Advent 4 Ana-Mary-Gram

Though they say that a picture is worth a thousand words, I would contend that poetry can often get into places in our hearts and souls where other words cannot reach…That poets and prophets alike have the gift of standing at a distance and seeing things in a new way – and as I pondered this morning’s readings I realised that beloved George Herbert had done it again. In common with most writers of his day, he loved a bit of word-play and among all the treasures of his “Temple” collection is a two-line anagrammatic poem which sums up pretty much all that today’s readings represent. He is playing with the name of Mary – an anagram of army as he writes -

HOw well her name an Army doth present,

In whom the Lord of hosts did pitch his tent!

And there we have it.

After so many dreams and longings to secure God’s presence by building God a house…after David’s aspirations and Solomon’s international construction project (which always puts me in mind of the way that treasures were gathered from all over the world as this Cathedral rose from the rubble)….after Israel’s years of exile and return…after the Roman occupation…after all this our God on the move finally settles, for a while at least.

The one who walked with Adam in the cool of the evening, who spoke to Moses through the Burning Bush and talked to him face to face as a man speaks to his friend, the God whose still small voice was heard by Elijah…the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob comes among God’s people once again and pitches his tent …

As one translation of that well-loved phrase in John’s prologue runs, the Word became flesh and pitched his tent among us…moved into the neighbourhood…dwelt among us

Heaven taking root on earth –

“For in that rose contained was heaven and earth in little space”

In Mary.

A teenager in a small town in an obscure corner of the Roman Empire.

One among many, you’d imagine. Nothing to mark her out in the crowd. What was so special about her?

I suspect that for David, right the way through, there was a hope that to build a Temple might be his great legacy project. You see, though he knew God well, David was so often the centre of his own universe...so much of his life was All About Him. Hard for him to let go of the idea that it would be DAVID’S Temple that would stand for centuries...though there is the promise for him, too

“I will make for you a great name...Your throne shall be established forever”.

That’s not bad, really, for a shepherd boy turned king, with some very dubious moments along the way. David matters. His story counts...the David chapter remains important in the grand sweep of God’s story of love for God’s people.

But with Mary, things are quite different.

She may seem to be just an ordinary girl and yet – and yet, even before God bursts into her life turning everything upside down, she’s already described as “favoured one” – “full of grace” in some translations…

David was a man after God’s own heart, but here is someone so open to God that grace already fills her heart and soul.

God knows he will feel at home with Mary…IN her…

God comes close to her “The Lord is with you” – and because God comes close to Mary, Mary comes close to God…so close that, incredibly, she becomes the God-bearer herself.

Here is God’s stopping place – the site where God is pitching his tent for now. Forget the splendours of the Temple, - all that God is, the whole fullness of divinity, will be contained within her womb.

As the carol puts it “res Miranda” – a wonderful thing indeed...Mary, blessed among women indeed –though it is a costly blessing…

Small wonder that the angelic messenger opens the next part of the conversation with that familiar angelic greeting

“Do not be afraid…”.

If ever those words were appropriate, this is the time. And though what he says is terrifying enough, what actually happens is far more so. Though Mary responds with obedience, it doesn’t honestly feel as if she has much choice

“The power of the Most High will overshadow you…” – and at that point, really, resistance is futile…

From then on Mary’s life is transformed forever – and so is the life of the world.

Yes, David gets his mention. We know that it matters that Joseph is “of his house”, - that, very soon now, Mary’s child will be born in Bethlehem, Royal David’s city…

“He will be great...and the Lord will give him the throne of his ancestor David. He reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom there shall be no end”

The parallels are unmistakable. Luke’s hearers are meant to recognise that here an ancient promise is being fulfilled. Mary may not know where the road ahead is leading but here and now God has come home, pitching his tent …

While George Herbert enjoys the word play that turns Mary to Army, the God whom she sings of in her Magnificat turns things the other way up. David’s calling was to be mighty in battle, to defeat the enemies of God’s people and assert the power of his name over all earthly rulers…

Mary’s calling, higher by far, was and is to provide hospitality for the One whose power is made perfect in weakness, who puts down the mighty from their seat, and exalts the humble and meek.

As Gabriel speaks to her, this new world order is already coming in to being.

And – we are part of it.

The promise of mercy...made to Abraham and his children is made to us too…

but we have to make room, as Mary did.

We HAVE to offer God hospitality, knowing that to do so as fully, whole-heartedly, as she did will probably turn our worlds upside down too.

Tonight, many of us will find ourself singing the familiar words

“Be born in us today”.

While Mary was God-bearer when Christ came into the world, we are all called to be God-bearers here and now. The world needs God so much – and with God, nothing is impossible.