Luke 1:26-33
This beautiful reading of the divine encounter between this humble child and the Angel is filled with the promises of God and sets Mary on her called life to be the keeper of a multitude of God’s promises, and us too.
We don’t give enough gravitas to the role of Mary in the Anglican tradition. Mary the ‘mother of God’, an unsuspecting child is placed in both a blessed and dangerous situation as she becomes the vessel of God’s love and salvation for the world.
In a male dominated world, she would have been seen as simply the vehicle by which Jesus was born and little more, but as the story unfolds and the constant recognition of her presence and participation in Jesus story and journey, we understand at heart, her presence, her faithfulness and pondering continue to remind us of the constant yes, even in times of hardship we are called to, to be faithful and watchful to the promises of God through their Son and our redeemer.
She is there at all the milestone events of Jesus life, even at his dying and anointing and beyond and we are reminded by the prophetess Anna, that “ a sword will pierce her heart”, a preparation for the heartache that only a mother can suffer at the agony suffered by her and of course, her son.
For us, we are invited, like her to both enter into and be the bearers of the promises of God as the remnants, the survivors of those days, and in these days be the lights, blessed in our baptisms and fed in the Eucharistic meal to a seeking and expectant world.
There is still much hope, much love to be found and to give in a sometimes unlovely world, and in this encounter between the girl child and God’s agent we are reminded that the creativity of God is beyond our expectations and even understanding…
Mary’s response…”let it be unto me according to thy word.” Her yes is her gift to a broken and troubled world. With God she enacted the salvation of the world and walked with her child as he grew strong and full of wisdom, even to the agony of the cross.
Bless you in your journey as you hold the promises with the one who brings us out of darkness, into his marvellous light.
Amen
Fr.Jeff
Recent Comments