Let It Be

Luke 1:26-38New International Version (NIV)

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most Highwill overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

I am going to start this morning with a song.  It is a song that I am confident many of you have heard before either from the original artists or someone doing a cover of the song.  As you listen, I ask that you pay special attention to the lyrics (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtNU616XqQk).

If you figured out that the song was “Let it Be” by The Beatles, you would be correct.  This song was inspired by the scripture from the Gospel of Luke that I just read to you.  I know, I know, I didn’t know that either.  The lyrics seem to mean something a little different when placed within this context.  First, Mary was selected by God.  Then she was confused by this selection.  To help get through the confusion, Mary questions.  Finally, Mary makes the commitment to follow God’s will.  Sound familiar?  To me it definitely does.... God has selected you.  He has selected all of you.  He has selected all of us.  So we can check off that box.  So whether we are here today because we are confused, questioning, or committed we can see a little bit of Mary in each of us.  At different times in our faith journeys, I can say with some certainty that we have been at any one of those three places.  Mary had no say in her selection by God to carry the Son of Man just as we have little to no say when God touches our heart that first time.  Is that fair?  Not really and if taken to the extreme it almost seems selfish on the part of God.  So when it comes to God selecting us, we don’t have any say because we are all selected.  Our part of the decision comes from the next three steps: confusion, questioning, and committing.  

You see, some never make it through the confusion and questioning steps.  How did Mary?  Truth is, she let it be.  She let God’s will be done.  That is a GIANT leap of faith.  A leap large enough that some never take.  For whatever reason, some never take that leap.  The questions and confusion are too much.  If nothing else, Mary’s very own questions and confusion are easily relatable.  Have you ever wondered why you were being pulled in one direction?  Surrounded by a whirlwind of uncertainty and yet you followed anyway?  Then one day, a red envelope tucked between the front doors of your house appears and gives you the answer to why.  That happened to me this past week.  You are all very aware of my inability to sing.  So naturally, Christmas caroling is not at the top of my “to-do” list.  Despite my hesitation I went and put on a Santa hat and a smile, forcing myself every step of the way.  House after house we left goodies and sang a short carol, totally underestimating what this gesture meant to some.  That red envelope I mentioned a few moments ago, was the answer.  It was from a widow expressing her thanks as she explained the sense of loss she was feeling this holiday season.  I cannot wait to share that note with the kids that went that night as I sensed their hesitation was as strong as mine.  The impact of that moment may be momentarily lost on them but I hope that note finds a place in their hearts for the rest of their lives.  The questions of “why are we doing this?” or “do I really have to do this?” are answered in that note.  Sometimes the greatest showing of faith is just letting it be.  

Now comes the last step: commitment.  The NIV translates Mary’s commitment to God by saying, “May your word to me be fulfilled” but The Message translates the same passage as “Let it be with me just as you say.”  Some of us more than others tumble with the questions and confusion with only slight dings to our commitment while others stand rigid in theirs.  Mary is one of those that never looked back upon accepting God’s will for her.  For her, the obedient service came easy but for others the struggle is more difficult.  I have failed to mention the aspect of love until this very point with intention.  You see, so much is lost within the tentacles of dogma with whether or not Mary truly had an immaculate conception, whether or not she really even wanted this weight of birthing the Son of Man on her shoulders, or if the narrative of Christ is lost on most of us during Christmas.  Mary was a woman.  She was a mother.  She was a wife.  But most importantly she was a Christian.  Perhaps the first one.  Perhaps the most important role she plays, especially in Luke’s narrative, is the role of the ideal Christian.  She is a model for Christian discipleship and the person we all ought to strive to emulate in order to follow her son.  I often say that we should strive to be Christ-like but for today let us imagine what it might look like to be Mary-like.  

The bond between a mother and child is a miracle in the truest form of the word.  When we strive to be Christ-like, the best we can do is to emulate the human qualities of Jesus for these earthly bodies are not capable of doing all the things he did.  Someday they will be, but not now.  On the other hand, accepting God’s will despite all the questions and confusion, just as Mary did, is something we are quite capable of.  Following Jesus, supporting those at the forefront of his message, being there in his death and celebrating his new life are all things Mary did.  These are all things we can do.  Right now.  Today.  God has the power to raise Jesus from the dead but Mary had the power to raise a young man who was willing to take on that sacrifice on behalf of the world.  While God gave Jesus the tools, someone had to teach him when and how to use them.  Mary did that.  And you can to.  Mary’s sacrifice is sometimes lost on us, overshadowed by the role of her son.  Rightfully so because Jesus is the savior and renewer of our souls but Mary’s role ought not be forgotten.  Someone demonstrated to a young Jesus love and commitment.  Someone was always in his corner.  That someone was Mary.  

The confusion and questions are inevitable but will you persevere with a “Mary-esque” commitment.  To summarize Cynthia Rigby’s comments: just as Mary was incapable to conceive (because she was a virgin), we are incapable to accomplish God’s will alone.  In order to bring about God’s will, we need God.  A kingdom of justice and peace without God is impossible.  Without Mary, we very well may not be here this morning.  She let God’s will be done.  Will you?  Whose future faith is dependent on you following the will of God?  Whose realization of God’s love is dependent on you letting it be?   Amen.