Matthew 1 : 18-25
This advent I've chosen three stories from the traditional Christmas scriptures - John the Baptizer, Mary and Elizabeth and their unexpected pregnancies, and today Joseph the unintentional father. Often when we read these stories, they remind us that Jesus' birth was miraculous, and if it weren't for some significant interventions by God on his behalf, it might not have happened at all. I think that people of faith come to these stories as a way to describe God's miraculous intervention in our lives. We like the sense of awe and wonder that Christmas gives us and these stories lie at its heart.
One problem with that is that expecting miracles is a pretty unreliable way of dealing with everyday life, at least if by miracle we mean that God will swoop in and fix anything that's broken. There are great hymns that suggest that. "God will take care of you," comes to mind. Or "His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches you." We want to think that God is on our side and willing and able to make all things right for us.
Then life happens. Our friends and family members become ill and some of them die. Our children and grandchildren make bad choices and no one rescues them from the consequences. Russia invades Ukraine. Hamas attacks Israel who attacks Hamas back. We pour hundreds of meals and thousands of dollars into healing the hurts of our community and there are even more people still hurting. In spite of our conditioning miracles are few and far between. Most people I know have stories about amazing things that have happened which they call miracles, but if we're honest, we also have stories about times we wished for miracles that didn't happen.
This year I've become convinced that Christmas isn't about God doing strange and wonderful things that cause sweeping changes in the world. I wonder if these stories aren't so much about miracles as they are about ordinary life and God being present in the middle of the ordinary. I think that's what we learned about the first century Jesus followers. They believed Jesus changed everything about their lives not because he made the hard things go away and defeated the oppressors, but because in spite of the bad things and the oppressors he hung in there with them. He was present in the thick of ordinary life and because he lived with hope and compassion, ordinary life became bearable.
Our stories are telling us that John criticized the powers that be and people signed on to the movement. That Mary got pregnant and Joseph didn't abandon her. That Jesus was born to peasants far from the seat of power but people noticed. That when the night was dark, starlight made it possible to see a bit of a way forward.
I don't want to promise you that when life gets really hard, God will send a miracle to make it better. I want to tell you that when life gets really hard, God is already here in the thick of it giving you strength and hope. I want you to believe that you are completely filled and totally surrounded by the Love that is God so that you are never alone. You never face anything alone.
The message of Christmas is this: we can do this together.
Sometimes the Love of the Universe sends me messages through Facebook, and this week a message came through a friend of mine who pastors Lincoln's church in Springfield, IL. She copied a post from a group called honestadvent. I wish I knew more so I could give them better credit. I read it and thought, I can't say this any better than they have already said it. I want to share it with you today:
It's assumed that Mary rode on a donkey, but the Bible doesn't say she did. It's assumed there was an innkeeper, but it doesn't mention one anywhere.
It's assumed there were three Magi, but it doesn't give a number of those who showed up. It's assumed there was a star overhead when Jesus was born, but it doesn't say that either.
It's assumed that Jesus was born in a stable, but all it says is that He was laid in a manger - and that could've been any number of places.
Christmas comes with many assumptions-some helpful, some not so much.
Spirituality also comes with many assumptions, and the ones that fail us are the ones we make about what it's supposed to look like, who is worthy for it to happen to, and what kind of outcome it's supposed to have for us. Assumptions like ...
You should be more than you are now to be pleasing to God. Your weaknesses are in the way of God's plan for your life.
Your lack of religious excitement disqualifies you from divine participation. You're probably not doing it right.
Other spiritual people have something you don't have.
Our assumptions hinder our spiritual journey in all kinds of ways, and the antidote to assumption is surprise. The surprise of Christ's incarnation is that it happened in Mary's day as it is happening every day in your lack of resources, your overcrowded lodging, your unlit night sky, your humble surroundings.
It's a surprise that life can come through barren places.
It's a surprise that meek nobodies partake in divine plans.
It's a surprise that messengers are sent all along the hidden journey of life to let you know you are not alone.
It's a surprise that you will be given everything you need to accomplish what you've been asked to do.
It's a surprise that nothing can separate you from the love of God.
Nothing can separate you from love. Your assumptions believe there must be something that can ... But surprise! Nothing can.
May you thank God with joyful surprise at how much you have assumed incorrectly.