Do Not Be Afraid
Listen: Mary Did You Know
Reflect
This popular Christmas song addressed to Mary asks what she knew when she consented to Gabriel's request: "Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water? Mary, did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?" Now this is a beautiful song, but I used to hate it. We have no way of knowing what Mary knew, but to me, the song makes Mary seem unintelligent. She knew enough to be afraid yet committed anyway.
In my eyes, Mary is the perfect example of what it means to be a follower of God. She could say yes because she knew God was with her even in the most scary of times. Can you think of people in your life that have that unwavering conviction?
It was around Christmas and I was working as a hospice chaplain. I had a list of patients I was in the middle of seeing when I got a call from a distressed caretaker asking to come right away. This was a patient I had visited several times, and I knew that both he and his sister (his caretaker) were devout Christians. As I walked up the steps to the house, I could hear him repeatedly calling out, "Someone kill me now." I could see why his sister had called. As I entered his room I searched his face which seemed calm and at ease. Then he called out again "Someone kill me now." I asked him if he was in any pain. "Tired," he replied. "Ready," and then quieter "Someone kill me now." I grabbed his hand and said a quick prayer over him, letting him close his eyes and rest. As I left the room his sister apologized with tears in her eyes. I hugged her and promised that she was doing an amazing job, but now the hardest part would come- letting go. But luckily, we have a God who is with us in our fears, frustrations, sorrows and joys. I prayed that the God who strengthened Mary to say "yes" to the unknown would be there with her in the wake of the unknown of her brother's death.
Mary said yes to the scary unknown because she knew God was with her. We too, can say yes knowing we have a God who never abandons us.
Read:
Pray:
Patient God,
You know just how often we make decisions from a place of fear rather than love. You know just how often we allow fear to take the place of logic, fanning unhealthy fires in our lives. You know just how often we tuck your words, “Do not be afraid” on dusty shelves and in the back of closets, stubbornly holding onto our own point of view. Forgive us for giving fear the microphone. Silence the voices of scarcity, shame, and rejection, which spark and feed so much of our fear, to recenter us in love.
With hope we pray, amen.
Image Credit: "Mary's Golden Annunciation" by Carmelle Beaugelin (@BeauFolioStudio) | @sanctifiedart