Advent I

December 1, 2019

Wild Expectations

St. Luke 1:26-38

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 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. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 

34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Message

It is the First Sunday in a New Church Year.  Happy New Year!  It is Advent I and I am waiting for a rebirth of wonder.

Mary receives a visit from a messenger of God – 6 months after a message came to Zachariah – John the Baptist’s father who told him that Elizabeth, his wife was expecting.  Zachariah was visited by the messenger of God in the Temple.  There he doubted and was struck dumb. 

Now in Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy, her cousin Mary, is also visited by Gabriel. However, Mary believes and welcomes the message. Like Samuel in the Old Testament – she says, “Here I am, the servant of the Lord.” 

She is expecting – expecting the Christ – the Divine to be made known through her.  This is a wild expectation.  How can this be?  With God all things are possible according to Gabriel.  And Mary is caught up in this wild expectation. 

The way we are – the way we conceive is changed forever by those who believe.

Mary is expecting.  It is Advent I and I am waiting for the rebirth of wonder.

Sarah is expecting.  Not the Sarah of the Bible – the old wife of Abraham – although that, too, seems impossible.  No, Sarah is expecting.  This Sarah is a junior in High School.  She is 16 going on 17 and already expecting. 

Her father cannot believe it.  He is beside himself.

“It is tough!” he says.  “Before we had the ideal home.  I had my bowling on Monday, and we’d grocery shop on Tuesday, and take the kids here and there on Wednesday.  But now Sarah is expecting.  She wants us to get involved.  She wants to talk to us, to ask us questions.”

Sarah is expecting and at her school classmates are overheard:

“Last year she was the girl to have a good time with. Now  that she is expecting, she has been seen with all the weirdos at school.”

A teacher comments:  “Sarah is not selling pom-poms for the Christmas program this year.  She said she felt a different kind of spirit now that she is expecting.  She is involved with other things like the new tutoring program at the grade school, helping minority students with their English.  And, besides that, she has been hanging around those kids no one likes.

The teacher continues:  “It is scary!  She says that she expects to always be expecting.”

Mary is expecting.  Sarah is expecting.  And now we hear from Gabriel and Raphael – two angels regarding Sarah:

Gabriel:  “Hurry up, Ralph, we’re going to be late!”

Raphael: “Oh, Go clip your wings, Gabe.  We’ve never been late before.  What is so special this year?

Gabe:  “What’s so special this year is that Sarah is expecting HIM this year.  Or haven’t you heard?”

Ralph:  “Yeah, now that you mention it, I think I heard the BOSS talking about it to Michael.  Imagine, only 16 and she’s already expecting.  Isn’t it great?”

Gabe:  “It is great alright, but she’s been getting a lot of static down there because she’s expecting and needs our help.

Ralph:  “They always do, don’t they?  I mean, remember that Italian joker…Frank, uh, what’s his name?”

Gabe:  “St. Francis of Assisi – they thought he was mad when he sold all he had and told them he was expecting.”

Ralph:  “And that fat German fellow…?”

Gabe:  “Luther:  the minute he started expecting everybody got up tight.  Mary at least had Joseph, but little Sarah has no one.  So it is important that we help her out.  She needs to know that all her hopes are not foolishness and fantasies.  She needs to know that the BOSS really did send his Son into her world.  She needs to know that HE continues to send the Spirit of his Son to all those who eagerly await his coming.  She needs to know that all the love and faith she pours out while she waits is not in vain.”

Ralph:  “You know what, Gabe?  Put that way it is a lot easier to hack all the rotten stuff we endure.  I mean, if I get labeled a UFO one more time, I’ll scream.  But I’ll put up with it this year for Sarah’s sake and for the many others who really are expecting His coming.  I’ll even put up with those clowns in red suits with the paper mache reindeer for the sake of Sarah.

Gabe:  “Glory to God and peace on earth, good will to men.”

Ralph:  “And not just to men.  Peace to little Sarah, too.  Peace and love that the Christ-child always brings.  Peace and love which will fill her heart.  Peace and love even when nobody understands her wild expectations.”

It is Advent I and I am waiting for the rebirth of wonder.  I am seeing wonder reborn in the wild expectations of Mary and Sarah – both are expecting the Christ.

Is Sarah, a junior in high school pregnant?  Yes, she is pregnant with eager longing for the coming of Christ.  She is filled with yearning for the reign of God’s love in her life, her family, her community.  But no one seems to understand her wild hopes.  Despite that she acts on hope.

Like Mary, Sarah ushers in Good News which provokes dramatic changes in her life.  Her father’s routine is disrupted.  She expects her parents to ‘be involved.’  Her friends don’t get it as she identifies with the outcast and befriends those outside the well-established cliques at her school.  She is no longer a pom-pom queen, but she is spending time tutoring young immigrant children at the nearby grade school.

Sarah expects to always be expecting.  These are the danger signs of someone who is expecting.  They break boundaries and create an ever-widening circle.  Like St. Frances and Luther, both of whom were expecting – they speak the truth to power and live out the Gospel with courage.

Those expecting are pregnant with yearning and give birth to the Christ-child living deep in their hearts through their acts of compassion.

And what about us?  Are we living expectantly?  Are we expecting to always be expecting?  Do you know that you, too, are pregnant with the Christ?  Do you know that you give birth to Christ whenever you serve others – act in love and compassion?

Are you expecting to meet Christ right here and right now as God comes to you in, with, and under this bread and this wine?  Christ’s very presence within us!  The Spirit of Christ is the one who is constantly birthing the Church – Christ’s body – through us.  It is Advent I.  I have wild expectations as we await the rebirth of wonder.

Amen

Copyright@2019 by Storck

May be used with permission

Contact: kennstorck@gmail.com