Staying where you are - December 24
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 45, 46; Isa. 29:13-24; Rev. 21:22-22:5; Luke 1:39-48a(48b-56)
Merry Christmas Eve! Tonight, we will celebrate Christmas in a very beautiful way with our children’s pageant at 3pm which is filled with breathtaking cuteness and joy. At 5pm we will have our service of Lessons and Carols. I have included the links if you would like to join. I have been waiting for this moment and this festive celebration for some time which is why I am puzzled by a part of the story that I haven’t paid much attention to before.
Today’s lessons include the Magnificat which is one of the most powerful descriptions of how Mary understands God. Mary proclaims this beautiful song when she is with Elizabeth and Zechariah. Elizabeth’s child leaps in the womb when he hears Mary’s voice. It’s a beautiful story. And then Mary sings, “My soul magnifies the Lord.” She shares a vision of God scattering the proud and lifting up the lowly and filling the hungry with good things. She acknowledges that the rich will be sent away empty. It’s a powerful witness to how she understands God especially restoring and lifting up people in need. And so, we proclaim her song often in Morning Prayer, read usually at least once a week, if not more.
But what has me puzzled is the reality that she remains with Elizabeth for about three months. Luke wants us to know this little fact. Maybe it is odd to me because often, when we are armed with new information, filled with the Spirit, we are eager to proclaim it to the world, to break free, and yet Mary is there to be with Elizabeth for three more months. Why? The very next passage is about Elizabeth giving birth, and I assume Mary has gone home just before this so why the waiting? Maybe that was all too much.
Maybe its an invitation to embrace this moment. As we have been longing for what is next, we are reminded once again that God’s love is here, not somewhere far off, but already in our midst. The challenge is learning how not to rush to what is next. With Christmas this evening and the next, how can we hold onto this moment, at the very least for the entire season of Christmas? How can we all learn to sit with God and God’s joy, even when we are anticipating what is next? It’s been a challenging lesson this 2020 but God’s love is always with us. Learning to lean on God’s love is a practice in patience and mindfulness but as challenges arise in the coming days, may Mary’s practice of staying where we are, shape our own.
John+
Questions for Self-Reflection: Are you more of a “savor the moment” or “eager for what is next” kind of person? Any thought as to why?
Daily Challenge: Make a list of ten things that you are grateful for this very moment.