Message: Christ Is Coming / Luke 1:47-55

Christmas is only a week away, and lots of people enjoy this time. One reason could be the excitement of getting to see loved ones soon. In "The Little Prince," Antoine de Saint-Exupéry talks about the joy of waiting for someone through the voice of the fox: "If you come at four o'clock in the afternoon, then at three o'clock, I shall begin to be happy. I shall feel happier and happier as the hour advances.”

Today's Psalm is about Mary's Magnificat, a song she sang while waiting for her baby to be born. Moms understand the meaning of waiting really well. When they become pregnant, they spend about 40 weeks feeling, taking care of, and waiting for their baby in their belly. During the whole pregnancy, they are patient and dedicated. They make sacrifices like giving up alcohol or caffeine, and visiting the doctor regularly to get checked. They know that giving birth can be very painful, but they go through it, looking forward to the moment when they finally see their baby's face. Thanks to mothers' care and waiting, we all get to be here. Every mom, maybe even some of you, deserves to be honoured for bringing a precious life into the world.

But there are some who want to be moms but can't. According to a report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in April of this year, about one in six people have experienced infertility globally. Specifically, 17.5% of people around the world have faced this issue in their lives, and it's similar in countries with different income levels. This means some people try much harder than others to become parents. Sometimes it works, but a lot of times, it doesn't. This makes it very hard for them. They might feel guilty, helpless, or hopeless. Some might even blame God. It's especially tough during Christmas season when everyone is happy about baby Jesus.

What’s important here is that Mary’s Magnificat is actually a song for such people who are going through tough times. She joyfully waited for her baby, thinking of him as a saviour who would help the poor, oppressed, vulnerable, lonely, and those who feel empty. In the song, she says, "He (God) has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty." (Luke 1:51-53)

As an indigenous woman in Judea 2000 years ago, Mary faced two types of violence. The first was the colonialism of the Roman Empire, which was like a powerful foreign force controlling her land. About 40 years before Mary was born, Roman soldiers took over Jerusalem. Since then, the Israelites suffered in many ways economically, religiously, and culturally. The Romans even wanted everyone to worship the emperor, whom they called the "Son of God." The emperor made people pay heavy taxes through censuses, and those who resisted this oppression were punished with crucifixion, the most brutal way to be put to death at that time.

Another thing that made life hard for Mary was a strong patriarchy. In this society where men held most of the power, women were treated like the property of men. That's why the "virginity" of women was so important back then. While women were sure about who their child was, there was a chance a man could raise a child that wasn't really his. Because men worried about this, women had to stay virgins until they got married. Even though virginity wasn't a big deal for men, it was a life-or-death issue for women. The people who wrote the Bible lived in patriarchal societies, so they also thought this way. For this reason, for a long time, Mary's virginity was emphasized more than her courage within the Church.

In the middle of the dangers and violence from the powerful Romans and the unfair treatment of women, Mary stayed strong. Even though having a baby before marriage could have gotten her in serious trouble, she sang a song of hope. She was sure that God would rescue people who were suffering like her. She believed that the child in her belly was the real Son of God who would challenge the Roman emperor's arrogance. She was convinced that her child was the Messiah who would free women from being treated like they were just tools for men. 

In one of his poems, Korean poet Park No-Hea asks a question: “Where is the centre of the body?” Many might think that it is the heart, brain, or stomach. However, he says it’s the part that hurts. We usually don’t care much about a certain part of our body, but when we start feeling unwell, the sore spot becomes our main focus. He also says that the centre of the family is not the head of the household in the family: it is the person who is sick. The same goes for the world. The centre of the world is not where political, economic, or military power is concentrated. The true centre of the world is where people are oppressed, marginalized, abused, and suffering. 

Mary's Song reveals that God is the One who looks out for the people at the centre of the world. In the Bible, we find these facts: God cares more for the oppressed than for the oppressor. God cares more for the lowly than for the powerful. God cares more for the poor than for the rich. God cares more for the sick than for the healthy.

Because of this, some theologians say that God's love is partial and biased. However, that is not true. Just like we need to pay more attention to a hurting part for the well-being of the entire body and just like we take extra care of a sick family member for the happiness of the whole family, God shows more love to those feeling hopeless and suffering for the sake of joy for everyone in the world.

If you are going through a tough time, remember that you are at the centre of the world. God is taking care of you more than anyone else at the moment. God wants you to be healthy, happy, and free. You are not alone because God is always with you. God will never leave you alone.

Moreover, like Mary, we should share the good news about Christ coming for those who need it most. Let's take a moment to think about: Who is the centre of your family? Who is the centre of our congregation? Who is the centre of South Stormont? Who is the centre of Canada? Who is the centre of the world? Christ is coming for them. The Son of God, our true Savior, is coming as a light to bring warmth and brightness to the dark and cold parts of the world. We are called to be bearers of this good news. Let's spend the rest of Advent joyfully sharing courage and hope with those at the centre of the world.

Thanks be to God. Amen.


Advent 3 / December 17, 2023
Rev. Min Hwang


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