Sermon – We Are Blessed! Rev. Sandy Lacey December 22, 2024
I sure am glad it is not last week. I am quite happy to leave John the Baptizer in the wilderness with his locusts and wild honey. He can quit interrupting my Christmas plans! As you may recall from last week, he called all of us snakes and told us to repent (to turn around and reorient ourselves) if we want to be part of God’s kingdom. Good thing we have two pregnant women in today’s text. I am ready to be rocked and lulled to sleep, aren’t you? As we watch and wait this Advent season, today’s text focuses on an unlikely pair – Elizabeth and Mary. You remember that Elizabeth is the elderly wife of the Priest Zechariah and they will give birth to John the Baptist. With today’s passage, therefore, we are travelling back in time a bit. Elizabeth had been unable to conceive a child until very late in life and her husband, Zechariah, was struck mute when he dared question the Angel Gabriel about the news that his wife would bear a child. He is still mute in today’s passage – we do not hear from him at all. Instead, Elizabeth is the one who prophesies about Mary’s child and is the one who blesses Mary when she comes to visit. It is unusual for the wife of the Priest to play such an important role; in fact, it is unusual for us to hear her voice at all in our Scriptures. The second unlikely character we hear from our text today is Mary, the mother of Jesus. Unlike her cousin, Elizabeth, Mary is quite young and she is not married. But Mary is also pregnant and we can only imagine that she is trying to process the information that she has been told by the Angel Gabriel. So where does she go for help, for listening ears, for encouragement, for love, and support? Where would you go? Mary has received some startling news, some unbelievable news and she needed the comfort and wisdom from family. While visiting with her relative, Mary receives a blessing, comfort; and amazingly, Mary finds her voice. She went to the right place to get the help she needed. In a time in which women who become pregnant out of wedlock were often put to death (much like what we currently find in some countries), Mary seeks the support of her family. Was Elizabeth primed for Mary’s miraculous story because of her own miracle story? We do not know. All we know is that Mary receives no condemnation or hushed whispers from her relative; she only receives joy and affirmation. Elizabeth already knew that God works in mysterious ways – after all, her husband was mute, and she was pregnant in her old age. (Makes you wonder which she considered the most miraculous!) So, Elizabeth already had an eye toward expecting something amazing. Elizabeth must have understood Advent – that holy waiting while you expect something/or someone amazing is coming. She was looking for signs and when her baby kicked when Mary entered, well, she just knew. Like Elizabeth’s expectation long ago, children are kind of like that in our time. They become excited as plans are made and as events appear on the horizon. Their spirit of excitement and wonder is contagious, and we find our own spirits uplifted and encouraged as we spend time with them. Chapel for our pre-school children each Tuesday provides that experience for me. Some of you tell me that you find the same kind of wonder, peace, and excitement when you spend time in journaling, in meditation and prayer. Spiritual directors will tell you that solitude with its developing consciousness of God’s presence and voice in our lives makes us open, ready, and alert to signs of God’s Advent in our midst. Without some quiet from the noise, we will find ourselves struggling. We struggle with hopelessness as we hear the daily dose of local and world chaos, or we struggle with relationships that seem to take more and more work, or we struggle with cultural expectations of the season that we cannot possibly meet. Solitude and quiet that allows us to hear the Spirit’s voice can help us have the eyes and ears of expectation. In addition to solitude and quiet, many of you choose to attend worship because it is the place that helps you find your center; it is the place that increases your wonder and makes you more alert to the signs of the Spirit working in our midst. Intentional quiet/solitude combined with a regular gathering of extended family that feeds and nurtures us can make the difference. You have come to the right place. When Mary visited Elizabeth, she received nothing but affirmation. There was no judgment, no “if I were you . . .” talk. How refreshing! One of the biggest complaints by younger people in our culture towards the larger church is our judgmentalism: “you have to believe this way or that way; you have to straighten yourself out; you have to be like me.” The truth is that we are all imperfect, in need of forgiveness, in need of grace. Instead of judgmentalism, it is always refreshing to be greeted with kindness, love, and compassion regardless of how we look, how we act, our beliefs, our differences, our family make-up, etc. Kindness and compassion will always win in the long run over judgment and condemnation. None of us have it all together and we are all God’s children, loved by God. No judgement was given by Elizabeth, and it made a difference for Mary. The other remarkable thing about Elizabeth’s reaction to Mary is her blessing. In the line of the prophets from long ago, Elizabeth gives Mary and her child a blessing. And with that blessing, she enables Mary to find her voice. And what a voice! Mary’s words (the Magnificat) are a song of praise also in line with the Prophets from long before her. She bursts into song, praising God for the wondrous work God does, including the great reversals of power and wealth. Centuries before Mary, the prophets foretold such a time in which every valley shall be lifted and every mountain made low. The prophets’ voices before, and Mary’s voice now, envision a time in which all people will be equal and all people will know the glory of the Lord. What a marvelous song and one cannot help but wonder, that without the support and affirmation of Elizabeth, would we have heard Mary’s voice? Would she have had the courage to sing? When I have been asked about what I love about Rockledge Presbyterian church, I respond with a variety of things but one of the things I always mention is that we have a variety of different voices in this congregation and yet, we still manage to get along. But the important thing is not just to get along, but to be encouraged to sing as well. Wealthy and not, conservative and liberal, old and young, gay and straight, married and unmarried, black and white, native to this country and not native to this country – we all are encouraged to sing God’s praise in our distinctive and spirit-led voice. I have been in churches in which people were discouraged to express their voice if they differed and I am thankful that it is not the case, most days, here. If you are looking for affirmation and a place to sing your song, you have come to the right place. Another characteristic of Elizabeth’s response that encourages Mary is Elizabeth’s ability to be truly present to her. She didn’t look at her watch and have one foot out the door. She seemed genuinely happy to see her, hear her story, and share her life. It is impossible to overstate the importance of being fully present with someone who is struggling and hurting. It is a gift when you are able to do so. The good news is that the gift can be learned! You can practice being quiet in a conversation with someone and ask them leading questions. You can practice body language that communicates you are interested. You can practice quieting your mind when you find it difficult to listen because you are thinking of the next thing you want to say. Being fully present and attentive is important. Thank you, Elizabeth, for that lesson. Not everyone has the kind of support that Mary had in her family. Not all of us have family members who love and support us in times of difficulty. But churches are one big family and have the capacity to provide love and support to members in need. We are imperfect, however, and need further practice at being nonjudgmental, open, caring, generous, and willing to listen. Mary had a song to sing and it was not just any song. It was a song of great reversals and it was a song of Advent – a song in which the world was about to turn. Mary led the way over 2000 years ago to point us in the right direction as we watch and wait for the Advent of Jesus being born. There is still the same song to be sung as we watch and wait, not for Jesus’ birth, but for the completion of God’s kingdom that Jesus’ birth ushered in. Chuck Campbell describes the importance of today’s Scripture brilliantly. He says, “The scene is absurd. The coming of the Messiah who will redeem Israel is anticipated and proclaimed, not by archangels or high priests or emperors or even ordained preachers. Rather, two marginalized, pregnant women – one young, poor, and unwed, the other far beyond the age to conceive – meet in the hill country of Judea to celebrate (and possibly commiserate about) their miraculous pregnancies. A baby leaps in the womb. Blessings are shared. Astonishment is expressed. Songs are sung. The story is not only odd and joyful; it is fleshy, embodied, earthy, appropriate as a forerunner to the crazy idea of God becoming one of us. In the women’s actions, the world is indeed turned upside down. Hierarchies are subverted. The mighty are brought down. Two marginalized, pregnant women carry the future and proclaim the Messiah.”[1] And as a result, we are all blessed. But the story is not yet complete; it is time for us to do our own blessing and singing. May it be so. AMEN.
[1] Charles Campbell, “Homiletical Perspective,” Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, Vol. 1. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009.) p. 93-94.
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[1] Charles Campbell, “Homiletical Perspective,” Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, Vol. 1. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009.) p. 93-94.
I sure am glad it is not last week. I am quite happy to leave John the Baptizer in the wilderness with his locusts and wild honey. He can quit interrupting my Christmas plans! As you may recall from last week, he called all of us snakes and told us to repent (to turn around and reorient ourselves) if we want to be part of God’s kingdom. Good thing we have two pregnant women in today’s text. I am ready to be rocked and lulled to sleep, aren’t you? As we watch and wait this Advent season, today’s text focuses on an unlikely pair – Elizabeth and Mary. You remember that Elizabeth is the elderly wife of the Priest Zechariah and they will give birth to John the Baptist. With today’s passage, therefore, we are travelling back in time a bit. Elizabeth had been unable to conceive a child until very late in life and her husband, Zechariah, was struck mute when he dared question the Angel Gabriel about the news that his wife would bear a child. He is still mute in today’s passage – we do not hear from him at all. Instead, Elizabeth is the one who prophesies about Mary’s child and is the one who blesses Mary when she comes to visit. It is unusual for the wife of the Priest to play such an important role; in fact, it is unusual for us to hear her voice at all in our Scriptures. The second unlikely character we hear from our text today is Mary, the mother of Jesus. Unlike her cousin, Elizabeth, Mary is quite young and she is not married. But Mary is also pregnant and we can only imagine that she is trying to process the information that she has been told by the Angel Gabriel. So where does she go for help, for listening ears, for encouragement, for love, and support? Where would you go? Mary has received some startling news, some unbelievable news and she needed the comfort and wisdom from family. While visiting with her relative, Mary receives a blessing, comfort; and amazingly, Mary finds her voice. She went to the right place to get the help she needed. In a time in which women who become pregnant out of wedlock were often put to death (much like what we currently find in some countries), Mary seeks the support of her family. Was Elizabeth primed for Mary’s miraculous story because of her own miracle story? We do not know. All we know is that Mary receives no condemnation or hushed whispers from her relative; she only receives joy and affirmation. Elizabeth already knew that God works in mysterious ways – after all, her husband was mute, and she was pregnant in her old age. (Makes you wonder which she considered the most miraculous!) So, Elizabeth already had an eye toward expecting something amazing. Elizabeth must have understood Advent – that holy waiting while you expect something/or someone amazing is coming. She was looking for signs and when her baby kicked when Mary entered, well, she just knew. Like Elizabeth’s expectation long ago, children are kind of like that in our time. They become excited as plans are made and as events appear on the horizon. Their spirit of excitement and wonder is contagious, and we find our own spirits uplifted and encouraged as we spend time with them. Chapel for our pre-school children each Tuesday provides that experience for me. Some of you tell me that you find the same kind of wonder, peace, and excitement when you spend time in journaling, in meditation and prayer. Spiritual directors will tell you that solitude with its developing consciousness of God’s presence and voice in our lives makes us open, ready, and alert to signs of God’s Advent in our midst. Without some quiet from the noise, we will find ourselves struggling. We struggle with hopelessness as we hear the daily dose of local and world chaos, or we struggle with relationships that seem to take more and more work, or we struggle with cultural expectations of the season that we cannot possibly meet. Solitude and quiet that allows us to hear the Spirit’s voice can help us have the eyes and ears of expectation. In addition to solitude and quiet, many of you choose to attend worship because it is the place that helps you find your center; it is the place that increases your wonder and makes you more alert to the signs of the Spirit working in our midst. Intentional quiet/solitude combined with a regular gathering of extended family that feeds and nurtures us can make the difference. You have come to the right place. When Mary visited Elizabeth, she received nothing but affirmation. There was no judgment, no “if I were you . . .” talk. How refreshing! One of the biggest complaints by younger people in our culture towards the larger church is our judgmentalism: “you have to believe this way or that way; you have to straighten yourself out; you have to be like me.” The truth is that we are all imperfect, in need of forgiveness, in need of grace. Instead of judgmentalism, it is always refreshing to be greeted with kindness, love, and compassion regardless of how we look, how we act, our beliefs, our differences, our family make-up, etc. Kindness and compassion will always win in the long run over judgment and condemnation. None of us have it all together and we are all God’s children, loved by God. No judgement was given by Elizabeth, and it made a difference for Mary. The other remarkable thing about Elizabeth’s reaction to Mary is her blessing. In the line of the prophets from long ago, Elizabeth gives Mary and her child a blessing. And with that blessing, she enables Mary to find her voice. And what a voice! Mary’s words (the Magnificat) are a song of praise also in line with the Prophets from long before her. She bursts into song, praising God for the wondrous work God does, including the great reversals of power and wealth. Centuries before Mary, the prophets foretold such a time in which every valley shall be lifted and every mountain made low. The prophets’ voices before, and Mary’s voice now, envision a time in which all people will be equal and all people will know the glory of the Lord. What a marvelous song and one cannot help but wonder, that without the support and affirmation of Elizabeth, would we have heard Mary’s voice? Would she have had the courage to sing? When I have been asked about what I love about Rockledge Presbyterian church, I respond with a variety of things but one of the things I always mention is that we have a variety of different voices in this congregation and yet, we still manage to get along. But the important thing is not just to get along, but to be encouraged to sing as well. Wealthy and not, conservative and liberal, old and young, gay and straight, married and unmarried, black and white, native to this country and not native to this country – we all are encouraged to sing God’s praise in our distinctive and spirit-led voice. I have been in churches in which people were discouraged to express their voice if they differed and I am thankful that it is not the case, most days, here. If you are looking for affirmation and a place to sing your song, you have come to the right place. Another characteristic of Elizabeth’s response that encourages Mary is Elizabeth’s ability to be truly present to her. She didn’t look at her watch and have one foot out the door. She seemed genuinely happy to see her, hear her story, and share her life. It is impossible to overstate the importance of being fully present with someone who is struggling and hurting. It is a gift when you are able to do so. The good news is that the gift can be learned! You can practice being quiet in a conversation with someone and ask them leading questions. You can practice body language that communicates you are interested. You can practice quieting your mind when you find it difficult to listen because you are thinking of the next thing you want to say. Being fully present and attentive is important. Thank you, Elizabeth, for that lesson. Not everyone has the kind of support that Mary had in her family. Not all of us have family members who love and support us in times of difficulty. But churches are one big family and have the capacity to provide love and support to members in need. We are imperfect, however, and need further practice at being nonjudgmental, open, caring, generous, and willing to listen. Mary had a song to sing and it was not just any song. It was a song of great reversals and it was a song of Advent – a song in which the world was about to turn. Mary led the way over 2000 years ago to point us in the right direction as we watch and wait for the Advent of Jesus being born. There is still the same song to be sung as we watch and wait, not for Jesus’ birth, but for the completion of God’s kingdom that Jesus’ birth ushered in. Chuck Campbell describes the importance of today’s Scripture brilliantly. He says, “The scene is absurd. The coming of the Messiah who will redeem Israel is anticipated and proclaimed, not by archangels or high priests or emperors or even ordained preachers. Rather, two marginalized, pregnant women – one young, poor, and unwed, the other far beyond the age to conceive – meet in the hill country of Judea to celebrate (and possibly commiserate about) their miraculous pregnancies. A baby leaps in the womb. Blessings are shared. Astonishment is expressed. Songs are sung. The story is not only odd and joyful; it is fleshy, embodied, earthy, appropriate as a forerunner to the crazy idea of God becoming one of us. In the women’s actions, the world is indeed turned upside down. Hierarchies are subverted. The mighty are brought down. Two marginalized, pregnant women carry the future and proclaim the Messiah.”[1] And as a result, we are all blessed. But the story is not yet complete; it is time for us to do our own blessing and singing. May it be so. AMEN.
[1] Charles Campbell, “Homiletical Perspective,” Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, Vol. 1. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009.) p. 93-94.
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[1] Charles Campbell, “Homiletical Perspective,” Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, Vol. 1. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009.) p. 93-94.