MANY WAYS TO SAY YES
Matthew 1: 18-25
Luke 1: 26-38
Rev. Gary Paterson
December 14, 2008
What if they had said no – Mary and Joseph that is? Have you ever wondered about that? If they’d said, "No thank you, I’m not particularly interested in an unexpected, unwanted pregnancy. Perhaps some other time." Would Christmas have happened do you think? Or does God’s work of salvation, of making whole, bringing healing… does it depend on a human "Yes." ? Is that the reality of freedom, that a human being needs to say "Yes", partnering with God in a mysterious act of co-creation?
The Jesus story begins with an invitation to both Mary and Joseph, a question, really. And a very serious one. I know that in our day and age pregnancy outside of marriage is not really a problem; however, if you were to drift back a couple of generations you’d discover a different picture. And if you were to go back two thousand years, into a severely patriarchal culture, well it becomes a life and death crisis. For Mary to suddenly announce that she was pregnant meant that she could rightfully be dragged outside the town and be stoned to death; that’s what the Law proscribed. At the very least, she faced total disgrace and shame, and would be relegated to the margins of village life; no means of support, no status… a slow death sentence.
And as for Joseph, he now was confronted with a fiancée who was pregnant with a child that was not his. Perhaps he began with heartbreak; but for him too there was shame and humiliation. And probably anger. He could have had her stoned; it was his right. He could have publicly denounced her, and sent her packing. But because he was a good man, a righteous man, so say the Scriptures, he decided to quietly dismiss her, ending the marriage arrangements somewhat discreetly – though remember, Nazareth is a small town, and every one would know, and everyone would be talking.
Stories like this happen all the time; pregnancies occur on a daily basis. No big deal. But what makes this one so interesting is the recognition of God’ presence within the event. Sure, we all know the basics of reproduction, but the story-tellers, Luke and Matthew, they recognize that something else is happening; these ordinary events hold a holy opportunity. If Mary and Joseph were able to see the God-dimension of this pregnancy, and say "Yes!" to this possibility, this invitation, then their lives, no, then the world would change.
Matthew and Luke are poets, and so they turn to the metaphors and symbols of their times, and they talk of angels and wings, of voices and dreams. Maybe it is in the early hours of dawn, and suddenly Mary hears the whisper of Gabriel’s voice, "Greetings, O favoured one; don’t be afraid; listen." And in the dead of night, in deepest sleep, Joseph hears a strange word, "Greetings; don’t be afraid; take Mary as your wife, child and all." "Mary and Joseph," the angels sing, "can you see what is happening here? Can you listen and see into the heart of the moment and recognize the lure of God? Do you understand that you’re "Yes." will enable God to be birthed, so that spirit and flesh will be unified – incarnation will happen?"
Now, I invite you to put yourself into this story; no, not literally; we don’t need any unexpected pregnancies here. But can you recognize that the same invitation is open to each one of us, that in the ordinary events of our lives the same question is being asked? Each day, each moment is pregnant with God’s possibilities and carries a deep question within – will you make a decision that will enable the Holy Spirit to become incarnate? Will you say yes to God, and enter into partnership with holiness, so that a new creation can become manifest?
Double vision I call it… you see what’s happening; the day to day; in all its glorious detail; the smell and sound and taste of it. And, at the same time, you also see with your heart, below the surface movement of events; you comprehend more deeply that something else is happening here.
Meister Eckhart, the 14th century mystic, once said, "Of what use is it to me that Mary gave birth to Christ fourteen hundred years ago if I also am not giving birth to Christ in my own life, here and now?" Perhaps this is our Christmas calling, extended to each of us, to give birth to Christ in our own times; here in Vancouver; to say yes to the invitation to be part of God’s Holy Adventure. (a phrase used by Bruce Epperly) Of course, the realities of our particular history will shape what might emerge, for always our calling is rooted in the specifics of our environment, our DNA, our family of origin, and the past choices we have already made, that have both opened and closed possibilities. But it is precisely within this reality that God’s angels arrive, inviting us into some new adventure that will emerge out of our present reality. God invites us into the new, the unexpected, into an almost unimaginable future, even though it flows from what already is. I think that’s what happened for Joseph and Mary; I think that’s what is possible for us.
But I can almost overhear you muttering to yourselves… "Oh this is all very fine preacher talk; but what does it really mean?" And maybe you’re right; but you know, I think it can happen… this birthing stuff. So let me share some random moments and thoughts from the past few weeks that seemed to carry an angel’s whisper.
Last week my mother and I were on the phone, kvetching about Christmas… her cards weren’t finished; neither were my sermons; just getting the Christmas tree up felt overwhelming. I mean, we were having an all out whinge. And that’s when my Mum paused for a moment, and then said, "You know, I don’t have that much more time; maybe another five or six Christmases; who knows. It seems a bit of a waste to spend all this energy on complaining." Isn’t that the truth… for all of us. None of us is going to be able to yes to any invitations if we just natter away the time, complaining about what isn’t happening instead of paying attention to what is happening.
Earlier this week I was taking my morning walk along the seawall, trying hard to get back into some exercise routine. So there I was, striding along in a very determined fashion, hardly aware of what was happening around me, just wanting to get that requisite half hour which all the programmes say is what you need to keep the heart in shape. Well, I got to the end of English Bay, to a little fingernail of a beach, with the tide coming in, but not yet all the way up. Someone had been there before me, in a different frame of mind, because they had stopped, and had printed a message in the sand. In big capital letters, complete with comma; they knew what they were doing. The message: "THANK YOU, UNIVERSE." Well, I stopped; who cared about the exercise manuals and keeping my heart beating at a certain level; however was I to listen to my life if I was in such a rush that there wasn’t room for three words let alone a conversation.
Last Tuesday evening, along with Jen Cunnings, our Minister with Children and Families, I found myself with ten parents who had gathered together to talk about the meaning of baptism, and to prepare for celebrations next week and at the end of January. At this time of year, there is a shortage of baby-sitters, so it was ten parents and four babies, ranging in age from three months to six. Well, the discussions were shorter than I had imagined, and broken up by two diaper changes, three breast-feedings, and a couple of bouncing sessions, "There, there sweetie; what’re you fussing about." On the other hand the room was thick with Spirit; talk about a sense of God being born into our midst! These parents knew that to their very core; and really, that’s why they were there… knowing that they had been invited into the holy task of parenting. They wanted to say thanks to God; they wanted to say "Yes!" Yes, I accept the invitation; yes, I will work hard; yes, I want to partner with God to do the best job I can about helping this amazing fusion of flesh and spirit flourish.
Last Saturday, just over there, in the chapel, a man and woman gathered together with family and friends to celebrate their marriage. "I, Nathan, take you, Alicia, to be my wife; I, Alicia, take you Nathan, to be my husband." Part way through the vows the groom started to tear up, almost overcome by the enormity of what he was saying yes to. And that started the bride along the same path. And even the minister had to take a deep breath… the minister isn’t allowed to lose it in the middle of a wedding; maybe after; but not during. We all knew that something far deeper than words was happening. Sure, people get married all the time, but when you stop and pay attention you nearly always can hear a few angels singing in the background. What a crazy promise – the statistics of divorce loom large… what is it now… fifty per cent of marriages end in divorce? But that doesn’t stop us from dreaming, from hope, from a determination to make promises that we are willing to pour our hearts into. They knew, these two; they knew that this was an invitation into a journey that would give birth to something holy. And they were serious and happy and tearful and joyful… all at the same time.
Or let me tell you about the email I received a few days ago, from someone in our congregation who is wrestling with her work. Oh, she’s got a good job, and she enjoys it, more or less; but she senses that maybe there is something more that she is being called to do with her life. She wants to talk about "call"—is she really listening to her life, to the whispers of dreams that invite her to take some further risks, and possibly discover new directions, a vocation.
Then there’s the conversation I had with a friend who has had a rough time at work these past few weeks, feeling betrayed by a colleague. "Knifed in the back" was the language he was using. He talked about how hurt he felt; how his sense of trust and loyalty had taken a real beating; how his self-esteem felt kicked down. He was angry, and was all fired up to get even. On the other hand, he knew full well that to do so was to keep the cycle of anger going strong. But what to do? What would it mean to give birth to Christ in a situation like this… what means justice? and forgiveness? and reconciliation?
Or another conversation, with someone who is exercising leadership in our congregation. There’s a lot going on in her life… family, friends, work. She’s feeling a bit stretched; no, a whole lot stretched. But she knows there’s a call here, a real invitation to help this particular community grow; and she knows she has gifts and abilities that are being well used. So she continues to say "Yes!" And she trusts that God will use her assent to bring to birth something new in the life of St. Andrew’s-Wesley.
Last Saturday I spent time at the Palliative Ward at the hospital, visiting with a young woman who is facing the end of her days. Life hasn’t been easy for her; she’s lived with disability, and has endured a multitude of operations. And now it’s coming to an end. She knows this, and is full of sadness. How to say good-bye to her mother? How to accept that fighting hard isn’t going to change what’s now happening? But you know what, I witnessed her courage in coming to grips with her death; I saw some of her drawings; fragments of her writing. She is engaged with the holy work of dying well. And in the midst of the grief and the anxiety and the fear, she could still hear God’s invitation to live her death as fully as she possibly could do; and to trust that even in her dying she was saying "Yes." I believe that.
And then there was the gathering last Monday evening, when thirteen people came together to talk about what it meant for them to become members of this congregation. We walked through the promises, talked about baptism and confirmation; shared questions and stories; and affirmed the sense of Spirit that they had had experienced in this community of faith. But at a deeper level than just joining a church, it was clear that they were on a holy journey; that they had heard angels or voices or dreams. They were ready, like Mary and Joseph, to give birth to Christ in their own time and place, in their own way. They wanted to say "Yes!" to God.
So when they come forward in a few minutes to offer that "Yes", I want you to recognize what is really happening. There will be a lot of words… that’s how we seem to do it in the United Church. There will be the waters of baptism, the oil of confirmation, and the laying on of hands, that ancient symbol the church has always used to express our trust that the Holy Spirit continues to work within us, around us, in our midst, above and below us. And as you hear them speak their truth; and as you offer them your support; I also want you to listen carefully to your own life. What invitations into holiness are you being offered? How is God calling you? What would it mean for you to give birth to the Christ? How will you say "Yes; yes; yes; yes."