This weekend, the season of Advent begins counting down the four Sundays preceding Christmas Day. We all begin the journey from different places. But all our roads lead to the stable of Jesus’ birth. Wherever you begin, remember that the story of Advent is a continuation of the Bible’s long story of how God makes covenant relationships with men and women — built on promises for the present and for the future.
Sometimes the future was all God’s people had to live on, because the present was full of trouble: war, famine, occupation, difficulty, and internal corruption. In such times, God spoke powerful words to the people through the prophets. They rebuked corrupt kings and encouraged society’s outcasts. “This present way of the world,” they declared, “is not how God’s reign will be known.” Instead, God would bring forth something new from what was believed dead — like a shoot rising from an old stump. From this new growth, God would lead the people into their true vocation: to be God’s light to the nations.
But how would God accomplish this? How could God accomplish this when things never really seem to come right?
The answer came in God’s own time and way, when the spotlight came to focus on a small town in the rural region of Galilee, north of Jerusalem. There, two millennia ago on the stage of human history, a fine beam illuminated a young woman named Mary. Luke’s Gospel tells us how an angel — a messenger named Gabriel — told her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus… and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary found many reasons to think that this could not be, just as we so often do. We are all prone to believe that things cannot really change or ever be made right. But the angel’s response is firm: “Nothing will be impossible with God.” Mary’s reply sets what I hope will be the tone of our own Advent together at Yates: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
Our journey begins again this year with a simple, steadfast affirmation of faith by a young woman. From her mouth comes an example for us all — of giving ourselves completely to God. At the journey’s end, we hear how from her body comes a Savior who calls us to drop all that distracts our attention and follow.
May it also be with each of us.
Grace and Peace,