December 19, 2010

4th Sunday of Advent 2010

That's a very nice Gospel story isn't it? It's a very nice, clean, sanitized story. In fact, it is so clean that I almost forget that it's about two real people. What's so striking to me, in the Gospel story, isn't what's said but what's missing. It's the conversations between Mary and Joseph, and I'm sure between Joseph and one of his trusted friends, perhaps even his Rabbi...those conversations are not included, but I'm sure they happened. You remember in the other annunciation story, Mary goes immediately with great haste to Elizabeth's house, her cousin in Judea and probably stays there for a good three months or so until John is born. So, I assume that this annunciation story happens after Mary comes home from Judea and she is simply "found with child"! Now boys and girls, I don't care who you are if something like this happens you are going to have a little sit-down. Imagine a really scared teenage girl going to her fiance and telling him that she's pregnant, and it's not his child. Not only is it not your child Joe, but it's uhh, it's God's; it's God's love child. Oh yeah, I want to be around for this conversation. Needless to say, but I'm gonna say it anyway...I know I'm going out on a limb here but this probably wasn't part of Joe's plan or Mary's for that matter. It's just not how things are supposed to happen, but in reality nothing happens the way it's supposed to happen. And I think that's the point. We can't control everything. God was telling our good friend King Ahaz, 'I'm about to do something that you cannot even conceive' (pun completely intended), 'something impossible, something you can't plan for, something you can only receive, I'm going to give you a gift'. And that's exactly what life is...a gift! What you do with this gift is entirely up to you.

You young people ask your parents if where they are today is where they thought they would be. We plan and plan and plan and God says, 'aren't they cute'. Now don't get me wrong it's important to plan but if we live in our planned futures we may not be very well equipped to deal with today's crisis.

So, clearly this wasn't what Joseph and Mary planned for but when you're confronted with what God wants for you, the prudent thing to do is to go along with it. If it is what God desires for you, it will all work out...probably not the way you thought it would but it will work out. Maybe the whole thing comes down to having a trusting relationship with God so that when the time comes, and it comes for everyone, we may be as open to receive as Joe and Mary were! The fine print is what makes this a bit more difficult. I have this image of the Trinity sitting around heaven before the Incarnation (that is if there is a before for God...that's another homily) saying: 'Hmmm? How can we make this more difficult for Mary and Joseph? Oh, I know let's start with the single, pregnant, teenager bit, ok and see how they do with that. And we're the father right? Yeah, but then as soon as they're ready to give birth, let's have a census and make them leave their home where everything's ready for the baby and have them travel hundreds of miles (God the Spirit chimes in: On a donkey). Ok, on a donkey only to find no room. That's great! Oh yeah and let's make them really, really poor. God the Son finally speaking up saying, "Really?"

Why? Why so difficult? Well, why not? Do you think that following anyone's will other than your own is going to be easy? The whole point is to conform your life to God's, not God's to yours. No one told Mary or Joseph that following God's Will would be a bed of roses. In fact, just the opposite was told and they did it anyways. Could we?