Lantern Bearers

Advent is a time of waiting, hoping and expecting.

As Mary's pregnancy entered its final trimester she waited in nervous anticipation for the God-child promised by the Spirit. As the elbows of the Son of God pushed at her ribs, as his head pushed down into her pelvis and as she could trace his spine along her swollen belly, she longed to see his face, count his fingers and see if her first child resembled her in any way - to see if this God-child would look 'normal' or strangely holy. There was no denying that a promise was about to be fulfilled, but what exactly this would look like she could only guess.

As Mary's pregnancy entered its final trimester the people of Israel waited in nervous anticipation for their promised redeemer, a ruler expected to fulfil prophecies of liberation, deliverance and freedom and initiate a shift in power and control in their favour. They longed to see their values honoured and respected once again, their way of life understood and they longed to end their time of living as exiles in their own land. There was no denying that a promise was soon to be fulfilled, but what exactly this would look like they could only guess. Only a few anticipated the surprises that would be in store.

As Mary's pregnancy is once again remembered and honoured the followers of Jesus in Britain and much of Western Europe wait in nervous anticipation of what the place of Christianity will be in an increasingly post-Christendom society. Some long for their values and beliefs to be respected and honoured as in days gone by and in fear of alternative ideals pray for a shift in power in their favour. Others embrace the invitation to live on the margins as exiles, choosing to live in hopeful anticipation of God's ability to move even in the midst of perceived weakness, vulnerability, powerlessness and uncertainty.

Some dream of an impossible return to the past. Some motivate us to hope for a confident, powerful future. Some urge us to hold onto the light in the coming darkness and anticipate surprises.

For Mary there was no turning back the clock. There was a privileged and optimistic journey ushering ultimate hope and opportunity, but there was also danger, darkness, pain and cost as she carried the Light into a World which didn't always understand and recognise it.

'I sometimes think that we stand at sunset', Eugenus said after a pause. 'It may be that the night will close over us in the end, but I believe that morning will come again. Morning always grows again out of the darkness, though maybe not for the people who saw the sun go down. We are the Lantern Bearers, my friend; for us, to keep something burning, to carry what light we can forward into the darkness and the wind.'

Rosemary Sutcliff, The Lantern Bearers

As we continue to follow Jesus in uncertain times may we faithfully reflect the radiance of the Light of the World as he shines eternally in the darkness and keep our eyes open for other Lantern Bearers and signs of Light evidenced in creative ways of following Jesus on the margins.

Mary - Godbearer

Today, for much of the Church, Advent becomes more focused on the first coming of the Christ, with the reading from Luke's Gospel of Mary visiting Elizabeth.

I preached on Mary last weekend, and I've also preached on Mary on the occasion of an induction. It seems to me that Mary has a huge amount to say to us about the nature of ministry. I've drawn on a superb book, 'The Godbearing Life, The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry', by Kenda Creasy Dean and Ron Foster.

Their point is the totally awesome one, that God asks a teenager to bring God into the world. The angel Gabriel had never delivered a message like this before to an adult, much less to an adolescent. And they quote Frederick Buechner, who puts it this way:

She struck the angel Gabriel as hardly old enough to have a child at all, let alone this child, but he'd been entrusted with a message to give her, and he gave it.

He told her what the child was to be named, and who he was to be, and something about the mystery that was to come upon her. 'You mustn't be afraid, Mary', the angel said.

As he said it, he only hoped she wouldn't notice that beneath the great, golden wings he himself was trembling with fear to think that the whole future of creation hung now on the answer of a girl.

And what sets Mary, this poor, unmarried teenage girl, apart from the rest of us is quite simple. She says, 'Yes'. And with Mary's 'Yes', the transformation begins and she becomes 'God-bearer', Theotokos. And she becomes a model for us, because we too are called to be God-bearers, Theotokoi. We bear God to others, as we seek to serve them. And service is ministry.

Creasey and Foster go on to talk specifically about youth ministry, but what they applies to all ministry.

Youth ministry is a womb, an incubation ward for potential God-bearers as they ponder and struggle with the news that God is crazy in love with them, would die for them and, in fact, has. What youth need more than gung-ho adults are Godbearing adults, people whose own yes to God has transformed them into messengers of the gospel.

And speaking of how Godbearing ministry begins,

it begins with a conscious 'yes' to God, a decision that flings wide open the doors of our souls so that grace no longer needs to sneak in through the cracks. Now the Holy Spirit rushes in 'like a mighty wind' and fills us, overshadows us, transforms us by forming Jesus within us, restoring us to the image in whose likeness we were created. Now our soul-wombs, already prepared by grace, can carry Jesus into the world.

Returning to today's reading of Mary's visit to Elizabeth in Luke 1.39-45, the poet Luci Shaw expresses it like this:

Framed in light,
Mary sings through the doorway.
Elizabeth's six-month joy
jumps, a palpable greeting,
a hidden first encounter
between son and Son.

And my heart turns over
when I meet Jesus
in you.

being Mary

It wasn't Jesus' mother I was thinking of as I dashed around the kitchen in preparation for friends this afternoon; or as I was whipping biscuits out of the oven last night just prior to a meeting. It was Mary, Jesus' friend, who just sat down and chilled out with him. Years ago someone asked me whether I was Mary or Martha and I said both. A clever answer I thought- be busy AND spend some time with God...
Truth is, the Martha bit comes more easily- I love it when people come over- I like them to be comfortable and feel easy without tripping over toys or worse... I like giving them food and drink, and somewhere in the back of my head there is a twinge of pride at my "gift of hospitality"...
But what did Jesus actually say? "Martha you are worried and upset by many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her."
Only one thing is needed.
So I want to revise my thinking. I want to be Mary- through and through. Not worried and upset by "preparations". Not resentful with God at giving me no rest from my busy work for Him. In reality this kind of work was never His, but mine. I don't think he wants us working for Him at all- just being with Him. God is single minded in His desire for us- heart, soul, mind and strength. The greatest commandment.
I share these ponderings because this is the season for practical preparations in which we find ourselves duty bound to spend hours and hours toiling at. But only one thing is needed. Mary chose the better way- so dare we compromise? Dare we give away even part of our inner being to worries and upset?
Mary made it look so simple.
Maybe it is.