Don't Be Afraid

"But just when Joseph had resolved to dismiss Mary quietly, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit." --Matthew 1:20

God's angels are always saying, "Be not afraid." Why? Because, almost without exception, we are terrified whenever we realize that God is speaking directly to us, choosing us (!), as those who will carry God's promises.
The birth narrative in Matthew's gospel focuses on the experience of Joseph of Nazareth, in contrast to Luke's gospel, which focuses on Mary. We entered into a rich exploration of what the stories have in common, how they are different, and the ways that they compliment one another.
Matthew Chapter One states the circumstances so succinctly that their gravity appears understated: "When Jesus' mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit." That's quite a "find!!"
When we encounter Joseph he is considering cutting Mary and the unborn Jesus loose. The whole situation is one that brings danger to Mary, shame to them both, and deep social embarrassment for Joseph. Additionally, he has had to wrestle with testimony from Mary that he finds difficult, if not impossible, to believe. His essential decency moved him to deal with Mary in a private manner, rather than defending his "honor" publicly and risking her well-being to the armed hands of the "righteous." Yet, he is still going to walk away, and she will be on her own, far less powerful than even her besmirched husband-to- be. Joseph has limits to his compassion, and though he demonstrates a gentleness, self-interest will dominate in the end.
Except that with God, the story is never over! The angel's intercession adds a new dynamic. Joseph is encouraged to act in his faith, even if its mustard seed is hard to discern right now. He is promised that Mary's calling, and his (authored by God and not by himself), is part of the incredible saving action of God in the world, which is much larger than either of them. Yet they are included; God is not saving the world without them (chew on that for a while, and what the story is saying to us!). Joseph reconsiders. We doubt that he stops being terrified. Rather, we realize that being scared doesn't have to mean saying, "No." Wrapped in God's promises, we can be frightened and still say, "Let it be with me according to your word."
In our discussion, we brought the Matthew and Luke narratives together. We considered the pained conversations Mary and Joseph may have had, and who in Nazareth may have known about the development. We considered the possibility that Mary fled Nazareth "with haste" to go to her cousin Elizabeth's because Joseph had dismissed her! In that case, his reconsideration, with God's help, would have moved him to go to where Mary was, repent his lack of fidelity, and to join with her to make their way to Bethlehem, perhaps not returning to Nazareth before they did. In this event, Matthew's story presents Joseph in the best, albeit edited, light.
There is another possibility. That is, that initally Mary fled without telling Joseph, and only later, when reunited with her, did he hear the truth (or what he was "able" to hear). His struggle, with the angel's blessed intervention, would have happened when Mary was already several months pregnant.
Both possibilities are compelling, and invite us to explore how God addresses--and transforms--our fear in any number of varied situations.
One thing seems sure. In their crisis, in this time of enormous challenge, Joseph and Mary move towards each other. This is what God helps us to do.
Reflect personally on the ways that God is calling you, and how God helps you to be able to say "Yes" precisely when you are scared. Also, consider what limits you/we perceive to compassion and faithfulness in our community. When do we surrender to self-interest? How is God delivering us to a new place, even now?

The Peaceable Kingdom and Jesus

Walt Brueggemann translates the vision of the coming "peaceable kingdom" revealed through the prophetic poetry of Isaiah:

Creation will be so thoroughly reordered that a new sense of normal shall be established, "the birth of a new innocence in which trust, gentleness, and friendship are possible and appropriate."

The text is offered to inspire our imaginations about what is possible with God (particularly among humans) and to open us to the promise of God's continuing creative power. What was begun in Eden will yet be made whole.

Brueggemann, a premier Old Testament scholar and United Church of Christ pastor, reflects on the meaning of such a vision as it points forward to the Coming Savior:

This is a somewhat different sense of Jesus than many of us were given in childhood: " . . .insofar as this text, with its clear messianic flavor, can be drawn as an illumination of Jesus, it is a reminder that Jesus cannot be reduced to privatistic salvation or to sacramental operations, but that Jesus was received, celebrated, and eventually crucified for his embodiment of this vision of social possibility."

Magnifying the Lord

"My soul mangnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." --Luke 1:47

Mary flees the painful scrutiny and judgment of Nazareth, travelling south to Judea to the home of her cousin Elizabeth, who has also received a startling visitation from God, and who carries wonderful new life in territory that had been declared "barren." Elizabeth's child leaps within her and the Holy spirit fills her as she welcomes Mary.

--This we hear as a story of affirmation, confirmation for Mary.

--The two blessed women are sharing in the "Holy ____ favor of God!!!"

--We witness the beginning of community and faith family.

--Mary experiences a place of deep belonging, where someone understands: "I'm not alone." Elizabeth may be experiencing a similar relief.

--The Holy Spirit is the spirit of encouragement here.

--Elizabeth "prepares the way (Isaiah 40)" in a manner similar to what her grown son will eventually do. The receptiveness, faith, love and sharing of each woman, and both of them together, magnifies the Lord who comes to save the world!

Mary's song sings of God who has already begun turning the world upside-down, that it might more clearly reflect God's image.

Read Luke 1:47-55 again. How does Mary's testimony speak to what God is doing in the world today?

How might you and I "magnify the Lord?"

Visitation

For our first Gospel reading, we shared Luke 1:26-38. The focus in Luke is on the experience of Mary. Matthew's gospel frames the narrative through the character of Joseph. I wonder if we might be able to hear the familiar story with fresh ears, and perhaps envision a scene more "down to earth" than traditional renderings (like the accompanying artwork).

We agreed that the traditional "reading" we have on Christmas Eve tends to be experienced as a warm, familiar, reassuring tale whose details we have mastered.

But our shared reading on Tuesday night opened us to the stunning and unexpected nature of how God comes and who God chooses. Words like fragile, vulnerable, risky, and confounding worked their way into our dialogue.

We noted that Mary of Nazareth was a teenager growing up in a remote part of the world in a town so small it wasn't on ancient maps. She is promised in an arranged marriage to an older man, and is in the midst of the year of betrothal, a kind of engagement, when the angel Gabriel brings her greetings of God's favor. It is no wonder that Mary is puzzled, as she is hardly "favored" in the world in which she lives in. She would not have been able to go to school, or have a voice in public meetings. Her future, in fact, was arranged for her, and in the world of the Ten Commandments, her married status would be would be among Joseph's "house, servants (if he has any), his ox, his ass, or anything else that belongs" to him (Exodus 20:17)."

Recognizing her fear (which is what most of us feel when we suspect that God has chosen us for something particular and meaningful), he says, "Don't be afraid, Mary." She is terrified. But the worst--or best--is yet to come. He tells her that God knows her, God has chosen her, and she will conceive in her womb a son who will be called Yeshua, and she will birth his tender promise into the world and nurture it (him) lovingly to a mature fullness. He will be called the Son of the Most High.

Mary immediately perceives the challenges:

--(biological) How can this be, since I have no husband?

--unmarried and pregnant (explaining this to Joseph? to Dad?)

--shame and humilation in family and community

--religion would allow her to be stoned for honor's sake

--might be stoned for blasphemy if she claims it is God's doing

--no one to support her

This is "favored?"

We must admit: This is a tough world for God's plans!!

The angel promises God's Holy Spirit, and the birth of this baby will have implications for the world's salvation. This is how God works!

We reflected on the connection this story has with the Magnificat (1:47-55; God turns the world upside-down) and with Jesus' repeated teaching that with God, "the last shall be first."

Who does God choose today? Through whom will he birth new life into the world?

The poor, the powerless, the child, the woman, the voiceless, the person with AIDS, the foreigner, the labeled?

This story carries a particular power when we consider that God offers us God's promise through surprising gifts and missions that God gives us. God often interferes with our "arrangements" and surprises us with angels who have no wings but are just as real. Initially we feel incapable, unworthy, confounded that God would entrust us with the world-saving mission of making God's love real. We already have plans! But we are to carry God's promise within us, we will give birth to God promise in demonstrative ways into the larger world, we will nurture and nourish the promise in faith community. During the greatest challenges we, too, will be prone to ask, "Why me?"

Why not?

Disarmament

During the Sundays of Advent we will be blessed with prophetic texts from the Book of Isaiah. These powerful visions cast light on the promised future that God is making and reveal the character of our Creator in moving ways. We may also experience a sharpened sense of anticipation, joining with those in every age who have longed for life with the Coming One.

Read Isaiah 2:2-5. In what ways does the prophetic vision of peace resonate with the Jesus that you know?

How does Jesus disarm us? Turn the world upside down?

The vision from the prophet has God's people learning God's ways above all others. The people of God are actually humbled as some of the "nonbelievers" practice God's ways first! In faithfulness to God's instruction, relationships between previous enemies are transformed. Any who would understand themselves as God's people take the weapons they have used to threaten or take life and radically reshape them into instruments that help to plant and nurture new life. They will learn peace, and "study war no more." How does such a vision become realized among us right now? What has Jesus taught us that it is truly time to do!!?