Tonight there is no festive fire dancing on the television screen to keep me warm.
Tonight there are no pop renditions of age-old carols to keep me company.
Tonight it is not about the shopping lists and the count-down to Christmas.
Tonight it is not about egg not and mistletoe
Tonight it is not about Rudolf and Frosty.
Tonight not all is silent.
Tonight not all is calm.
Tonight is the story, re-read again;
Of a fear-inducing visit between a young girl and a divine being.
The young girl had ever right to say “take a hike”, “leave me alone” as she reassured the angel he must have punched the wrong address into his GPS.
The young girl had every right to laugh in the face of the one who called her “Highly favoured”
The young girl found herself greatly troubled.
The young girl found herself up to her eyeballs in confusion about what she was being told.
The young girl’s simple words “how can this be?” seem
big enough to encompass the cries of any heart facing an uncertain future.
big enough to hold the concerns for all we do not know, cannot know and never will know to the extent we wish we could.
But then her next words carry enough volume to silence and humble us all for a good while.
“I am the Lord’s servant… May it be to me as you have said.”
Then silence.
In a moment when she could have said no…
In a moment when she could have said not me…
in a moment when she could have said not now…
Mary said “let it be”
Tonight
When I am tempted to say no…
When I am tempted to say not me…
When I am tempted to say not now…
May Mary’s response challenge me to slow down.
May Mary’s response challenge me to welcome and embrace that which frightens
May Mary’s response remind me that we all have a chance to say;
“May it be as you, O Holy God, have said, do say, and forevermore will say”
Amen and Amen.
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