Luke 1:26-38
One day, a very young teenager named Mary was minding her own business, when an angel shows up at her home. The poor girl is startled by his appearance, but even more startled by his opening words to her: "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." Mary draws back in skepticism, wondering what this smooth-talking stranger might be up to.
Gabriel, unlike the angels on TV's "Touched by an Angel", seems to know very little about subtlety. Instead of approaching the subject indirectly, he tells Mary outright that she is going to become pregnant - not eventually after the wedding, but right now. He tells her she will name her son Jesus, and that he will assume the throne of David and become the king of all the world.
Now, to understand the implications of this story, we need to know about the marriage customs and laws of the time in which Mary lived. In those days a marriage was arranged by the girl's father. She would become betrothed, but then she would live at home for a full year. At the end of that year the groom would come to take her to his home, and the wedding celebration would last a whole week. Legally, the marriage was sealed when the betrothal occurred. In other words, if Joseph had died before the wedding, Mary would have been considered a widow. Betrothals normally occurred when a girl was twelve or thirteen years old. If Mary was found to be intimate with another man, Joseph would have the right to kill her by stoning her to death.
"Greetings, favoured one!" is how the angel Gabriel greets Mary. Mary is a favoured one. She has been chosen by God. What a strange kind of chosenness this is! Mary is to be blessed by having a child out of wedlock, by having the threat of death hang over her head and the humiliation of public knowledge of her pregnancy. Mary will be blessed by giving birth to a child who will later be executed as a criminal. What kind of a blessing is this?
Today, we think that being blessed by God means having the good life - wealth, social standing and better-than-average health. We think that being blessed means that good stuff will happen to us. Indeed, when people get sick, when they suffer, when something goes wrong in their lives, often the question comes, "What did I do to deserve this? What did I do wrong? Why am I being punished?"
Today's gospel portrays blessedness quite differently.
Gabriel tells Mary, "You have found favour with God. You will have a baby - very soon." Mary, no fool though she may be young, asks, "But how can this be? I have never slept with a man."
Gabriel replies that the power of God will overshadow her, for nothing is impossible with God. Mary, despite all that she has been told, despite the repeated warnings of her parents about talking with strangers, and despite her better judgement, declares, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be for me according to your word." And with that, the angel departs from her.
This little episode launches a whole series of crises. When Mary's pregnancy begins to show, she flees to her cousin Elizabeth who is also miraculously pregnant with John the baptizer. When Joseph discovers that Mary is pregnant, he decides to divorce her privately rather than have her publicly stoned to death for adultery. But then he changes his mind after a most mysterious dream.
What are blessings that God gives us? The passage today shows us that blessings are not always what we expect them to be. What blessings do we expect from God? What are bonus blessings?
There are some blessings in this world that, when we don't have them, we really notice and we are unhappy and miserable if we are lacking these things. Then, when we do obtain these things we tend to take them for granted. Examples include our basic needs: food, clothing, shelter, and health. These are the kinds of blessings we expect from God and if we didn't have them we would really kick up a fuss and we may get angry with God.
However, there are other blessings in life that make us happy when we receive them - bonus blessings. But when we do not have them, we do not tend to notice. These things we can easily appreciate and not take for granted. And usually the more we get the more happy we are. These kind of blessings are more spiritual rather than physical: like personal growth, achievements, self-confidence. The fruits of the spirit are also like this: inner peace, joy, and hope.
Many people go through life not knowing the joy of bonus blessings. They have a home, family, and a steady job. People may not be exactly happy, but they may not know exactly why. They may think if they only had more money, or a bigger house, or a nicer car that that would bring them peace. But it doesn't. Once we have satisfied our basic needs, it is our inner selves that must be nourished if true joy and peace are to come our way.
God can give us these wonderful gifts. These spiritual blessings are the gifts that keep on giving: they give us true satisfaction, and the more we get, the more we appreciate them and the happier we are.
Certainly, Mary would not have known what joy she may have missed if she had never been blessed to be Jesus' mother. Do we know what we are missing? Do we seek the bonus blessings? Are we wise enough to know when are physical needs are met and that it is time to pursue our spiritual growth - the bonus blessings?
I was 18 years old when I took the 4-day train trip from Halifax to Calgary and then the bus to Waterton Lakes. I had never been in mountains before and was struck by the beauty of them. I could scarcely believe I was there. Third-five young people from across the country living, working, eating and playing together for 4 months, that summer.
It was at the beginning of the spring thaw when two new friends and myself rented mopeds and traveled out to Cameron Lake. Cameron Lake was surrounded by a carved out rocky mountain, its waters floated in the mountain's basin. It was beautiful.
The ice had just cracked. Just cracked and not moved and so the ice sat perfectly still in long spears against one another. We pulled some out and they were perfect icicles. I had never seen anything like it. It took my breath away. It was the kind of experience, the kind of natural beauty that poets write about, artists are inspired by and plain words just can't quite seem to do justice. It was a bonus blessing - A moment of grace and awe and wonder and joy. And I would not have known what joy I may have missed if I had never been blessed with that moment.
Praise God who gives us unexpected blessings, who surprises us with bonus blessings. Praise God who gives us blessings that truly satisfy us and gives us joy and peace. Amen.
I am Eli. I am an old man. I will soon be worthless. I will soon lose everything I have ever worked for - my family, my legacy, my sons, oh my sons. They have caused me much heartache and shame. They will indeed be my downfall.
I have tried, but I must now just admit defeat. I have failed as a parent. I have not raised my boys well. I have not been able to restrain them. You see, I am a priest and my sons are priest servants. I have had the honour of serving the Lord in the temple now for almost 40 years. But my boys have abused their position within the temple. They dip into the offerings and sacrifices that faithful people bring to the temple. What is worse they have slept with many of the young women who serve at the entrance of the sanctuary. They are corrupt. They have no regard for the Lord. And I can't get them to listen to me.
But God, through Hannah, sent little Samuel into my life. Hannah came to the temple one day, sad and ashamed, for she was barren. It is a disgrace for a woman not to be able to bear children. So she came and prayed for a child. She was so troubled, confused and forlorn that she did not pray out loud but silently. Well, naturally, I thought she was drunk and called her on it. She told me her troubles and said that she was not drunk but beside herself with worry and sadness. She was barren and she so wanted to have a child. I blessed her and prayed that God may grant the petition that she made to him. And God did.
In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. When he was weaned Hannah brought her son to the temple to be raised and trained in the presence of the Lord. The child's name was Samuel. He came from God and Hannah gave him back to God. She had such faith. She declared him a Nazarite - a person dedicated to God. And her gracious act was repaid for she gave birth to 3 more sons and 2 daughters.
One day, a stranger came to warn me that my sons would be killed in battle and no one in my household would live to an old age. My household would be punished because of the lack of restraint and respect of my sons. This is what the stranger told me. But I did not know him and I did not believe him. I rejected his words. And for several years I forgot about his message. And then the boy, Samuel, grew. And one day, when he was still too young to know much about the world, he heard the Lord call him.
He didn't even know whom it was calling him. It was the middle of the night and Samuel was sleeping in the temple when the voice of the Lord called out to him. "Samuel, Samuel." He thought it was I calling to him, but I didn't hear anything. And in my sleep-stupor I just told him to go back to bed. Then he heard the voice again and again. Finally I was awake enough to realize that it was God calling to Samuel. So I said, "Listen to what the Lord is saying. Tell him you are his servant and that you are listening." And then finally I got back to sleep without another word from that boy.
Say what you want about me as a parent. I may be a failed father but I have experienced the Divine. I know God when he calls. He doesn't always tell you things you want to hear but that is his decision, that is God's will and God in the end knows what is best.
Indeed that warning that came from the stranger years ago came again from little Samuel that night. My family, my legacy will be no more. My sons will be killed and no one will live to be old anymore. What am I to say, "It is God's will." The boy was awfully broken up about it though. He avoided me the next morning. He didn't want to tell me what the Lord had said to him that night, for it was bad news.
You know, people throughout the ages think that God tells them what they want to hear. People throughout the ages think that the Bible tells them what they already believe. But it is those things that makes us uncomfortable, the messages that shake our core values, those situations that force us to rethink what we thought to be true, it is those times that God is calling us.
Why do we think that God only calls us to the comfortable? It has been my experience that he does not. After all, look at poor old Noah. The old guy looked like a fool when he built that boat, children laughed at him. Before that, he was respected in his community. And what about Abraham? He waited so long to become a father. Finally, his beautiful baby boy is born, and God asks him to sacrifice him. That shook him out of comfortable life, and challenged all he thought he knew about God. And Samuel, God called Samuel at such a young age to be a prophet and his first assignment is a difficult one. He has to tell me, his mentor, his adopted father, that everything that I've ever worked for will be wiped out. Oh, how tempting it was to deny it and ignore it. But, I knew I couldn't assume what God wants. I knew in my heart of hearts that God really was speaking to this mere boy.
And so I've learned to listen. And so I tell you to listen. Listen for God's call in your lives. It may be in words, actions, or visions. But be awake and be aware. Each one of us is called by God. Each one of us has a mission, a calling in life. And only some of us are fortunate enough to hear it and be able to live it.
God's call is more than good things happening to good people. The Lord challenges us to do things we might otherwise not do. The Lord challenges us to risk where we might otherwise be afraid, to exert ourselves where we might otherwise stay where it is comfortable, to speak up when we might otherwise think that our opinion does not matter. This is God's power.
This is what I confess even though it will lead to my downfall. I have been blessed to see God's power. I have been blessed to see a barren woman give birth. I have seen God work through children. I have been blessed to experience God's power. And to God be the glory. Amen.
One of the most intriguing stories of Bible is the tale of Jonah, the runaway prophet.
Jonah is not a very likable character. He is fearful, avoids conflict, avoids his responsibilities and avoids his calling from God. Jonah is bigoted and places more value in keeping his dignity and being right than in the grace of thousands of people being forgiven by God and being spared their lives. Maybe there is something in Jonah that reminds us of ourselves?
This story of Jonah and the great fish is a satire. While the subject matter of the book is grave and serious, the events that unfold present a comedy of horrors.
The story opens with God commanding Jonah to present a word of judgment against the city of Nineveh. Jonah knows God. He knows that God is merciful and that if indeed the people listen to what Jonah has to say and repent, then the city will not be destroyed. Jonah will look like a fool and a buffoon after his predictions that the city will be destroyed. Jonah is also bigoted against the people of Nineveh and does not want to see them spared by a gracious God.
And so he flees to Spain, where he thinks God can't find him.
Jonah buys his ticket, boards a ship and settles down to sleep for the voyage. There is a great storm and the ship threatens to break up. While all the sailors are busy praying and throwing cargo overboard, Jonah is fast asleep. The captain orders him to get up and pray and when Jonah sees how close disaster is for everyone, he admits that he is the cause and tells the sailors to throw him overboard. Since tossing passengers overboard is not permissible for sailors, they are reluctant to oblige; but when the seas grow rougher, they change their mind. With Jonah overboard, there is calm again.
And then Jonah meets a whale. The image is clear: Jonah is taken into the depths of the sea to be born again. Something in Jonah has to give. Something in Jonah has to die. Illumination will come only after the experience of annihilation.
Jonah has the opportunity to change. He is out of his element. He is clearly not in control of his situation. He must face himself and what is asked of him. He prays, he reflects, and then he promises to fulfil the word of God. In short he changes his mind about ignoring God's call and repents. Jonah is then delivered out of the belly of the fish and on to dry land. He goes to Nineveh as he was first called to do.
A call from God is indeed a life-changing event. Like Jonah, we too need to be born again. Like Jonah something in us has to give, something in us has to die. That is what repentance is about:; changing one's mind and turning around from the direction one was going.
There is a story about a sales person who was traveling down a very rural road. Feeling lost, and spotting a girl of about 12-years-old by the roadside, he asked, "How far is it to Mill Hall?" "Well sir," said the bright young lady, "if you keep going the way you are headed, it's about 24, 996 miles. But if you turn around, it's about four."
Even though Jonah prompted a massive conversion of a whole city, Jonah in many ways demonstrates what not to do. Jonah wants God to put limits on salvation. He changes his mind and goes and preaches what God calls him to preach. But by the end of the story he has not changed his attitude about the people of Nineveh and the value that he places on protecting his image remains the same.
The people of Nineveh listen to Jonah, they believe him and they repent. And then what Jonah feared would happen, happened. God forgave the people and spared the city. Everyone is overjoyed -all except Jonah. Jonah leaves the city to sulk. Jonah looks like a fool and these awful people have been spared when they should have been punished. So Jonah decides to sit in the hot sun until he dies. But God causes a tree to grow, to shade his prophet. Jonah feels better. Then God causes the tree to die. Jonah feels sorry for the tree. God has the last word: he asks Jonah why he is sorry for the tree. Should God not feel sorry for Nineveh, where many thousands of people live?
With that question from God, the story of Jonah comes to an end. So then, what does it all mean? The story just peters out without a real ending. We could hope that Jonah learned his lesson. But what lesson would he have learned?
Jonah could have learned that being right was not important, rather, helping others was important. Some Christians are like this. They are so concerned about being right, that they forget that first, God is calling us to love others. Jonah should have also learned that forgiveness is important. God could forgive Jonah for running away, but Jonah did not seem to be able to forgive the people of Nineveh. Because he could not let go, he wished death rather than change his heart.
How many of us today hold grudges in our hearts? When we do this, we do not really affect the person we have the grudge against, rather, we hurt ourselves and our own ability to enjoy life.
Through God, Jonah threatens punishment to the people of Nineveh. Often when we are threatening punishment or are punishing someone we have to worry about the kind of character flaws that Jonah had, namely - wanting to be right and holding on to grudges. As individuals, we have the ability to punish our children, or maybe employees at work. As a society, we punish criminals for their crimes. So how should the lessons of love and forgiveness in Jonah affect our actions?
Well, when punishment comes from anger, it becomes more like revenge or retribution. Since anger is inconsistent, we do not end up actually modifying behaviour. A child who only gets punished out of anger does not learn what is expected of her, but does learn bitterness. If God had punished Nineveh immediately, the people would not have learned a lesson. On the other hand, a threat of punishment for a particular behaviour is quite effective, as long the threat is real and is taken away when the bad behaviour stops. This is how God treats Nineveh.
Jonah would not have acted the same way God would. Jonah wanted to act in a way that made him feel better. That is often how we want to act. We want to say what will make us feel better. We want to give the person we're mad at a piece of our mind. But this is not constructive. Holding back what we really want to say and do, and instead doing something we know will benefit the person is difficult.
It is difficult even with our own children. We get frustrated with them. It is even harder when we talk about criminals. It is hard to have any sympathy for a criminal we can't even relate to. We want criminals, especially violent criminals, to be punished as severely as possible to make us feel better. Often this is played up for us in the newspapers, where people vent their frustrations at a legal system they see as too lenient. But if we fall into this trap, we become like Jonah. Everyone deserves a chance at repentance. Surely, sentences should fit the crime - this is true. But it is as a consequence to that person, a lesson for that person's benefit and sometimes to the benefit of society to have a violent criminal off the street, but never to make us feel better. To treat someone we are punishing, whether it be a child or a criminal in way that will benefit the situation, rather than in a way to make us feel better, is a true challenge of living out Christian love in our lives.
Story of Taber shooting - forgiving father
So, what happens when we don't forgive? We end up holding on to our anger.
Anger, grudges, and resentment held on to for many years severely restricts our ability to grow and enjoy the life God has given us. Incidentally, it rarely affects the person we actually have the grudge against. It is anger directed at someone else, but it only hurts us.
God used the tree to try to help Jonah soften his heart and understand why God forgave them. God is telling us to forgive others so that we might truly experience the fruits of the spirit: peace, joy, and hope.
We are so familiar with the parable of the prodigal son that we forget part of the message, and that is the response of the elder brother. He goes off and sulks because the father, delighted at the return of the younger brother, prepares a great feast. Punishment? A party! Because the younger brother has learned the lesson, he has, in a sense, already punished himself. But, like the elder brother (and Jonah) we are apt to think the father was much too lenient. God is far more loving and forgiving than we are. We do not want God to forgive our enemies, but scripture teaches us that all God wants is for us to say, I'm sorry, Father. Forgive me," as the Prodigal Son does when he comes to himself and recognized the extent of his wrongdoing. And the father rejoices in his return.
You see, God's way is a way of liberty. God's way is a way of freedom. We can emulate God's way ourselves by treating people fairly, and not acting out of anger or pride. We can try and find out what will benefit the situation the most, not out of our first reaction. God's way is beneficial to everyone. It does not always make us feel better, and can be very difficult. But it is truly the way to peace and harmony and the kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven. Amen.
