Luke 1: 26-38; (47-55, Magnificat)

Today’s text is known as Magnificat.  It is a wonderful material for the contemplative prayer.  What do I mean by the term “contemplative?”  Well, it is something that you have to experience to understand what it is.  So, what I would like to do today is to invite you to experience it.  It needs a longer period of time, at least, about 20 – 30 minutes, but this morning, we will have a very brief contemplative prayer session… maybe for about 5 minutes.  And after that, I will briefly reflect on the text. 

It’s a busy season.  There are too many things to do before the New Year.  We all have a long shopping list.  Let’s put down all our to-do list or shopping list and pause and rest in the presence of God.

First, let me give you instructions:

• To begin, I ask you to settle into a comfortable position and sit straight and relax.  Now close your eyes and be conscious of your breathing. 

• Take a couple of deep breaths in and out.  Gradually slow your breathing as you feel yourself to be a part of all creation, realizing that into you God blew the breath of life.  Keep breathing slowly and more deeply.  Note this holy breath.  Watch it, follow it… in and out.

• Imagine that the air you breathe is God’s spirit.  You are breathing God in and out.  Become aware of that, and stay with that awareness.  And remember that prayer can be as simple a matter as breathing in and out.

• Inhale with the intent of inhaling God’s spirit, all that God is for you.  As you inhale, picture yourself being filled with God’s love, forgiveness, and mercy.  As we are waiting for the coming of the Lord, picture yourself being filled with hope, peace, joy and love.

• Exhale what is not of God or which stands between you and God.  As you exhale, picture all the problems or concerns in your life drifting away.

• As you inhale, feel God’s positive energy, life, love, light entering into your body… into your soul.

• As you exhale, see the negative flowing out… from your body and from your soul.

• Now imagine that the angel Gabriel (sent by God) appeared to you to deliver a message.

• How would he approach to you?  In favor?  Or, not in favor?

• What would that message be?  (Try to listen… to the message from God).

• How would you respond?  Would you be happy/delighted to listen to the message?  Or, would you be surprised or even shocked?  Would you feel honored?  Or burdened?

• Would you say “how can this be, since I am… old?  …since I am young/inexperienced/weak?  …so busy?  …since I do not have time for it?  …too many things to do?  Or, I do not have enough money?

• How would angel Gabriel respond to your reaction?  Continue to have a conversation with him.

• Would you say “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word?”

• Then, imagine what would be happening in your life?  …what would be happening with you and people around you?

(Ring the singing bowl.  When you are ready, you may open your eyes).

Did anyone hear Gabriel saying to you that you will have a new born baby next year?  How would you react if you heard that.., Elizabeth?  (I asked yesterday).  She said… “what?” and giggled.  She laughed…, just as Sarah did when she was informed the same news in Genesis chapter 18.  And Elizabeth continues, “I wouldn’t believe, dad!  I wouldn’t!”  How DO I feel about that???  Wow!  Certainly, I would be shocked.

The real question is not whether we can physically conceive a baby or not, but weather we are bearing God or not.  The question that we should ask ourselves, especially in this Advent season, is: Do I live the “God-bearing life?” 

One of the points of this amazing story is that Mary is the God-bearer.  The miracle of Christmas is that the Son of God would come into the world through the body of this peasant girl.  In human history, the coming of Jesus Christ in a virgin’s womb is the unrepeatable mystery of God and it was the once-and-for-all event.  But in salvation history (Geschichte), Jesus is coming everyday… in YOUR womb, that is, through your God-bearing life! 

Today, God invites all of us to become God-bearers… persons who by the power of the Holy Spirit smuggle Jesus into the world through our own lives.  That’s the message that I heard when I reflected on this text and our Bible Study text book, Not A Silent Night last week.  I believe that’s what Mary is saying to every one of us today.  We are like her in so many ways.

Like Mary, we cannot understand what is going on.  Like Mary, we cannot foresee what our future will be if we accept God’s will.  Like Mary, we can only know that if God’s will is to be accomplished in this world, we must play our part.

We have been waiting for so long for God in our lives.  We have sung many hymns praying for the coming of the Lord in our lives.  But we have not yet learned that the word of God addressed to Mary is the same word God addresses to us: “Hail favored one, the Lord is with you.”  How many of us understand that God is waiting for us to say “Let it be with me according to your word,” just as God waited for Mary to say it?

For this week, I encourage you to reflect on this Annunciation and Magnificat in a contemplative prayer and hear these words as if they were spoken directly to you.  While you are taking care of Christmas plans and errands, hear once again the message from Gabriel.  Hear the words of salvation and hope.  God is waiting for the Holy Child to be born in us, and Christ cannot be born in us unless we are prepared, like Mary, to give ourselves, our bodies and souls, to God.

The moment we say “yes” to God, we become bearers of God.  From the second we lower our defenses –  “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” – the Holy Spirit enters us, fills us, takes us over, changes everything about us, and, through us, the world in which we live.

Listen!  The angel speaks again.  “Hail favored one, the Lord is with you.”

It is not just for Mary; for we too are called to be God-bearers.  In this season of Advent, as we prepare for Christmas, I encourage you to ponder on the question: “Are you bearing God in your womb (in your life) today?”  And all the people of God say….Amen!

Now, please turn to your neighbors and find one partner.  Does everyone have a partner?  Ok, now, if you don’t know the person’s name, ask about it.  Do you know your partner’s name.  Ok, then, say your partner’s Name aloud!  Now, please, repeat after me.  “You are a God-bearer… pregnant with the Holy Spirit.  May you have the stretch-marks to prove it!  Amen.”