Advent Day 14, December 14, 2024
The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. (Luke 1: 28-29)
“But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:43)
If you’ve grown up with the Christmas story of Christ’s birth, you’re no doubt familiar with these words spoken by two common, rural, small village women. If this story is unfamiliar to you, please stay here with me.
I’d mentioned a book in an earlier blog called The First Christmas, written by theologians Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan. They explore the two different versions of the birth of Christ (in Matthew and Luke) as parables, not historical fact. As they explain, parables can hold great truths, but needn’t always be factual. (Think the story of the Good Samaritan). Whether you accept their premise or not, what these scholars have done for me is help me read these too-familiar passages with fresh eyes and greater awareness.
What I’ve noticed this Advent is that Mary was “greatly troubled” by the angel calling her “highly favored.” I’d often assumed she was greatly troubled simply by the appearance of Gabriel, of all angels, or any heavenly messenger. But on closer look, Mary is troubled not by his appearance but by his words.
In the visitation story when Mary visits her six-month pregnant cousin, Elizabeth asks why she is “so favored” by a visit from the mother of God. In each case, the women are worried or amazed that God has even the slightest idea of who they are or that God would ever deign to notice them, use them, or bless them. After all, they are just ordinary people. Why would God come to unwed mothers, old women, undocumented immigrants, sweat shop workers, the mentally or physically impaired, the poor . . . you . . . or me?
Because that is what God does.
It’s so easy for us to believe the falsehood that we are small, unimportant, not good enough, less than, embarrassing, weak. Even the mothers of Jesus Christ and John the Baptist thought so! But as God demonstrated in them, and in the multiple number of “less thans” who God called throughout scripture, God has planted within each of us power and majesty and might because we are born in God’s image.
As we wait this Advent, consider these words from the mystic Marianne Williamson:
“We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” *
You, I, are shining stars! It’s time for the lie of “not enough” to be let loose to fly away into the night sky and be inundated by the light.
Blessings ~ Rosemary
*Qtd by Joelle Chase in the Magnificat, Goodness and Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas.
Photo credit: Pixabay
Spirit Reflections 