Advent 4B Angels & Miracles
I don’t know about you all, but I believe in miracles.
Just when I think surely all that God-breaking into the world stuff surely doesn’t happen here and now, I get another reminder of just how wonderful God is.
Just when I think surely all that God-breaking into the world stuff surely doesn’t happen here and now, I get another reminder of just how wonderful God is.
Take just the other day—Alene and I were driving to Goleta to take part in a book study when suddenly the car in front of us slowed to a complete stop in the middle of the fast lane. We braked suddenly, perplexed until we saw that a ladder had been dropped in the road and the car was slowing to avoid it. As soon as we braked, the SUV behind us came at us with screeching tires and managed to careen onto the shoulder to our left, just to stop right behind the car in front of us, now on the shoulder.
We pulled to the side, to check all was well, while the car behind us had the sense to stop the now slowed traffic on the lane long enough to pull the offending ladder off the road. Just a second or inch longer, and we could have all been injured, if not killed. As it was, the driver of the SUV behind us, came to our car stunned, shouting, “I didn’t even touch the car!”
In the words of Malcolm Boyd, “If you don’t have a guardian angel, get one!”
To me, this was a miracle! Not a major miracle like a Virgin Birth of a Savior or anything, but definitely a reminder that someone else was certainly looking out for us.
As one commentator says, this is a season of miracles and angels--we are somehow open to them at this cusp of the year.[1]
I saw another miracle the other day at the office. A woman came in, crying that she was in a bind. Her mother is dying and her car is broken down, and she must get South soon. So I asked what it was that she needed, realized (first miracle!) that we might be able to help, and called the mechanic to get the exact amount to write on the check. After I explained who I was and what I was doing, he said
“I am a Christian too, send the lady over with your information, and we will go from there.” I told the woman, and she cried! He worked with us to give her a good deal and get her on her way. Another little miracle—small perhaps but big in this woman’s life and that of her mother.
A season of angels and miracles, but Mary reminds us of a couple of things in the Gospel of Luke—we have a choice, we must be open, and … perhaps most important—that openness can allow us to be agents of God’s miracles in the world.
Barbara Crafton’s version of the annunciation shows it like this. Mary is a thirteen year old girl, lamenting the fact that her childhood will soon be over when she weds Joseph.
Mary is about to go in and help her mother with dinner, but not until she finishes watching the glorious sunset through the tamarind tree in the yard. When, what happens, but the Angel Gabriel appears—as a ball of light that might be man and might not be, sitting on the highest limb of the tree. And he says:
“’You don’t have to get married, you know,’ a voice said. Mary looked around. Nobody was there. ‘Who’s there?’ ‘I’m up here.’ The voice was coming from the tree. Mary looked up. Something glowing was perched in the sport where Mary usually sat when she climbed the tamarind.
‘Who are you?’ ‘My name is Gabriel.’ ‘I’m Mary.’ ‘I know.’ ‘How do you know about me? And that I’m getting married?’ ‘I just know.’ The glow settled itself in the notch between the two branches. ‘You don’t have to, you know. You can just say no.’ ‘I can?’ ‘Sure. Nobody ever has to do anything. They can always say no.’ ‘But my parents chose Joseph for me. They know me. They do what’s best for me.’ ‘Yes, they do.’ Mary was silent for a moment. The glowing thing in the tree was hard to see. She couldn’t see if it was a person or a body like hers. ‘Elizabeth’s parents chose for her.’ ‘Yes, by the way, I have a secret about Elizabeth.’ ‘A secret?’ ‘Yes. She’s going to have a baby.’
‘Elizabeth? But she thought she couldn’t have babies! She’s been married for so long and no baby ever came.’ ‘Well, she’s having one now. I have another secret.’ ‘You do?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Well, what is it?’ ‘You’re going to have one, too.’”[2]
You can just say no… can you believe the image of the angel Gabriel saying this to Mary? At first when I read this interpretation I was a bit shocked, but then I thought, “Wow, how well that reminds us that we are agents. We can say “yes” or “no” to God’s work in our lives. That is so important when we remember that Mary said yes!
In order to say yes, we must be open to seeing an angel in a tree and not thinking we are just nuts—Jesus talks about “being as little children,” (Matt. 18:3) and perhaps it is no surprise that God breaks into the world by inviting the agency of one who is still like a child.
How can we approach the wonder of this season, and the world, as a child? Not just remembering our Christmas memories from childhood, but be open to the wonder that allows us to be open to miracles, angels? How can we believe even when we are perplexed? Even when it doesn’t make sense, can we allow ourselves to stop and worship?
Of course, you can just say no, but what if it was a yes? Let our worship be not just a preparation for Christmas, but a preparation for the work of God in all our lives, and let us see as little children and be open to God’s miracles. Yes! Amen.
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