It's been a funny old week! I'm preaching at Benefield this coming Sunday and was given the heads up 'it's on the Annunciation, we're outside, make it short'! I have taken heed...and I began to think about it, well pondering bounded into my mind and it reminded me of the phrase from Scripture
"...But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Luke 2:19
the phrase wouldn't go away so I knew I had to read up a bit more and set my mind and heart into the right place.
Pondering generated a spike in activity; plugged into earbuds I strode into Oundle 'tuned in' to my Lectio 365 and Pray as You Go apps and listened to the set daily readings and 'swotted up' on the Advent Retreat and marvelled all over again at the Nativity journey. I also sewed a couple of fabric Angels, for the simple reason I needed to keep my fingers busy. For me pondering whilst walking and making is good, I tune out of everything else and for a kinaesthetic learner 'stuff' sinks in better that way too! I came back with a list:
Pondering
pondering - Mary pondered all this in her heart
watching and waiting
how the family is interwoven into the narrative of Nativity
how family has become so important this year
not just our family
but church family
I’m thinking of the Jess Tree and the many branches that bring our story together
I think of our Christmas Trees and how they spread out with long limbs that hold our precious memories
I think of the spaces that are present this year, more than we would wish
I think of the new ways we have discovered to bring us together and to reach out in ways we would have never expected before
and I know that Jesus is with us in all of this; he is in our grief, apathy, agitation and perhaps dread as much as he is with us in our joy, excitement, anticipation and longing to be together. The expectation and birth of Jesus, God incarnate and the God that is with us in all our emotions and expectations.
thats the 'bones' of the reflection, but I need to put that into constructed sentences that sound like I haven't just plucked words out of the air!
Wonder. Amazed. Puzzled, Discerned. Pondered. Words all associated with the message that Gabriel delivered to Mary at the annunciation. When Gabriel visits Mary a whole scene is captured coherently and we are 'fly on the wall observers' in the narrative as we are invited to witness the forthcoming drama played out with an Angel direct from God and a young innocent woman. When we hear the familiar words from the gospel of Luke; the wondrous, glorious moment that she was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin conceived we are also caught up in that wonder. It is a moment that evokes the prophets and the coming of the Messiah as God covered mountains in cloud with Moses and then foretells as Jesus is transfigured towards the end of His earthly ministry. All glorious moments shrouded in mystery and moments of puzzlement and just plain wonder. Wonderful! Glorious! God incarnate as a tiny baby, a baby that changed our thinking and is still changing and challenging us now to wonder, puzzle, discern and ponder.
Mary was an uncomplicated, well versed in Scripture and faithful young woman when the Archangel Gabriel visits, Mary questions, however she obeyed and responded:
“…I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Luke 1:38
A discerning young woman, able to consider, puzzle and question. This opens up the dialogue for us to do likewise.
The word pondering is specifically used at the close of the Nativity narrative. In Luke 2: 19 “but Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Alluding to a moment of quiet amid all the hustle and bustle of the stable residency. Throughout the whole narrative from the annunciation through to the moment the shepherds pay observance to Jesus in the manger, Mary considers, but she does not do this all alone. From the very beginning when she acknowledges that she is a ‘handmaiden of the Lord’ and when she hears that Elizabeth her cousin is to bear a child also, Mary opens up her heart to her relative and we are introduced to the family unit.
Christmas this year is going to be heartbreakingly difficult, we can’t do what we have always done and many friends and family members are going to be missing from our celebratory tables. Many more are grieving and many more are sacrificing their family festivities to serve in the NHS, within the emergency and vital services and shops as we continue to strive against this pandemic. Amid all this we as church are in another family unit, we are not alone. Like Mary and Elizabeth, Joseph, Zacharia, Simeon and Anna, the extended family engages in conversation and nurture. We as church are invited also to consider how our faith needs to be nurtured by conversation, prayer and discernment with each other outwardly as well as inwardly, albeit it in a Covid safe manner! Zoom, live streamed services and video calls and email all play their part in keeping the communications open, human contact is vital and a conversation could be a life saver.
As we come into the presence of God we find that Jesus is going to be waiting for us. Mary through pondering has shown us the inward discernment side of reflecting on Scripture and relationship with God but we need our families however we determine family; to grown and be nurtured. The year draws to a close and we reach the darkest point of the year light seems so far away. But Jesus like the winter sun breaks through the clouds and we are bathed in his Light; His impending birth brings a warmth and brightness into our gloom and in that glorious moment we are warmed and drawn towards the stable as we share love and as we ourselves are shown love, after all love came down at Christmas...
https://youtu.be/4I6x8lccIz8 Love Came Down at Christmas, Rutter
https://youtu.be/b9hNR_gaSmg The Angel Gabriel, Peterborough Cathedral Choir, 1997 (had to sneak this in) you can just see Mike's eyebrows, he was a probationer and had to stand on a box as he couldn't quite see over the choir stalls. At about 59 seconds he is a red blur in this recording, precious moments eh?
Peace be with you friends <><
Caroline :)
See you virtually at Celtic Morning Prayers tomorrow at 9am. I hopefully will post early next week as Christmas Day falls next Friday, virtually I shall be there of course, but if this is your last week before tuning in take care, have a peaceful and joyous Christmas in the best way you can!
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