We read in the Gospel according to Saint Luke chapter one beginning at verse twenty six that the angel Gabriel visits Mary while her cousin Elizabeth is already six months pregnant. The angel says to Mary, “Hail Mary full of grace, blessed are you among women.” That is quite a greeting, and it comes from none other than Gabriel. So how does Mary respond? She is perplexed and maybe a little disturbed by the greeting. She wonders what kind of a greeting this might be. In other words Mary was skeptical and cautious..
My first call as a pastor was in Santa Ana, California. There was this thing in Santa Ana that we called the “Santa Ana Stare.” It was a thing you do when you live in Santa Ana, and you use it pretty much every time you are in public and interacting with people you don’t know. You elevate the chin, stick it out a little bit to look tough, maybe cock your head to side slightly, definitely narrow your eyelids, and if necessary: you scowl. It was just something everybody did, and we learned to do it too. You never knew if someone was coming at you to hustle you, or take advantage of you. Put it this way, if you didn’t do this on a regular basis then you were seen as a soft target and pushover. Nobody took you seriously and assumed that you had driven into town from Laguna Beach or Ladera Ranch or wherever. Now I need to be clear that I’m not talking about mad dogging someone. That’s when you stare at someone provocative as if to want to start something. Don’t do that. The garden variety stink eye is just a way of letting people know not to give you a hard time. What if that’s how Mary looked at Gabriel? I could really see it. Mary knew how to be cautious and put up a wall; as to not be hustled. I could see her staring Gabriel down! Who does this guy thing he is coming into my space and telling me who I am?
Gabriel senses this, because the next words he says are, “Do not be afraid.” He tells Mary that she has found grace with God. Now isn’t that something? She doesn’t find grace with God after she believes, or after she has faith. She finds Grace with God even while she is doubting and criticizing and picking apart these words of Gabriel. Gabriel continues and explains that she will conceive a child, name him Jesus, and that he will be a savior of the people. He will rule like King David, and his kingdom will have no end. What happens next? Does she believe? No! She questions Gabriel. How can this be, since I am a virgin? Mary is nobody’s fool. She knows how these things work.
We often talk about Mary being a woman of faith, which is true, but we don’t always talk about how tough she must have been. She doesn’t just believe Garbriel at first. She doubts and questions.Once again, now for the third time Gabriel shares with Mary incredible words and promises. He says that she will conceive a child by the power of the Holy Spirit, the power of God almighty will be on her, and the child will be called the Son of God. He says that her cousin who is old is six months pregnant. The kicker that Gabriel says is, “For nothing is impossible with God.”
Finally Mary after the third attempt of Gabriel acknowledges and seems to accept. But her affirmation is very shrewd. She doesn’t jump up and down and get giddy. She simply acknowledges that God will do what God will do. Let it be. It isn’t a resignation; it’s not that she is worn down. She says it with her head held high: “I am the servant to God; let it be as you have said.”
Back when we lived and served in Santa Ana, we gained the confidence of our friend Genesis. One day she watched our kids when Sheri attended to some visitations. When we came back we found Genesis standing in front of our kids with her arms crossed and staring down some guy as he passed. It meant so much to us that she cared and for and protected our kids. Maybe that’s why God chose someone like Mary to be the mother of Jesus. The fact that she doubted at first, and questioned, didn’t get in the way of her faith. It meant she was the right person for the job. If you struggle with doubt or questions that’s okay. There is still room for faith. God still pours out grace to you and has a purpose for you. Amen.
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