Text: Luke 1:26-38

In this morning’s gospel, we have what should seem absolutely crazy.  It doesn’t for two reasons: 1) its very familiar and 2) the virgin birth has been an ideological litmus test for fundamentalists as something to intellectually believe with deep-rooted conviction.  Rather than treating this like we do the rest of the miraculous.  But, we lose sight of how absolutely bat-s#!$ crazy this is:

1. An angel appears to a 14 year-old girl
2. He tells her she’s pregnant with G-d’s baby and
3. It’s because G-d thinks she’s awesome.
4. So she says “Sure!  Why not?”

Why not?  Um…seriously?  Because Joseph might be pissed?  Because this might even get you killed?  Because you’re just a kid?

But Gabriel, the angel makes it all better.  He kicks it off by telling her “Don’t be afraid, Mary.”

There are a million reasons why Mary should be afraid and a million more why we should be afraid for our health and for status and for all of our relationships: everything seems so very much at risk.  And yet we’re reminded

Don’t be afraid.

What if right now that is enough?  G-d, Jesus, an angel, reminding us to not be afraid.  It is within our control.  Just don’t do it!  We can not be afraid.  We can trust.  That is something so much more powerful than belief.

Reminder, go check out Debbie Blue’s post called Mary, Mother of God over at The Hardest Question.  It is rad!