As a progressive, I believe there are many names for God and many ways to a loving God; this article reflects one of those ways. Take from here what works for you. Celebrate life with joy and peace!
I love how theologian Dr. Seuss makes us ponder through the eyes of the Grinch, “And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ‘till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?”
This time of the year, it feels like we tend to focus more and more on love. Yes, we have affection for our pets and friends and even our cozy and decorated homes. But the love, the love we feel at this time of the year is something more. The love is in the music we hear as we’re shopping or dining out, in the carols we sing, the stories, the rituals, the traditions; it’s a real and genuine caring of others and for many there’s an honest desire to give more than to receive. This love calls us to caring deeds instead of greed. Remember how the Grinch’s heart was turned around. And Christmas love is a reminder of the love we have for those who aren’t powerful, popular or often given much respect. Being able to see love where others overlook it and then sharing love with the unloved is a perfect message for this time of year.
This is the Good News of God’s inclusive love. Remember, of the four gospels, only Luke and Matthew give narratives to the birth of Jesus; Luke portrays Mary as a voiceless person who finds her voice. Luke portrays Mary as the oppressed person who finds divine strength. Luke portrays Mary as the powerless person who finds empowerment within her own spiritual experience. Luke portrays Mary as the one who stands up to injustice against all odds. Mary is the example of God showing favor to the forgotten, and offering empowerment to the powerless.
Think about the power of this narrative; Luke shows Jesus being born in very humble, one might say deplorable, conditions to an illiterate, peasant girl that was visited by an angel of God. God comes to her! She’s just minding her own business and God seeks her out!
It wasn’t the powerful or the priestly or the wealthy or even a man, but an unmarried, pregnant, peasant girl is the one who experiences the divine in life-changing ways! I love it! She is visited by an angel, God’s messenger, and told that she will have a child who will be much greater than his humble and deplorable circumstances would suggest ever possible. Mary, of all the people in the world, is called “favored one.”
In researching, I was reminded that Mary, not a man, not a wise scholar, not someone rich and powerful but Mary, living in an occupied country and not a citizen of the occupying power, Mary, a girl who is pregnant and whose child’s paternity is in question (causing raised eyebrows). Oh, there’s something about Mary!
I like how Rev. Durrell Watkins puts it, “Mary, of all people, is favored and her child, of all children, will be called God’s child.”
Let’s pay attention to the story of Mary; those who bully others weaker than themselves, those who are unkind to transgender people, those who make fun of gay and lesbian people, those who only care for their own race, those who try to keep women from the pulpit or altar or any leadership position in the church or society, those who don’t care about health care for all people, those who are unconcerned about poverty and peace, those who forget that spirituality at its best is about justice, not just-us, those who deny dignity to the so-called least of these could benefit from paying more attention to the story of Mary, lowly Mary, nobody Mary, unmarried Mary, pregnant Mary, who was visited by God’s own angel and who raised a child who would be called God’s own son.
According to the Gospels, it’s the poor, the marginalized, the sick, those who are denied equality for whatever the reason may be, those are the people who are called “favored,” those are the people who are called children of God in Scripture.
Mary’s salutation from the Angel of God was, “Greetings, favored one! God is with you.” Mary is the favored one, and may I add all Mary’s are the favored ones.
Maybe there are times you feel like a Mary. Maybe you feel obscure and invisible, like no one notices you. Maybe you feel unworthy of love. Well, the Good News for you is that Divine love leaves no one out! This is Good News!
I love this affirmation:
I am blessed and highly favored.
Just as I am, I am loved.
Divine Love leaves no one out!
Alleluia!
Amen
