Fr. Ron Feister: Does Your Soul Magnify the Lord?

Sermon delivered on the fourth Sunday of Advent C, December 23, 2012, at St. Augustine’s Anglican Church, Columbus, OH.

Lectionary texts: Micah 5.2-5a; Psalm 80.1-7; Hebrews 10.5-10; Luke 1.39-55.

In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

O Little Town of Bethlehem how still we see thee lie — thus begins one of the favorite hymns of Christmas. In the time of the Prophet Micah whose prophecy we listened to in our first reading, Bethlehem was but a small village. It was about to be attacked  by the Assyrian invaders — and would be almost totally destroyed.

The prophecy looks forward to the return of  a King in the Line of David  that would come after the period of desolation. A kingdom that will actually be restored in the person of King Hezekiah who would be one of the few righteous and faithful Kings to come from the line of King David and despite challenges was able to bring about a time of peace and prosperity. Following his reign however, the leadership of Judah once again failed to be faithful, and the people began to see in the words of Micah the revelation that there would one day come an even greater one — the true Messiah.  Today for Christians the City of Bethlehem shines as bright star — the birthplace of our Savior. A once small and virtually destroyed city becomes the focus of one of the greatest events in all of human history. If this City was a person, perhaps it could say like Mary, my soul does magnify the Lord.

Bethlehem a was the City of David the great King for it was from this area of Judea that he came.  He was the youngest of seven sons. He was by tradition delegated to the most insignificant role in the family. He was a mere shepherd, honorable work, but very low on the social scale.

Sent to guard the sheep, his only weapon a simple sling.  Yet with that sling David slays one of the fieriest warriors of that time and starts his journey to becoming Israel’s greatest King. The lowly shepherd because of his faithfulness to God is raised from one of the lowest positions in society to the very top.

In our Gospel reading from Luke we are introduced to Elizabeth as Mary makes a visit to her much older cousin and who like Mary is with child. While being married to Zechariah the High Priest should have given Elizabeth  status, the fact that she had entered “old age” without a child  caused her to be looked down upon by the other women. Fruitfulness was seen as a sign of God’s Blessing and those without children were for lack of a better term cursed. Despite years of trying to have a child with no success, both Elizabeth and Zechariah remained faithful to the Lord and finally God rewards their faithfulness with a child. This child would bring them much joy and no doubt improve Elizabeth status in the community. But her child was not just any child, but a child who would be knows as John the Baptizer. Among human beings the greatest of all the prophets and the one who announce truly that the Messiah has come.

If Elizabeth had said that her soul does Magnify the Lord would that have not been a true reflection of what must have been going through her being for God had taken one lowly and despised and blessed her with a child and thus given her fulfillment, joy and even community status.

Now we turn to Mary. A young woman probably in her teenage years.   She is pregnant even though she has not been with a man. She is engaged to someone she really does not known. Given the rules of that society she could be charged with adultery and stoned to death and the very least she would be a woman of scandal.  She was among the lowest of the low – powerless, no doubt scarred, anxious about the child within her and the process of giving birth not to mention raising a child, and no doubt lonely. Perhaps this is the reason that she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth.

Whatever Mary’s limitations and whatever her concerns, Mary was faithful.

From the time that the angel first appeared to her informing her that she would be the mother of a special child of God. Her answer was always yes to God. She could not have imagined that she was to be the one to bear God into this World as a human being but she knew that it was God’s will and through her God was going to change the course of human history.  Frightened and anxious she none-the-less looked forward to her role as the mother of the Messiah, the anointed one. And so it is that to this day, we acknowledge Mary as most blessed.  Among all women she holds the ultimate position. She alone for nine months shared a personal and intimate relationship with the Devine One, the very Word of God, that no one else has or ever will experience. Because of this Mary can truly say My Soul does Magnify the Lord.

But this is the past, and the Good News is not just something for history. Rather these things that I have talked about point us to God working today and in the future. Like that little City of Bethlehem, God often chooses to work with the small, the insignificant. He often does his greatest work where no one would expect it.

Jesus the babe who laid in an animal feeding trough and spent only about 30 years in ministry, had 12 close followers none of whom appeared extraordinary and who had to celebrate his Last Supper in a rented room is the Lord of Lord , who gives us the Church, the Sacraments, the Scriptures, and Salvation and Restoration.

I would ask do any of you know of a small group of followers who have come together and who celebrate and praise the Lord in a rented room.  Are they likely to change the world  and are they likely to impact the community around them. Will that small group ever be able to act as an instrument of salvation and restoration. ( Could such a small group Magnify the Lord).

If they look and see that a small town like Bethlehem can be a Light to the World, then they will not be concerned that they may not be large and powerful , but can still be used by God.  They can let the light of their faith shine in their lives that others may be drawn to the One who has no limits.

But some may say I don’t have the connections — I don’t have the tools — I don’t have the social status. I have no real weapon to go against evil. Look again at David from whose human line the Savior came. In reality he had nothing except a willingness to be faithful to God.  It was not his abilities and his resources that allowed him to win the fight but  because he allowed God to work through him.

But some may say, I am too old  – look then at Elizabeth.  Elizabeth remained  faithful to the Lord  even into her old age and God allowed her to bring forth one who would Prepare the Way of the Lord. With age comes the opportunity to share with others  –  children, grandchildren and the younger members of the community of faith. Perhaps that word of encouragement or direction will one day bear fruit in the life of another and they too will be able to lead others to Christ.  Our God is a God of the Unexpected. He does routinely what this world calls the miraculous. Do not be too surprised that even with some age, and it’s limitations, God calls you to do great things.

Mary’s life speaks to all of us of our need to say yes to the Lord.  To say Yes when we cannot imagine what it is the Lord is really asking of us. Our we willing to say Yes.

Before we answer we need to be aware that like Mary our conduct will often be seen as scandalous by a world that does not know the Lord. We may suffer persecution — admittedly not risking being stoned — but persecution for being different. We will feel at times lonely and will need to do as Mary did seek out one to be a support; perhaps one that as traveled the same journey.

As with Mary we will be called to be bearers of Jesus Christ to the world. It will not be an easy thing to do. But is we are willing to say Yes, and if we are faithful, we may also say that God has done great things for me, that our spirit rejoices in God our Savior, and Our Souls do Magnify the Lord

In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.