God's Dream: A Sermon for Advent IV

One of the things,  I've noticed after  having witnessed my wife being pregnant twice- is that pregnant woman seem to share a common bond.  Many times through the course of Chrishelle’s two pregnancies-  I found myself with Chrishelle at a grocery store or at a party and all of a sudden she’s talking to some random  pregnant woman.

I am sure some of it has to do with the fact that they   were sharing the common experience of being pregnant and all the physicality  of what that entails--- struggling with puffy, swollen ankles  or sore backs -- not being able to make through the morning without having to rush to the bathroom to heave up their insides, having w weird and funny things that they've craved-- things we would never in our right minds pair-- like pickle--peanut butter sandwiches. 

But  perhaps  they were  bonding  around something deeper, something beyond their physical experiences of pregnancy--- something unspoken or unsaid ---perhaps the bond had something to do with the promise that  this new life growing inside them represented.   Perhaps it had something to do with the dreams that they have for the little life that is about to make its entry into the world. 

I don’t know what Mary and Elizabeth were planning for their visit together, but as soon as sound of Mary’s voice penetrates Elizabeth’s womb-, John begins to pound on the side of Elizabeth’s uterus- hey this is the guy.  As soon Mary appears at Elizabeth’s doorstep- the Holy Spirit whispers in Elizabeth’s ears- this is the one who’s carrying the guy we've all  been waiting for. 

 Mary then responds to Elizabeth greetings  not with stories about running to 7-11 at four am for pickles and peanut butter,  not  about how  terribly sick she’s been,  but  she breaks into this breathtaking, song of praise about hope- about  possibility—about what God is up to.

The world has come to know  these words, Mary’s response as the Magnificat--- it is as if the heavens have been pealed back and Mary has an opportunity to glimpse the Kingdom  that  this baby, Jesus will usher in – the kingdom that is coming— it is as if Mary has been given the opportunity to glimpse the dream that God has---“My Soul magnifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on  lowliness of his servant…  he has shone the strength of his arm- he has scattered the proud, he has lifted up the lowly, he has filled the hungry and sent the rich away empty, he has helped his servant Israel.”

Mary has been given the gift of God’s dream- And now today on this fourth Sunday of Advent the torch passes to us, the dream has been passed to us-  Mary’s Magnificat becomes our Magnificat-- This is no longer just God’s dream or Mary’s dream, but this becomes our dream, our hopes for the baby that will be born in just two short days. 

There is so much in the world about us that reminds us- that this dream if a far from reality--- the lowly still need to be lifted up, the hungry still need to be filled—the proud have not yet been scattered.

Events like what happened a week ago Friday at  Sandy Hook elementary - or the genocide that continues in  places like Syria or the Sudan  remind us that the dream of God has not yet been realized. 

There are things right here in our own neighborhoods -- lives are shattered  by domestic violence--  people who still need places like the Family Justice Center less than a half mile from this location-  that remind us that God’s dream has yet to be fulfilled ---our own lives remind us ----there are  hungers that still need to be filled-  probably not physical hungers, but spiritual hungers that drive us to gossip about a neighbor,  to lie, to  addiction, to overworking-  these things, these events  may they remind us that the dream that God has not yet been fulfilled. 

Today may we look to the dream of God in hope for a better day-- may recognize that we have a role in  the fulfillment of God’s dream—may  we work toward that dream right here and now- may  we today  recognize and repent of the ways we are complicit in tearing down, in trying to destroy  the dream of God .

The embodiment God’s dream will come again in just two short days- may we live that dream, may we rejoice in that dream and may Mary’s song be our song---- My soul magnifies the Lord – my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

AMEN.