Advent 3 - A

Mother Mary 

Introduction

I guess I am on a Beatles kick for some reason, each Sunday puts me in mind of another song... this week it was Let it Be... and particularly the part which goes:

When I find myself in times of trouble

Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom

Let it be

And in my hour of darkness

She is standing right in front of me

Speaking words of wisdom

Let it be

What is it about Mary that captures the attention of so many? Perhaps it is that she was so ordinary, and thrust into circumstances that seem so amazingly and mysteriously more than ordinary.

Imagine this unwed and too young mother of Jesus. Whom Angels spoke to and Joseph forgave. Who, if the story is right, accepted her fate and her position with grace and dignity.

This is not life as most of us experience it. It must have been incredibly hard.... her life must have been filled with emotions - fear, pain, even anger... I wonder if part of what we like and admire about Mary is that even in the midst of that she also found joy.

When Mary finds that she is pregnant she goes off to see her already pregnant cousin Elizabeth... perhaps for advice, perhaps to exchange stories, perhaps just to get some rest and let the men folk go off and be men folk.

And what they discover together is that they are happy to be mothers. And that they are happy that God has plans for their children.

Those plans involve helping to make the world a better place, and as we shall see it is totally in line with Gods promises as well as totally in keeping with what has taken place after their births.

The white Gifts

The tradition of White Gift Sunday has its roots in a small Methodist church in Ohio in 1904. What began as a humble way to reflect on the love and devotion of the giver and not the value of the gift has grown into today’s white gift services in many churches across several denominations. The story is told that a minister’s wife initiated the idea to solve the problem of inequity of gifts given at the Sunday school Christmas party. Instead of focusing on receiving gifts, the focus shifted to bringing gifts to Jesus that could in turn be shared with people around the world who did not have much. All the gifts would come wrapped in plain white paper, so that no one would know which was an expensive gift and which was a more modest one. No one would feel ashamed of their gift and everyone would share in the joy of giving to others.

Wrestling with the Texts

The Beatles believed that Mary would come and bring them wisdom. They are not alone in this. Monks worshiped her, poor peasants built shrines to her. Mary is at the heart of the emotional connection we all have for God.

Maybe because she is a mother, and a woman, and those qualities are rare in the Bible and yet important for most people. We all understand what it is to be a parent, and we all know what a perfect mother would be.... whether we are one, or even if we did not have one.

A mother is protective, a mother is fierce, a mother loves unconditionally, a mother has high hopes for her children. A mother gives beyond measure and yet, does it with a smile. Well, our perfect mother would do this.

And again, for many people Mary took on these feminine characteristics of God. Mary was the compassionate one, Mary was the caring one, Mary was the wise one... and became venerated so much that there have been times when the Catholic Church tried to ban praying to Mary - people were praying more to Mary than to God....

As the Beatles reiterate, it is Mary who is standing beside them in times of darkness.... and she is speaking words of wisdom.

So what were the words of Wisdom Mary had to offer in the first place? Surprisingly there were very few of them captured, or imagined, by the folks that wrote the story of Jesus... But there is one place, one poem, one song, that got included.

My soul Magnifies the Lord, sang Mary when the pregnancy became real and the baby kicked for the first time...

And then, like any mother, she goes on to speak of the hope she has for her child.... of the way God will be at work through Jesus. There are some wonderfully high hopes I this song, the powerful being overthrown, the proud being humbled, the starving get food and the rich go away empty handed.

Again, we are talking about a vision of the Kingdom of God ... of what it "could" be like if we finally listen to the wisdom and compassion of God. It sets Jesus up with a huge and impossible seeming task; a lot of pressure on an unborn baby....

But you have to see how this set the stage. This really was the expectation that people had of the Messiah, this really is what people were praying for.

Mary was overcome with Joy because God was finally answering her prayers.... not only her prayers, but everyone's prayers. Could it be that the hope Mary feels is part of the reason that so many people look to her for guidance?

Conclusion

And when the broken hearted people

Living in the world agree,

There will be an answer, let it be

And though the night is cloudy,

There is still a light that shines on me,

Shine until tomorrow, Let it be...

Whisper words of wisdom.... Let it be...

Who knew the Beatles were so into Christmas? Well, okay, that is a stretch... but they were religious in their own way and they were part of the movement of people who believed at the world could become a better place.

And they saw in Mary, the same as we can, a person who sees the joy of life, who sees the simplicity of faith, and who is there to offer us wisdom....

As we approach Christmas we do so with a sense of joy that allows us to see the goodness of the world around us, even as we know there is pain and sorrow. There is so much joy and love, so much hope and peace.... let's celebrate that this year.... knowing that we are helping to birth Gods love into the world once more.

ADVENT III A

Being Born in You - Mary

Introduction

“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times...” Someone once said that in a book or something... ok, ok, opening line of A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens.  Nonetheless, a very poignant opening line and very, very wise... life is like that... best of times, worst of times... sorrow and sweetness all wrapped up into one.

Sometimes it is not easy to figure out which is which... take the story of Mary – unwed, pregnant, potentially alone, trying to convince others that it is a miracle, about to be moved off to another city, told by angels she will birth a saviour, welcomed with open arms by her cousin Elizabeth and even her betrothed, Joseph...  the best of times, the worst of times.

How about the Israelites, forced into exile, city abandoned, finally granted freedom, returning to ruins, planting their own gardens... again, best of times, worst of times... and yet... and yet...

People who embrace the reality that life is both sadness and joy at the same time come to such a deep understanding that it can lead to song... nowadays it leads to the blues... but once upon a time, it led to songs of praise to God... and we are going to hear one of them in just a couple of minutes.

Rejoice and be Glad

“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing....”

It is an incredible poem, an image of all the things going right in the world that you could hope for... it is like sitting at home in the middle of a snow storm and remembering that you are soon going to be lying on the beach in Jamaica under the palm tree with the coconut drink in your hand and the sun shining down on you...

I have seen firsthand that there are both good times and bad times; good things and bad things in life. I think we all have. We all have those painful gut-wrenching, hearts breaking moments that make us doubt that anything good could possibly come out of it.

But I am here; I do what I do, because I believe that Isaiah knew something I do not! Isaiah was trying to tell us that we need to hear God speaking even when we are in pain; we need to know that God’s love is still there in the desert moments and the blossoms are still possible.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by love even in the midst of something horrible happening? Have you ever just known that love is there for you and will lift you up? That is what Isaiah felt, that is what Mary felt, they knew that painful things were happening, they were afraid, and yet... they trusted God’s love was there and would bring them through.

Baby Love

When Emily was born she had the cord wrapped around her neck. She was not breathing, and did not breathe for over 3 minutes. It was a moment of incredible fear and pain in my life. I was certain that my baby I had waited so long for had died.

The moment that the breath first happened, the moment that the colour first changed... I was filled with Joy.

It is not exactly the same, but it makes me think what Mary might have been feeling. She could have been stoned to death; he baby might have been born into an uncertain world where no one would care for it. She might end up raising him alone when single mothers were not safe.... how could she possibly believe that God was good?

But the story unfolds, She hears the angel, she sees the prophecies, Joseph loves her, she visits her cousin and is welcomed and loved... Mary comes to see that her baby will be loved, it might be safe, and well, it might not be an ordinary baby.

Elizabeth says that John leapt in her womb because of joy the minute their bodies touched.

And more than that – Mary felt it in her body, in her spirit; in her soul... we are not talking about happiness here. We are talking about something that goes beyond the simple pleasures that make us happy – something that touches us so deeply and so passionately that we cannot help but sing.

That sense of joy is not just rooted in the birth – it is rooted in something greater than her, in her God – her understanding of how God has blessed her in this moment.

We know that joy in our lives at times... Like when we celebrate Christmas for the first few times, or get our drivers licence and go for the first ride. Or fall in love for the first time, or hear a heartbeat for the first time...

And that joy is not dependant on everything being perfect. Perhaps that is one of the things we can take away from the wisdom of Mary.

Conclusion

So life cannot be perfect, and that is fine. But we need to know that there will always be joy. That there will always be times when love conquers the darkness.

Pentecost 9 - C

You’re So Martha

Introduction

Where do you find God?

Not, actually, where, but how… hmmm… what am I trying to say…. You see, we all feel God’s presence in the world at different times, and perhaps I am trying to ask what you think that feels like, or how you find it…

There are many different ways to experience God. Some people find that being all alone and quiet help them to feel God’s presence while some people find God through helping others.  Some people find God in a church service and others while singing or listening to music.

But what are we talking about when we say “experience God” what does that feel like?

I think there are a lot of different answers to that as well. When my first daughter was born she was born with the cord wrapped around her neck, she was rushed away to neo-natal intensive care before I even really saw her. Then I spent hours wondering if she would live or die.

Late, late into the night I was lying on a cot in the hospital when it seemed a voice came to me in my head that said, “Everything will be ok” and I suddenly fell asleep.

To me, that moment was a feeling of God being present in my life. It is not the only way I have ever felt God and for each person it is different. But that certainly is one way… a feeling of peace, a feeling of hope, a feeling of being cared for that overwhelms you and makes you feel that everything is going to be all right.

Have you felt that? Have you felt God in other ways? How?

Genesis 18:1-10a

The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground.

He said, "My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on--since you have come to your servant." So they said, "Do as you have said."

And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes." Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "There, in the tent." Then one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son."

Unawares

Have you ever heard the statement, “entertaining angels unawares”? It comes from the Bible, Hebrews chapter 13 to be exact, and it is in a section where they are writing to the followers of Jesus and giving advice – be nice to strangers, you never know when they might be angels…

One of the strangest and perhaps creepiest experiences I ever had in a church happened when I was just a student. I was working for the year in a big church in Ottawa, and one weekend we were having a youth sleepover. Now, the doors were all locked, the kids were all in the gym with the leaders, and we were having a snack.

Suddenly this homeless guy comes walking into the gym. No one knows who he is or how he got there. What we decided to do was to invite him to share our snack… Kool-Aid and cookies if I recall… and then we talked to him for a while and he went on his way.

Later when I talked to another leader we both thought of this saying, about how a homeless man appears behind locked doors, about angels in unexpected places, you know, all that sort of stuff.

We encounter God when we encounter people. We really do. Jesus suggested that we should care for the last and least, because when we do, we find God. Abraham cared for the strangers who walked out of the desert and was blessed with a child.

Perhaps you have also heard that old adage, it is better to give than to receive. I think we say that when we don’t get enough Christmas presents… but there is something to the idea… and it is this: the encounter with the divine, with the good feelings, with the love that is God happens when we care for other people. When we love, we feel love.

This is one of the strongest ways we feel God in our lives, by allowing God to work through us and therefore filling us with love.

Psalm 52 (VU p. 777)

Luke 10:38-42

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying.

But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me."

But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."

Different Strokes

Jesus has an interesting relationship with these two women. They show up a few times, he is always over at their house. You might remember that he also brings their brother Lazarus back from the dead.

We also see this personality trait over and over in the two sisters. Mary is the one who listens and thinks, probably paints and plays music too. Martha is the one who works cleaning and cooking and organizing.

There are all different kinds of people, we all know that. For example there are extroverts and there are introverts. What that really means is that an extrovert will get energy from being around people and an introvert will get energy being alone.

Extroverts can walk right up to anyone and start a conversation. I envy them that. I am an introvert. People who are introverted tend to think about things deeply before talking, so it is harder to speak off the cuff.

But the point is, one way is not right, nor is one way wrong… they are just different.

This passage in Luke is the closest you will ever hear to Jesus getting upset with Martha. But even still, he does not say anything against her, or tell her she is doing the wrong thing. She is being Martha, and that is what she needs to do.

Do you feel more fulfilled reading a book or cooking a meal? Do you like to walk outdoors or go to a movie? These are all things that each of us find affects us in different ways. The idea of life is to recognize what brings you happiness, what fills your soul, and do it.

You see, we are not going to find the presence of God in things that drain the life right out of us. We all have to do those things from time to time. But they are not the places that bring us strength and a feeling of God restoring our souls.

Now, that is not to say that God is not present, that God does not give you strength to get through those things, but I am talking about the way God renews, restores, and refreshes us… we need to be doing things that bring us joy. And for each of us, those might be different.

A Poem

I read this poem and it is simple, sort of a prayer, but it talks about the parts of a day and how they are all different and yet, we find God in the midst of each.  It is by a United Church minister, Greta Vosper

A sky, streaked with the promise of day,
and I am called to anticipate all that might be.

The heat of the day heavy upon me,
and I am challenged to acknowledge
the responsibilities I hold.

The shade of the afternoon, like grace, soothes me,
and I am offered a reflection of my own rich gifts.

The cool of the evening
set in the midst of a candlelit heaven,
and I am awed by the fulfillment of another day.

We open ourselves as those who seek the holy 

You see, we know all about how there are different times and different situations. I think that we can even recognize that we feel closer to God, that we see the holy, in some moments more easily than in others. I guess I think we need to think about those things and try to be open to those feelings.

Conclusion

You may have recognized that my sermon was actually about two things, where we find God, and what we find.

And even within that I contradicted myself. Truth is we find God everywhere… in moments when we are in pain, or afraid, but also in moments of happiness or love.

But what I want you to consider for today, and think about as you leave here, is that we need to find moments where God gives us energy, moments that make us happy, moments that bring strength. If we do not have those, then the hard times that surely come upon us all will be harder.

So what makes your heart happy? Is it fishing, painting, music, reading, cooking, cleaning, building, sleeping?

Do those things… don’t ignore them and say you have to much work to do. We need the fun things too.

Because the answer to my “what does God feel like” question is that God feels good. God is the feeling of love and hope and peace and security and happiness that brings a spring to our step. And we need those feelings.

Once upon a time Sunday was a day simply for the things that made us happy, for resting and family, and food, I invite you to try this week to focus on the things that restore your soul. It will make it a better week no matter what you face.