Something strange happened to Mary.

We all hear the story about Jesus’ birth each year, and we celebrate the coming birth of the Christ child, the Son of God, Emmanuel. We sing songs of hope, love, and joy. We think good thoughts and get ready to celebrate with family and friends, with candlelight and cookies.

We feel warm and good inside, extra magnanimous, extra kind. At least some of us do.

But long, long ago, before the celebration, God put Mary into an uncompromising position.

This happens to us too –often before we discover something new about ourselves, make significant changes in our lives, or change our perspective about the circumstances we find ourselves in.

Although it might seem wonderful to simply slip easily into monumental life transitions or to round the turning points in our lives with ease like professional race car drivers, it really doesn’t happen that way, does it?

Most of the time, something uncompromisingly uncomfortable shoves its way under our skin, and we are forced kicking and screaming into our new reality. 

A divorce causes a woman to get back into the career she left behind, allowing her to grow and flourish.

A new diagnosis causes a man to re-evaluate his relationships and the way he had been living his life.

The loss of a job allows for a new door to open with even better options for the future.

COVID-19 forces many churches reluctantly to embrace online worship, discovering new congregations and ways of connecting with people.

Something strange, and disturbing, monumental, and overwhelming happened one day to Mary.

And she found herself pregnant, an unwed mother, in the midst of an unforgiving society, ready to stone her if they ever found out.

Something terrifying happened to Mary that made the pit of her stomach feel like it just dropped out.

How could she tell her betrothed, the man who was contracted to marry her, that she was already pregnant. How could he ever believe she had done nothing wrong!

Something deeply troubling and confusing happened to Mary. And she had no idea what to do about it.

We often think of Mary’s initial humbling response to God when we hear of Mary’s condition, her predicament. But what happens next is important in understanding her transition from terror to wonder, from devastation to joy and hope for the future of Israel!

She went to visit someone she could trust. She sought solace in Cousin Elizabeth. 

Elizabeth had just experienced her own over-the-top miracle. An older woman, past her prime, and barren her entire life, had just become pregnant. She would be carrying the prophet, John the Baptist. Descended from priestly families, Elizabeth and Zechariah were faithful people of God, deeply humble, and in a state of deep gratitude for their own role in God’s unfolding plan, when Mary knocked on her cousin’s door.

Not knowing what to do, Mary came for help, to the one she knew she could trust not to betray her confidence. She hoped for advice, a way to go forward, a way to stay alive, a way to avoid scandal.

Elizabeth gave her so much more than this! Elizabeth confirmed her message from the Holy Spirit of God. Elizabeth recognized her role in God’s magnificent plan of fulfillment for all of humanity.

Elizabeth helped Mary see not only how to handle her “situation,” but she helped her see and honor her appointment by God, her predicament as a divine gift, her potentially horrific situation as a blessing and an honor.

And what does Mary do?

She bursts into song of course! We call it the “Magnificat” for it’s an “over-the-top” proclamation in which Mary realizes her role in God’s magnificent act of appearance and God’s fulfillment of an age-old promise!

The words to the Magnificat chill us to the bone, because they are so deeply heartfelt, wrenching, and strong in fervor, spirit, and hope. “My soul magnifies the Lord,” she says. “and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

He has come to the aid of his child Israel.

What Mary realizes most is that this magnificent God, this Creator of all things, this powerful and mighty God of the ancient prophets …..saw and chose “her” to carry out his incarnation!

Mary, young and inexperienced, unknowing of the ways of the world, from a simple town in the middle of nowhere…. She was seen and touched by God as no one had been before!

Mary, although still in her uncompromising position, has just realized the magnitude of what has happened to her. Her entire perspective has changed. For when you realize that a miracle has entered your life, when you realize that God has touched you in an uncompromising way, when you realize that God has appointed you, has completely changed your life and that good things will come your way, you stand amazed.

From that point on, Mary’s circumstances will still need “tweaking.” But she will move forward walking in faith within the “promise of God.” Her hope for the future, hers and her son’s, has been solidified. Her faith has been secured.

Her song will live on in every heart for eternity to come.

This advent, what uncompromising position has God put into your life? What “blessing in disguise” will God gift you with as you move forward toward this celebration and a brand-new year? What wonders lie in store for you? What lessons to be learned? What new doors will open? Where in your life will you discover an “under cover miracle”?

As we near ourselves to the Christmas miracle, these are all questions we must answer, for when our “uncompromising positions” turn into unquestionable miracles, our hearts too will be full and our souls too will magnify the Lord! 

For no matter what we find before us in our lives and in our churches, on Christmas, we will come to realize that God has seen us, that God has touched us, that in all of this vast world, in all the countless heavens, God has cared for and loved us so much, that he sent to us his Son!

The Emmanuel.

God with us.

How do you respond when you realize that God has touched your life?

How do you react when you realize that your uncompromising position was a blessing in disguise?

How do you contain what rises up within you when your heart feels so full and your soul so joyful?

Perhaps you explode with a song!

Perhaps you sing.

[Sing the Magnificat together.]