Song of Hope And Love

REFLECTIONS
December 21, 2008

“There must be always remaining in every person’s life some place for the singing of angels–some place for that which in itself is breathlessly beautiful and by an inherent prerogative throwing all the rest of life into a new and created relatedness. Something that gathers up in itself all the freshets of experience from drab and commonplace areas of living and glows in one bright white light of penetrating beauty and meaning–then passes. The commonplace is shot through now with new glory–old burdens become lighter, deep and ancient wounds lose much of their old, old hurting. A crown is placed over our heads that for the rest of our lives we are trying to grow tall enough to wear. Despite all of the crassness of life, despite all of the hardness of life, despite all of the harsh discords of life, life is saved by the singing of angels.” (From The Mood of Christmas by Dr. Howard Thurman).

In Luke 1:39-45 and then 46-55 we find two stories which amplify Dr. Thurman’s text. The first finds Mary going to visit her cousin Elizabeth in the hill country of Judea. Mary calls a greeting as she enters and Elizabeth responds; “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb... for as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.” vv 43-44. In vv 46-55 we find the “Magnificat” where Mary praises God for the blessings bestowed upon her. The readings are familiar. Mary carries Jesus within her and Elizabeth, John the Baptist. The stories of Jesus and John were great, but not all that happened to them was. Their abuse and suffering surely scarred the hearts of Mary and Elizabeth. Yet the words of these mothers of our faith are those of praise to a God who gives hope and strength to all who seek.

At Christmas we are reminded that the grace and hope of God comes in the fragile package of the babe in a manger, but has great and enduring strength if we remember that hope is stronger than fear and love is more lasting than any care or curse we encounter. The key would be found in expressing this understanding. Perhaps what Mary and Elizabeth are telling us is that if we don’t see or hear the angels singing, we are called to join the song and thus become the angels.

Dr. Joey K. McDonald
First United Methodist Church
4832 Tujunga Avenue, North Hollywood, CA 91601