MOVIN' ON UP

December 23, 2012

Advent 4 LOVE

Micah 5:2-5a

Luke 1:38-45

(prayer)

George and Weezie Jefferson were Archie and Edith Bunker’s neighbours in Queens NY.  As George’s dry cleaning business grew and expanded and he knew enough financial success to move to the Upper East Side in Manhattan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHDwRECFL8M

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Sometimes it’s nice to see someone achieve a “rags to riches” story for themselves.  For those of us growing up in the seventies, the Norman Lear sitcoms: All in the Family, The Jeffersons and Maude were ground-breaking social commentary in a time when the racial civil rights and women’s movements were gaining momentum in North America.

People of both genders and all skin colours were beginning to have better chances to compete with the rest of society (i.e. white males).

I am always amazed that when equality comes up as an issue in a culture that it surprises people.  Weren’t we all made the same way?  Aren’t we all stardust?  People of faith, are we not all children of the same God?

There was a time when I was caught up in that.  I saw differences as uncertain, foreign, perhaps scary. I don’t know when I “got it” (I was fairly young), but once that moment in clarity hit me, I knew that I would forever be a fan and advocate of the ones who struggle to simply measure up and have their fair shot at an equal life.  It became gospel for me.

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When I watch sporting events (unless I have a strong allegiance to a particular side: which only occasionally I do), I tend to root for the underdog.  I like a close game – that seems the most fair, sporting way for sports to be.
I love Crash Davis' line in Bull Durham: Throw more ground balls; it's more democartic.

And I really do love it when the team (or person) who was not supposed to succeed based on all of the pre-game stats and best guesses, surprises the prognosticators and just offers an amazing performance.

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Bethlehem was an underdog.  More on that tomorrow night.

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And so was Mary:  a young, unmarried and pregnant woman.  That thrust her into a huge disadvantage.

I wonder how many of you have seen the December issue of the United Church Observer.

There is an article about Bernadette Dumas and her experience with a United Church outreach ministry in Burnaby, BC in 1969.  Bernadette was from Australia when her family brought her to Canada.  To friends and family downunder, it was a six month family vacation; in reality, Bernadette took up residence in the United Church Home for Girls – because, at 19, she was an unwed mother-to-be.  She stayed long enough to have her baby and sign off on the adoption before heading back to Australia.

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Our Bibles are sadly sparse on details of Mary’s life.  We have just a hint or two.  As soon as Mary discovers she is pregnant, “in haste” she goes all the way from Nazareth to the Judean hills to spend time with her elderly relative, Elizabeth.  Earlier in chapter one, it had noted that Elizabeth (although post-menopausal) was pregnant too and had secluded herself.

It almost sounds like there was an informal home for women with unplanned pregnancies up in the hills east of Jerusalem.

Again, the biblical narrative is sparse, but no matter what we might suspect was the family reaction, or what opinions and judging taunts might have come their way from others, Mary and Elizabeth were excited about this time in their lives and prospect of becoming mothers.

As we read, the story goes that even Elizabeth’s fetus was excited about Mary’s child-to-be.

Luke’s gospel tells us that, while staying at Elizabeth’s, Mary sang a song founded in her deep faith:

⁴⁶…‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, ⁴⁸for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; ⁴⁹for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. ⁵⁰His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. ⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. ⁵²He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; ⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. ⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, ⁵⁵according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.’

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Mary (and Elizabeth and Elizabeth’s baby) knew that Mary’s child would be a unique and special blessing to the world.  From the life of a young, small town girl would come the very embodiment of God’s love and compassion.  

Again, the underdog is destined for greatness.

Let us pray:

Help us to see your love in both the humble and mighty places of our lives.  Amen.

#361VU  “Small Things Count”