What kind of greeting?
by Marlene Cooper
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‘But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid Mary; you have found favour with God”’ (Luke 1:30).
Sending Christmas cards is one of my Advent traditions. Every year I ask myself, what shall I write? What kind of greeting will be just right for my family and friends this year?
Today’s gospel tells us about a special greeting God sent with an angel to a young woman: ‘Greetings, dear Mary! You are highly favoured! The Lord is with you!’
Not surprisingly, she was greatly astonished, troubled and afraid. ‘What kind of greeting might this be?’ she wondered.
The angel continued: ‘Don’t be afraid, Mary, God has a message for you: you are to give birth to a son who is to be called Jesus, Saviour, Son of the Most High, the Son of God. In fact, he will be a great king, reigning in a kingdom that has no end!’
How can this be? Imagine the turmoil in Mary’s heart, and the effect of the angel’s words on this young virgin engaged to be married and with all her life before her.
‘No word from God will ever fail,’ the angel assured her. Scarcely knowing where all this will lead, Mary responded in lowly wonder, ‘Yes, let it be. I am the Lord’s servant. Let all this be fulfilled’.
We live more than two millennia since this first ‘Christmas greeting’ was delivered to the young mother-to-be of Jesus. As we hear it again, we too might wonder what kind of greeting this might be. In these Advent days, we are assured that it has become a greeting for the world – a greeting and a message that connects the world to God. It is good news! Again, this year, God wants the world to know that the Lord is with us and God’s favour rests upon us because what the Saviour promised long ago to Mary has come for us all.
What a greeting to share with friends and neighbours this Advent – a greeting and a message to warm hearts and lighten lives as we look forward to celebrating Christmas once again.
Loving Father, thank you that Jesus has brought your favour to a broken and needy world; give us the words to greet others with the favour you have shown to us. Amen.
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