Preparing for the New Life
Rev. Erik Swanson
December 22, 2024
The story of the powerful encounter between Mary and Elizabeth is often told around Christmas. It reflects on the powerful encounter between two pregnant women carrying lives destined to transform the world. Elizabeth, bearing John the Baptist, embodies a new way of being and calls others to change. Mary, carrying Jesus, brings God’s grace, compassion, and justice into the world as Emmanuel, "God with us." At this point in the story, their futures are still mysterious and uncertain, mirroring our own journeys of faith and life. Though we know much, the unknown often leaves us pondering what new life or purpose might be emerging in our lives and communities.
Unexpected Life in Barren Places
Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah’s story is just as remarkable as Mary’s. Elizabeth, once barren and advanced in age, miraculously conceives John after an angelic visitation. This reflects God’s power to bring unexpected life into barren places. Luke 1 offers a dynamic narrative where both Mary and Elizabeth respond to divine revelations, highlighting God’s ability to create wonder and transformation even in challenging circumstances. This theme underscores the Advent season: preparing to receive and nurture the new life God births within us.
Spiritual Renewal Within Us
The pregnancies of Mary and Elizabeth serve as metaphors for spiritual renewal. This isn’t limited to physical birth but symbolizes the unseen, growing life of the Spirit within us. Advent invites us to reflect on what we are "pregnant" with—new insights, revelations, or purposes yet to be fully realized. These moments of new life, though still unclear, are opportunities for growth and transformation.
The narrative draws a contrast between Mary and Elizabeth. Mary, alight with the clarity of her purpose, inspires Elizabeth, awakening the new life within her. Similarly, we might find ourselves in one of these roles. If we’re like Mary, we’re called to inspire and ignite others. If we’re like Elizabeth, we may need the spark of someone else’s clarity to awaken the divine work within us. Both roles are vital, each carrying its unique blessings and challenges.
Going Beyond Individuals to Communities
This reflection extends beyond individuals to communities and even national contexts. As anxiety grows over uncertainties, particularly in political landscapes, the story reminds us of God’s ability to bring new life and wisdom into unexpected places. The Spirit is always at work, birthing new possibilities in individuals and nations. Trusting this process can help us remain open to divine guidance.
Honor the Spirit and Prepare for New Life
As Christmas approaches, the focus shifts to Emmanuel—God’s presence among us—and what it signifies for our lives today. The call is to honor the "pregnancy" of the Spirit within us, to prepare for the new life God seeks to birth. In doing so, we can celebrate not just the birth of Christ but also the continuous work of renewal and transformation that unfolds in our lives and communities. May we embrace this divine calling with hope and readiness, trusting in the new things God is bringing forth.
Amen.