Monday, December 19, 2011

Bishop Hanson's Christmas Video

Christmas Video 2011 - Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

bearing

the annunciation
"Let it be to me according to your Word."  This is Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel’s message.  She will bear the news and the physical reality of it.  It reveals her character and the ideal way in which all people are invited to respond to the presence and power of God, as it fills our lives with promise and hope.  But Luke the evangelist knew that Mary's response was different. She was more open than most of us to the possibility that God might approach us and speak to us.  As such, she becomes the bearer of God.  
Most of us, most of the time, doubt that God speaks.  And angels? We speak of them whenever we manage to avoid an accident; as in "my guardian angel was watching out for me".  But angels do not confront us.  Not even in church! We maintain distance between us and God.  Our story is more like Zechariah the priest;  Here's his story, also from the first chapter of Luke's gospel: