands of a young virgin.

 We celebrate the coming of his glory and saving grace that would accompany us, in solidarity with all that is human. It was the only way he could he teach us the value, the inherent preciousness and greatness of every human life.

 

Today we rejoice that Mary and Elizabeth embraced with their hands God's saving work;

in the love necessary and due every child and the work needed to nurture all life.

 Elizabeth, bearing and caring for the voice in the wilderness, and Mary, bearing and caring for the light of the world, show us in their actions of care, concern and love, as well as each of their prophetic voices how you and I, by our humble efforts, can share in God's plan.