The Fourth Sunday in Advent

Greetings, Favored One
Luke 1:26-38

The Gospel passage we just heard is a very familiar one, usually called The Annunciation. It tells of the angel Gabriel’s annunciation—announcement—to Mary that she will bear a son Jesus who will be God’s own son.

Thinking about this very familiar passage I want to share something old and something new. Something that has been a part of my reflection on this passage for many years and something that is new to me this year.

First the old. In Frederick Buechner’s book, Peculiar Treasures, he provides interpretive descriptions of many of the people of the Bible. Some are illustrated. The entry on Gabriel includes an illustration. It’s a line drawing of a rather dilapidated and worn out angel. We are looking at him from the back and can see that, behind his back, Gabriel has his fingers crossed. In the text, out of his own imagination, Buechner wonders: how many houses has Gabriel visited before he found a young woman who would say yes.

Regardless of whether or not we imagine Gabriel visiting multiple houses, preachers and interpreters of this passage often focus on Mary’s “yes.” And the obedience and humility Mary shows as she assents to God’s plan for her.

But what might this passage have to say to us before we get to Mary’s “yes?”

If we do imagine that Gabriel might have visited a whole string of houses before he God to Mary, did he use the same greeting in each of them? Did he say to each young woman as he came to her, “Greetings favored one?”

The new window into this passage for me this year is that word “favored.” Gabriel uses it twice with respect to Mary, calling her favored, one who has found favor with God.

So I wonder: Was Mary God’s special favorite? Was she favored in some unique way? Or is this just how angels greet humans? Greetings, favored one… Maybe that’s what angels, God’s messengers, always say when they encounter humans. Greetings, favored one.

I did a little research on the Greek word that Luke uses that is translated “favor” or “favored.” It has absolutely no connotations of favorite, of being somehow set apart from others. It’s related to grace. Joy. One who brings delight. So what Gabriel is saying to Mary is, Greetings, “graced” one, one whom God fills with grace. Greetings, one who brings God joy and delight. Greetings, you who bring joy and delight to God.

After Jesus’ birth and after all of the events of his life, death and resurrections, Christians have certainly looked back at Mary as uniquely favored, as special, more blessed than others. Looking back, we have attributed a special and different status to her. And hers was, of course, a unique vocation. We hold her in special esteem.

But before Gabriel came to her, was she more favored by God than others? The Scriptures do not seek to paint her that way. And I think they would have been deeply tempted to do so if there had been even the slightest perception or evidence that she was chosen because she was special. She is not described as unusually pious or prayerful. She has no special status or role. She’s just a young woman from a small town. She could be any young woman.

And the awesome angel Gabriel shows up and says, Greetings, favored one. And she says, who me? Me? Favored?

As Luke tells the story, she is much perplexed and apparently afraid, by the greeting. This is before Gabriel mentions what God has in mind. Mary is perplexed by the greeting. She is confused and frightened by an angel who describes her as favored by God.

We may assume that she does not see herself that way. She sees herself as ordinary and unremarkable.

One writer says that the greatest thing that happens in the course of this remarkable passage is Mary’s journey from being who she sees herself to be to becoming who God sees her to be. The greatest part of this story is Mary’s journey from seeing herself as ordinary and unremarkable in God’s eyes, to seeing herself as what she has always been—favored by God.

Do you see yourself as one favored by God? Do you know and feel like you bring joy and delight to God? If the angel called you favored one, would you believe him? Or would you look over your shoulder to see to whom he was really talking?

Jesus was born because God favors us! Each of us. Pure and simple. Christmas happened because God favors us. Each of us favored by God.

It took Mary a little bit of time and reflection to absorb and accept what Gabriel said. And it may take us a little time and cogitation, prayer and wonder. But the same journey is ours to make. From who we see ourselves to be to who God sees us to be.

You are favored by God. The words are spoken by Gabriel to you today. Greetings, favored one. In the midst of whatever may be going on in your life right now. Greetings to you, favored one.

Mary wasn’t expecting a visit from Gabriel that night. She hadn’t made any special preparations. Actually, we have no evidence that it was night. Maybe it was day. Maybe she was cleaning, or harried with duties. Maybe she was in a foul mood. And the angel Gabriel came to her and said: Greetings, Mary. You are favored by God. You bring joy and delight to God. God pours his grace upon you.
Today, the angel says that to you. That is how God sees you. You are favored by God. You bring joy and delight to God.

There’s a prayer in our compline service that I’ve always found a bit quaint. We pray: Almighty God, keep me as the apple of your eye. It actually comes from the psalms. And we are, each of us, the apple of God’s eye.

Jesus was born because God favors us.

Can you make Mary’s journey? From however you may see yourself to how God sees you as favored and full of grace? It’s a journey we should all do our best to make. It is actually a form of the sin of pride to see ourselves as less than God sees us, to presume to discredit God’s care and favor. And Mary’s journey is part of the Advent journey towards Christmas. It is part of preparing for Jesus’ birth, of being able to welcome him into our lives.

Maybe it lurks in some intellectual corner of your lives… Yes, I know God cares for me, but… There are no buts. Bring that awareness up and out into fullness, into the open in your life. You bring joy and delight to God. Greetings, favored one, and one, and one, and one, and one…. Greetings, favored ones.