People-to-People Blessings
By: The Rev. Brenda Sol
I want to call your attention to the cover image on your bulletins. First off…doesn’t Simeon do an amazing job of providing us with such vivid imagery?
I love this depiction of Elizabeth greeting Mary for a couple of reasons. For starters, the image presents biblical characters from a different cultural perspective. The artist was born in India, so we’re seeing these women through that beautiful lens.
The other reason I’m drawn to this particular depiction is that there’s something about Elizabeth peeking out from the doorway that makes her interaction with Mary so much more homey. For me, it’s a more accurate vision of one simple woman paying a visit to a beloved relative.
I say that because the words reflected in this morning’s canticle—otherwise known as the Magnificat—focus Mary’s response to the Angel Gabriel on the otherworldly nature of the event. While accepting the invitation to be the God-bearer is definitely otherworldly, we don’t hear the actual words of Mary in this response. Mary was a young and uneducated woman. She might have said something more like: “Oh, my gosh! What have I gotten myself into?”.
Instead, the words of gifted theologians, scholars, and/or religious leaders are placed on her lips. This is all well and good, as we memorialize the significance of that moment with cerebral language. But, the intellectualizing of the story makes way for putting the story up on the shelf of “beautiful biblical stories that have nothing to do with me”, and we miss out on the learning opportunity. We are meant to engage scripture; wonder what it might have to say to us on this day; and take something away from it into our daily experience.
In addition to this humble, young woman saying, “Yes,” to being the vessel for Jesus’s incarnation, we find other details to remind us that God doesn’t choose flashy rulers or gifted orators to help bring us into closer relationship. God uses everyday people—unlikely people, like you and me. So, another point to note, in our Gospel reading, is that humans are granting blessings. Not only that, but women—who were little more than property, in that time and place—are the ones offering blessings.
As we’ve explored in other sermons, God’s reign is here and now, as we all help spread God’s love in the world. God doesn’t come down from on high to bless Mary and Elizabeth. They bless each other—everyday people acknowledging the image of God present in each other.
Let me give you an example of what I mean from my own life. When I was in Seattle for Thanksgiving, I got to spend some time with my little friend Quincy, who is now three and a half. We played with his robot toy; we danced and laughed; and then chatted while we did some coloring. At some point, our conversation landed on birthdays. Suddenly, Quincy looked up at me and announced, “My birthday’s in January. Do you wanna’ come to my party?”
That might not sound like a blessing, but I understand that when a child invites an adult to their birthday party, it’s a great honor. It’s a form of a blessing. What Quincy was saying is, “I like being with you. I trust you. I see who you are. I recognize the image of God shining through you.” That is an everyday blessing through an unlikely source.
So, Mary is blessed by Elizabeth as she acknowledges Mary's consent to be the God-bearer. Even Elizabeth’s baby—who will become John the Baptist—leaps in a blessing, recognizing the presence of God in their midst. And in the words of the Magnificat, Mary also blesses herself, saying: “From this day all generations will call me blessed.”
At the same time, these human-to-human blessings are grounded in what we understand about God. As we hear in the Magnificat—whether they’re Mary’s actual words or not—an acknowledgement of the depth and breadth of God’s presence. She says: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
In this season of Advent, there are other ways we can prepare ourselves for receiving the Christ-child, and both be a blessing to others and offer blessings to them. The best way I know of is to live from a place of generosity. That means seeing the world around us—not through rose-colored glasses—but by giving others the benefit of the doubt, or, to use a phrase I heard used in some of our volunteer training programs, “assume their best intentions”.
Instead of getting angry with someone who’s racing through the parking lot, hold them in prayer. Maybe they were just informed of an emergency at home. Our Collect of the Day uses other language begging: “Purify our conscience.” But it’s the same idea. Instead of judging others, we endeavor to operate from a place of curiosity.
So, yes, today's readings memorialize Mary consenting to be the God-bearer, but they also prod us to wonder how we might serve as God-bearers to and for each other. And, believe it or not, all of that is probably as simple as the words of the song “What a wonderful life” by Louis Armstrong. He sings: “I see friends shaking hands, saying, ‘How do you do?’. They're really saying, ‘I love you.’”
As we look for God’s image in each other and acknowledge that God is present, may we all be and receive the blessings from each other.
-AMEN
