Here Am I (Advent 4)

Luke 1: 26-38

Roger Lynn

December 23, 2018

4th Sunday in Advent

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It must have been an overwhelming experience. Some might even say terrifying. A young woman from a simple, rural culture, finds herself suddenly faced with a direct and personal experience of the presence of God, in the form of an angel. It is worth noting that under almost any circumstances, encountering angels is apparently a frightening experience. Almost every time they show up, the first thing they have to say is, “Don’t be afraid!” I am quite confident that those will be the words they have to say should they ever decide to visit me. But, in the case of Mary, her encounter carried with it additional reasons for dread. She was to become pregnant in a most unconventional way, which could easily be misunderstood by the world in general and her betrothed in particular. In short, the angel brought Mary a message which had the power to upend her entire life. Regardless of how you understand this story, whether you take it literally or figuratively, the message is clear – this was very unsettling news.

Which is precisely what makes Mary’s response so powerful. When the angel has finished explaining this overwhelming and unsettling plan, Mary says, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) And with those simple words she steps out in trusting faith on a journey which would forever change not only her life, but the very course of history itself. She joins the likes of Samuel, Isaiah, and even her own son who is yet to be, in responding to God’s call by offering nothing less than her life. “Here am I!” She could not have known all that such a response would mean, any more than any of us can look into the future and foresee how our lives will unfold. Her response was not based on certainty, or guarantees, or proof, and it certainly wasn’t based on a reasonable request. Her courageous response is rooted in an experience of God as One who can be trusted. “Here am I – work through me!”

When I got to this point in the preparation of this meditation, I found myself reflecting on how Mary’s story relates to where we live today. It is this essential “so what” question which allows us to get at the heart of the matter. How are we like Mary? My first thought was to say that her story was different from ours, because she was being asked to help bring God’s presence into the world in a very real and very personal way. She was being asked to risk everything in her life for a very uncertain future. And then it occurred to me – her story is exactly like our story. Hers may be more dramatic, but it is essentially the same. God’s love is made manifest in the world through frail, frightened, trusting human beings who say, “Here am I!” Because Mary said it, people had an opportunity to encounter Emmanuel – God With Us. When we say it, people have an opportunity to experience the living presence of God in their lives. Mary was the mother of Jesus. We are the Body of Christ. It is how God chooses to be revealed in the world. And it requires the risk of saying “Here am I – work through me!” It might be something as simple as listening to a friend who is hurting, or it might be as complicated as raising a child. It could mean taking a public stand on an issue which is controversial, or it could mean sitting next to a visitor in worship. Whatever the specifics, our lives will never be the same, but when we trust God enough to say, “Here am I!” we open up the possibility that the world will forever be transformed. May we follow Mary’s example and bring God’s presence into the world. Amen.