Fourth Advent, Year B, 2005:

      A woman opened the door to exit her apartment building and was about to step on to the sidewalk when she heard a voice saying, “Don’t take that next step or you’ll regret it.”  She paused and a brick came crashing down to the concrete right where she would have been standing.  She looked around and there was no one nearby.

     The next day the same woman was again exiting her apartment building and was just about to step on to the sidewalk when she heard the same voice say, “Don’t take the next step or you’ll regret it.”  She paused and a truck came racing down the street, out of control, and smashed into the side of the building.  She knew that if she hadn’t listened to that voice she would have been badly hurt, or perhaps killed.

     She looked all around her and there was no one nearby.  “All right,” she said, “Who are you?”

     “I’m your guardian angel,” the voice replied.

     “Well, if that’s the case,” the woman said, “Where were you on my wedding day?” 

     I don’t know that Gabriel could be considered Mary’s guardian angel.  He was most definitely a messenger sent from God.  He was on an important mission that day in Nazareth of Galilee.  God had sent him to find the one who would be the “God-bearer” to begin the rebuilding process for the bridge that would provide access again to the throne of heaven.  This was no easy mission that God sent Gabriel to complete.  Scripture doesn’t say, but I personally believe Gabriel may well have visited a few other young Jewish girls and introduced himself to them with, “Greetings, favored one!  The Lord is with you.”  Not much of a pickup line, if you ask me.  “Yeah, sure, I heard about people like you.  Well, whatever you’re selling, I’m not interested!” 

     That may well have been what Gabriel heard from the others.  For some reason, Mary listened to whole sales pitch.  “Mary, don’t be afraid.  You have found favor with God.  If you say “Yes” you will conceive and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.  He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom will never end.” 

     Whee!  That’s like “Survivor,” “The Apprentice,” “The Multi-State Powerball,” and “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” all rolled into one.  Then Mary, young and innocent though she is, and one who understands how babies come into the world, asks, “How is that supposed the happen; I’m not even married.”  Gabriel explains then that the Holy Spirit will be involved in this conception, the Most High will “overshadow” her, and the child will be holy and will be the Son of God.  He tries to close the transaction by telling Mary about the pregnancy of Elizabeth, who was beyond child-bearing age, but with God nothing will be impossible.  “Deal or No-deal?”

     Gabriel stands with his angelic fingers crossed underneath his wings, quivering a bit in anticipation.  Had he done enough to close the sale?  What would he do if Mary turned him down, like the others before her?  Who would he approach next?  What if every young girl decided to reject the offer?  Gabriel knows additional words would be futile.  He had said all he could say.  The good salesman knows how to be patient.  Just wait and be quiet.  Wait.

     Then, wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles, Mary said, “I’m here.  I’m the servant of the Lord.  Let’s get on with it.”  Gabriel exhaled and uttered an audible sigh of relief.  Off he flew to give the Father the good news.  Because of that good news, the Good News could enter the world. 

     What an amazing story!  We hear it so much that we take it for granted.  I would hope that God might give us “virgin ears” and that we might hear this conceiving word as if for the first time again this year.  We have a choice; just as Mary had a choice.  The only way any of this makes sense is if we accept Mary’s free will to have said, “No!”  Otherwise, God becomes a violator of a precious young woman.  If Mary had no choice, God is a cruel puppeteer and we are deluded marionettes.  If Mary did not have the freedom to say, “I’ll pass,” then personal decisions about salvation are hollow and we’ve all been tricked.

     It is central to my theology to say that Mary had total freedom in her choice.  She could have turned down this extraordinarily unique way of being involved with God in the world.  I do not believe God violated Mary’s personality or her person.  I do not believe God violates our personality and does not crash our parties.  We have that same freedom to choose.  Mary, in the exercise of her personal freedom, issued the invitation.  In matters like that, operating on the basis of “invitation only” tends to work much better.

     It is also a part of my theology to hold Mary in high esteem; not because of what she did, but precisely because she could have said, “No!”  Mary said, “Yes!”  And the devil felt an ice pick go straight into his puny heart.  He would have his work cut out for him now.  Perhaps he would need to enter into a pack with Herod or the Governor or others who might be fooled into thinking they are in charge of the world.  Maybe he would wait until this child had come into the world, had come of age, and had his own trial with discerning the will of the Father, just as his mother had done with accepting God’s will that she be the one to bear him.

     Sometimes we are like the young man who wanted to point his life in a new direction.  He needed new priorities and new goals.  So he went into a church, took paper and pencil, and proceeded to write down a long list of things he was going to do to change his life.  He signed his name to the paper, placed it on the altar, and sat down to wait for God’s approval.  After a long time of waiting, the voice of God spoke to his inner heart.  “You’re going about it all wrong.  Tear up what you have written.”  Reluctantly, the young man followed God’s instructions.  Then he heard the voice of God say to him, gently, “Take a blank piece of paper and sign your name to the bottom.  I will fill it in.”

     As we approach the end of Advent I invite you to make a list of all your goals and ambitions, all your hopes and dreams, and all your heart’s desires.  Sign your name at the bottom.  Then tear up that piece of paper, take a blank one, and sign your name at the bottom.  Go into your holy space at home sometime today, alone.  Close the door.  Turn off the radio, TV, cell phone, and house phone.  God will fill up that page and you will join with Mary in saying, “I am the servant of the Lord.  Let it me with me according to your word.”

     Issue that invitation and you will know who you are and what you are to be doing with your life and in this world for God’s sake.  Amen.