Embracing the humanity of Mary
Gate Pa – Advent 4 2012
Readings:
Hebrew Scripture: Micah
5: 2-5a
Psalm: Luke
1: 46-55 (Magnificat)
Epistle: Hebrews 10: 5-10
Gospel: Luke
1: 39-45
What I want to say:
use this story and Magnificat
to explore who Mary is and what that might mean for us as we approach Christmas
who is Jesus in light of who
is mother is
What I want to happen:
people to be inspired by strong courageous Mary
to ask what does she offer us this Christmas as we look to the Christ amongst us
The Sermon
1.
St Matthew’s billboard
St. Matthews in Auckland in news again for one
of their billboards
Personally like this one from last year
what do you think of this?
how
do you react?
what does it say to you?
what want to say about it?
talk
to your neighbours 2. Heresy
some people would say – heretical
Mary
not been worried
simply
overjoyed at prospect of her first born
first
born who was God’s son
why would she be even remotely worried?
for me, that approach to Mary dehumanises her
described
that in blog as plastic Mary
asked what use that was for us
Mary is vehicle for incarnation
God
bending down in love to be among us as one of us
one of us
Jesus humanity depends on Mary
If she is this plastic joyful little bunny
then have ask
how is she one of us
and how is Jesus one of us
with all our
hopes, and fears, doubts
what hope we have
in Christ born of a plastic Mary?
3. Why not?
Why doesn’t this ring true for me?
being pregnant any age is always filled
(understand) with some level apprehension
especially when first one
even more so when young
– no idea what
about to happen
level uncertainty and fear involved
excitement yes
joy even
also fear and uncertainty
as young woman
Mary
experienced others pregnancy
probably
seen women die in childbirth
seen
children die
seen
how hard pregnancy is for some people
known
there is risk
unless she feels some fear, apprehension,
uncertainty about whole venture,
she is hardly one of us
nor
will her son be
cultural layers here as well
unmarried
– risky venture
abandoned
by Joseph and her family
ostracised
by rest community
not survive long
on her own
killed
fear, apprehension, uncertainty has got to be
part of this
this bill board shows that really well
I applaud it as helpful aid understanding and
embracing real Mary
through her the incarnation
incarnation we are celebrating this Christmas
God coming among us in all our muck, all our
fear, uncertainty, hopes and doubts.
This billboard says lets keep Christmas real.
4. This morning’s Gospel
Why am I talking about this
because today is one day focus on Mary
do so in remarkable story
remarkable if only fact focuses on two women
men kept out story
not often that happens
start with Mary going with haste
interesting
detail
not
talk about who went with – very important detail (not travel on own)
commentators
really don’t know what to do with
maybe
she is just getting out of town for while let things simmer down
young
pregnant girls used to do not so long ago
travels to Elizabeth
interesting
choice
wife
Priest
boundary
keeper
might
not been too happy unmarried pregnant women in his house
as said in pew sheet – Elizabeth almost polar
opposite of Mary
unlike
Mary who pregnancy brings disgrace
– Elizabeth ends
her disgrace
she
can now hold her head up in community
(unlike
Mary who fled)
older,
and has been waiting for this day for long time
Mary
is almost too young, too busy worrying about other things
what does unite them is that both know their
child gift of God
I think that is what leads Mary to go there
both know child will play an important role
life people God
filled
with wonder,
and worry about
that
We are told that when Mary arrives Elizabeth
greets her
and blesses her and her child
how
does she know?
gossip
spread that fast?
result
of being filled with Holy Spirit
5. Marys Song
Mary’s incredible response,
her song (which I guess means she sang it)
which we know as Magnificat - sung at evensong
hundreds years
well known
beautiful words of BCP
maybe fact it is so well known is a problem
maybe we miss the point because it is so well
known
song girl difficult situation
from
poor village
in
not great area
in
a land under occupation
longs like all people in this situation for
the day when occupation will end
longs for grand days when God’s justice and
peace be restored
based on song Hannah – recited a few weeks ago
just
like hers
more than just a song of joy at the birth of
their firstborn
links what happening to them with the ancient
hopes
hopes they are now both certain are being
fulfilled
more than just ancient hopes
song proclaiming God doing something new here
just
as Samuel redefined who people Israel were
so
too will this child Mary is carrying
(hint
to let go of your expectations
because God is
not confined by our expectations)
Mary sings it in present tense
Mighty
One has done great things for me
really?
face
of it, Mighty One left you in a difficult situation
has done
not future tense as you would expect
(hint to stop waiting for future event, and to
look around for what God is up to now)
Message paraphrases it as….
50
His mercy flows in wave after wave
on those who are in awe before him.
51 He
bared his arm and showed his strength,
scattered the bluffing braggarts.
52 He
knocked tyrants off their high horses,
pulled victims out of the mud.
53
The starving poor sat down to a banquet;
the callous rich were left out in the cold.
hold those words in your heads for a moment
6. A song of Rebels?
experience of Irish republicans songs at Irish
pub,
British brutality
longs end British rule,
songs some of you here not like
few months later went to students event in St.
Louis
Mary’s song set to tune very similar to those
heard that night
eye opening moment
realised not song faithful to sing well in
church
as
I had done so often in Evensong
Rebel Song
we have colonised this song
sanitised this song
turned it into a song sung by sweet sounding
choirs in lofty cathedrals
well-fed
choirs from good families singing for rich and powerful
really song for poor,
hungry,
powerless,
those pushed to edge of society
Mary is one of them
not well dressed matron from powerful house as
so often depicted
this is not a sweet song
really is protest song
hear Janis Joplin signing such song at
Woodstock
song of Syrian women sing while trapped and in
terror in midst civil war
song Palestinians separated from farms by
concrete wall, by Israeli only roads
song people South Sudan sing after decade’s
civil war
trying rebuilding
lives,
and a new nation
living in fear it
will all come to nothing
wonder who else sings this song?
who sings
this song in this land?
much more than I ever realised as I sang it
all those Sunday nights
7. Christmas
so what does this have to say to us at
Christmas
I think we have sanitised Christmas as well
become time eating way too much (GUILTY)
occasions spending time with family
getting off on holiday
suspect that Matthew and Luke thought it was
about much more than that – important as those things are
as we prepare to welcome the Christ child
where
are we being invited to open our eyes
what
new thing is God doing around us
what scary, unsettling thing is God giving
birth to in us this Christmas?
As we say Mary’s Song
as we prepare for this Christmas, what is God
inviting us to?
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