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WHERE ARE WE WAITING?
Advent 3 - 12th December
The desert will rejoice,
and flowers will bloom in the wilderness.
The desert will sing and shout for joy!
Tell everyone who is discouraged,
"Be strong and don't de afraid -
GOD is coming to your rescue!
The blind will be able to see,
and the deaf will hear:
The lame will leap and dance! [Isaiah 35:1, 4-5 GNB]GOD drags the rulers from their thrones
and puts humble people in places of power.
GOD gives the hungry, good things to eat
and sends the rich away with nothing!
[Luke 1: 47,52-53 CEV]
The times, they are a'changing - from bad to better!
The next waiting stop on our journey to Christmas, is Mary. For the moment, try to forget - The Blessed Virgin, The Ever Virgin, The Holy Mother of GOD of dogma and doctrine - see a young woman having her first child with all the hopes and fears that come with birth and beyond.
Put Mary in the context of power [Advent 1] and of prophecy [Advent 2] but imagine a new context also, the context of the person, the human person, body and soul, as the waiting place for GOD's coming.
Let's explore the meaning of this.
Pregnancy is a very real time of waiting - even for a father! It's one of the commonest experiences of life - and perhaps the most exciting and mysterious.
Pregnancy is a parable!
EXERCISE 1:
What has your experience of childbirth - as a mother, a father or as a close relative or friend - taught you?
What thoughts and dreams, with hopes and dangers, have stirred in you?
Mary represents not only patient waiting and hope in a violent world [remember the slaughter of the Innocents in Matt.2:16-18 just like today’s world!].
Mary represents a new power and prophecy to remake the world.
This new power is "born of woman" - not in the "motherhood and apple-pie" cliché but in an essential and formative way. It signals a change from male-power, with its supremacy of weapons and wealth, to a female-power with partnership and plenty for all - a new World Order!
Speaking in generalities, the world order we have known for the past 4000 years, has been "male", male-dominated, - and still is to a large extent. The marks of this order are conquest and control, the haves and the have-nots [and according to George W Bush, the have-mores], leading to repression through violence.
[a caution - some women-in-power are more "male" than many men!]
The change is slowly evolving towards a "female" world order of "anima", life and soul, [not to be confused with Matriarchy!]. This order will be more and more holistic, wholesome and holy, bringing differences into relationship. More "both/and" and less "either/or".
EXERCISE 2:
What sort of differences could this paradigm change make to the worlds you live in - your home, work, church, country, the globe?
This change is the real gift of Mary, all wrapped up in the swaddling clothes of the new human being, Jesus. Perhaps Joseph takes a backseat in the story
to help get rid of the male-dominating figure - but note that in next week's Gospel [Matt.1:18-20], Joseph plays a very positive role.
Remember, it's not about 'either/or', one against the other, but about 'both/and', animus and anima, male and female. This is the way GOD made us [Gen.2:27]
EXERCISE 3:
How does this understanding of Mary, change your way of believing and help your preparation for Christmas - and singing all those carols?!
SONG FOR THE WEEK: [Carol Our Christmas #3 © Shirley Murray]
All over creation
joy spills into light,
stars, candles ablaze this Christmas night;
where Jesus is sleeping,
peace kisses the earth,
O that we could know who Mary has brought to birth!This child will bring freedom,
this child will release
wellsprings of compassion, ways to peace,
this child will bring healing,
this child will inspire
love answering love, and spirit to Spirit's fire.
EXERCISE 4 :
Each pick a line or two, and say how the image speaks to you.
Sing this carol and teach it to your congregation.
PRAYER FOR THE WEEK:
Creator Spirit
Mother of every creature, every growing thing,
may we feel the pangs of your presencein the birth of every new born child,
in the feeding of all who hunger,
in the healing of every wounded life,and be filled with the longing of your heart
for acceptance, nurturing and hope.
EXERCISE 5 :
say this prayer slowly or make one of your own
YOUR NOTES: