God Waits In Great Suspense Luke 1:26-38, Advent 4A December 22, 2002 The Rev. Elizabeth H. Wheatley, Chaplain Church of the Resurrection, Starkville, Mississippi   Blessed Be the Name of God. Today, this fourth Sunday in Advent, is a day of great suspense. The world is waiting. We are sitting in waiting. Waiting for the lighting of the Christ candle to alert us that Christ has come into the world, once again. "All history, the salvation of the world, … seems to hang on this one young woman's answer." "…Gabriel and God and all the heavens stand in breathless suspense."1 Today is a day of great suspense. As we draw closer to the expected day of Christmas, the birth of Jesus the Christ child, the source of liberation and salvation - wholeness - for all, the suspense builds. Or does it? Are you waiting? Are we in suspense? Imagine … What if Christmas does not happen this year? What if the white candle remains unlit? What if the gifts remain hidden? What if all of our frantic preparation - the making of lists, the purchasing and posting of gifts, the wrapping and bows and Christmas tree lights and decorations, our anticipations and anxieties of family and festivity - what if all of this has been in vane? What if the story stops right here, right where we are today? What if we are left where Mary is at the close of today's Gospel - after perplexity, after questioning, after responding affirmatively "Here am I…", but still wondering … awaiting the outcome… … Wondering whether Mary's fiancé Joseph will receive the news well or if he will reject Mary for her apparent infidelity… … Wondering if Mary will be stoned to death for being an adulterous woman, as might have happened in her day, or if she will be thrown into the outer darkness, outcast, by the community for being an unwed mother… … Wondering if she will have enough food and shelter to see her through a healthy pregnancy… … Wondering if the birthing process will be successful for mother and child… … Wondering if the child will be born into a world that will receive him, a world that will raise him up into maturity, into the full potential of who he can be? What if we remain with Mary wondering. You know, anything could happen in nine months. Anything is possible. What if we are left hanging… wondering… in suspense? I wonder if we have so domesticated this suspenseful story that we no longer ask those questions, that we no longer experience awe and wonder and suspense. I wonder if we have so many previews, as with today's extended movie previews, that we already know the outcome and no longer sit on the edge of our seat with eyes wide open, hearts pounding and bated breath. I wonder if we have worked so hard at getting things prepared, scheduled and orderly… if we have so orchestrated our lives to make things just right that we have no time for suspense. I wonder if we see nothing spectacular about a God who will put the salvation of the world in the hands of a teenage girl… a teenage girl! And not just any teenage girl, a poor girl, a girl who up until today had no name and no historical or religious status, a girl who lives nowhere special and has no remarkable history herself, a teenage girl who is swayed by the flattery of a smooth talking angel and despite the risks involved -- the risk of status, the risk of her marriage, the risk of her future, the risk of her very breath of life --- is willing to throw caution to the wind to say, "Yes" to this seemingly impossible divine calling and this far-fetched vision of salvation for all - liberation, justice, mercy and gracious love for all people. I wonder if we all take it all for granted. Today, this fourth Sunday in Advent, is a day of great suspense. The Gospel invites to sit on the edges of our seats with Mary. Today, when the angel Gabriel comes down into our midst and says, "Greetings, favored one. The Lord is with you." Do we experience with Mary the perplexity and wonder. Do we protest from within? Why is this angel here? What have I done to be called "favored" "blessed"? Is the Lord really here with me? And when the angel tells us we are pregnant, we are filled with the potential for life, the potential for love, and then proceeds to make God's argument with all of the grandiose plans for the future of this child, this life within me, do we say with Mary, in awe and wonder, "How can this be? I am a virgin" and think to ourselves, "I am too young and unprepared. I am a virgin. I know nothing of life and love. How can I be a mother? How I can bring a child into the world?" Or perhaps we answer with Mary's relative Elizabeth, "How can this be?" and think "I am too old to have children. I am too old to learn new things or to bud new life. I am not ready. I had not planned on this. I have already lived my life." Whether young or not so young, do we feel free to ask of God, "How can this be?" And then, when the angel assures us with the unexpected and marvelous things God has done in the lives of those we know and love and tells us "Nothing will be impossible with God", do we believe in the infinite possibilities that are made possible through the divine yearnings? And when Mary responds, "Here am I." What is our response? Are we willing to take the risk? Are we willing to be in awe and to live in suspense? Today IS a day of great suspense. We live in an age of great suspense. The world is waiting. God is waiting. Imagine that. Imagine that… As God waited for the young woman, Mary, to answer, God is waiting for you to answer. Will you allow yourself to be swept up and filled with suspense? Will you allow yourself to be pushed forward and motivated by the suspense? God is waiting, sitting on the edge of the seat with bated breath --- in great suspense! Blessed be the Name of God. Amen. -------------------------------------- 1This phrase and the idea of God in suspense was inspired by John Stendahl's essay "Mary Says Yes."