Advent

An Advent reading from Isaac Villigas

As a church we are waiting for something that we don’t know how to receive, a guest for whom we know not how to prepare, a savior who arrives... in the most unexpected place: the womb of a young, poor, unprepared, and terrified girl. Mary doesn’t believe the news at first. “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” she asks (v. 35).

Furthermore, the Messiah isn’t supposed to come from her belly. Not her. She comes from the wrong side of town—that slum called Nazareth—and everyone knows that nothing good comes from Nazareth....Mary exemplifies insignificance and weakness. She is a replaceable part in the machine, from a village of disposable people.

But that’s exactly the sort of place where God shows up. That’s where the Messiah comes from, where salvation is born, where good news begins.

* * *

As hard as we may try, we don’t know how to prepare for God to show up. God happens in ways that we least expect and at times when we feel most unprepared.

That’s the way God works: Jesus comes anyway, despite our bumbling about or lack of preparations. Jesus comes anyway—and that’s called grace. Jesus comes even if we don’t think we are ready. Jesus comes anyway, even if we don’t think it makes any sense, even if we doubt. Jesus comes anyway, even if we are terrified, even if we can’t muster up the courage to believe.

After all, Mary doesn’t believe at first. She doubts that Gabriel’s news can really come true in her life. She isn’t ready. She has not met the prerequisites for this news to become reality. But the messenger from God doesn’t ask for Mary’s permission—which, I think, is one of the more scandalous details of this story. The angel doesn’t ask, “Will you do this, Mary?” No, Gabriel simply announces this wonderful and terrifying news: this will happen.

And what is Mary’s response? She says something incredible. She’s terrified, completely surprised, and she says: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word” (v. 37). Mary surrenders control; she welcomes the mysterious workings of God. She embraces God’s plan for the world, even though she doesn’t know how it will turn out. It’s a risk. And she says yes to God.