Advent mini – series

During this advent season I have offered  a mini series of homilies entitled “Gifts for God” using the gifts the magi brought to Jesus. Gold, Frankincense and myrrh. Today, on the 4th Sunday of Advent, we will be pondering on the mystery of Mother Mary, because she gave her very self. Her whole being,  Body and soul to God. That was her gift. Simply herself.

Now try as I might I have never quite been able to get my head around that incredible encounter we read about in Luke's gospel. Mary is just sitting there innocently enough, doing her crochet and the angel Gabrielle comes into the lounge room and asks this scandalously, outrageously, over priced thing of her. Now the emotional, psychological and physical cost  to any mum is high enough,  but an unmarried mum in Mary’s day carries with it an extra burden. And then there is the mystery of the divine which is both the wrapping paper and the gift of Mary. This will imbue her for the  rest of her life and beyond. And there is a wicked little part of me which wonders why on earth did she say “Yes”. She could have said  “Yeah,… nah. I don’t think so. Bad deal. Why don’t you  try cousin Martha? Or maybe Matilda who lives two doors down. She’s into that sort of thing.” Her life would have been a whole lot easier and less complicated.

But.. she says none of that. She says a simple ‘Yes Be it done to me according to YOUR will.’ And from that moment on things can never, and will never, be the same again.

At a very significant level  Mother Mary hands her very self over as the ultimate gift to God. Everything is up for grabs. Her body, her fears, her emotions, her womb, her tears, her laughter and delight. She offers the days where she is muttered and gossiped about behind her back. She offers her sleepless nights as she grows more and more uncomfortable and maybe even some morning sickness for good measure. There is no going back. She cannot undo her promise and the conception. It’s not like the bottle of aftershave that you can re gift to Uncle Freddy for his birthday.  Our Lady’s gift is .. well it's all of herself. Nothing more, nothing less. And here’s another thing that always astounds me. It’s not just Mother Mary handing herself for that single Archangel Gabrielle second or even offering herself for 24 hours. Our Lady also hands over all of her tomorrows. Ask anyone who has ever had a pet or a child. It’s not just about that moment when you receive them into your home; that very first and special day. You receive them and give yourself to them the next day and the next day and all the other days into the future. It’s one of the many great things that pets and children teach us. They change us not just for a single moment in time. They change us forever as will Mother Mary, as does the Christ child.

So we have reflected this advent on the gifts that the Magi brought. Gold, frankincense and myrrh. And that is right and proper and those gifts have much to teach us and we should emulate their generosity. But here with Mother Mary gift giving is taken to a whole new dimension.  For you see it’s not just about Mother Mary giving herself to God although that is mind popping in itself. It is what she gives to us. She gives us Jesus. Our brother, our friend, our saviour, our companion. This is Our Lady’s gift to us and indeed to a waiting world that longs to see his face in our face. To see his actions in our actions, to see his love in our love. Now it is our turn to look in the mirror and ask ourselves the hard questions. What do we give to God? Do we dare turn ourselves over and ask Him to do what he wants of us? How can we too become a servant of the Lord? Enkindled by love and dedicated in selfless service. And what do we give to the world? Gold, frankincense, myrrh, …ourselves? Do we dare?

Heavenly Father, the Magi came on bended knee to adore your Son and offer their gifts.
Implant deep within us that same sense of mystery and awe for all your generous gifts to us.
So fill our hearts with your love that we may come one day and see what they saw,
Mother Mary and the face of your beloved son, even Jesus Christ our Lord Amen.