Miracles of Love
Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Advent 4, 10:30 am

Let us dwell together in peace and let us not be instruments of our own or others’ oppression; and now, (+) may God’s word be spoken, may only God’s word be heard. Amen.

Luke 1.28: “Upon entering, the Archangel Gabriel said, ‘Hail Mary full of grace; God is with you!”
The angels adds, “You have nothing to fear.”

And then the angel message continues: “You will give birth and you will call your child Yeshu.”

Wait. The name is Jesus. Well, it evolved into Jesus. Jesus is an anglicized version of a Latin rendering of a Greek translation of an Aramaic word.

So, Jesus isn’t a word Jesus would have ever heard or recognized. Jesus is how we know Jesus…it’s not how his mom knew him. So, when we say or pray or do things “in Jesus’ name” we are invoking his nature, his memory, his principles, his example…not his actual name, which in any language should not be used like a magic word to grant wishes. Still, he’s our friend and we can use our nick name for him: Jesus. Now, back to the story.

God is omnipresent love, and God communicates to Mary today through an angel, a messenger. So, Mary is hearing from, is experiencing directly, the power of love.

Love says to her: There is grace equal to your need.
Love says to her: God is with you.
Love says to her: Do not be afraid.
And Love says to her: Name your blessing.

Call the child Yeshu, Yeshua, Iesus, Jesus.

Your child will be a liberator, a healer, he will show people how can they be saved from hopelessness, despair, and segregation. Yeshu, Jesus, means savior. He’ll live up to the name.

Give him an encouraging name.
Give him a promising name.
Believe that good can come from this.
Don’t get stuck in the troubling beginnings, look ahead to what is possible and name it, claim it, invite it, expect it, allow it.
Call your challenge an opportunity.
Name your blessing.

Right now other people may be calling you and your future child other names, don’t buy what they’re selling.
You own your dreams, you name your possibilities, you claim your blessings. “There is good for me and I ought to have it.”

Your pregnancy hasn’t occurred the way or at the time you would have preferred – but your child will be great.

You may be feeling broken, fractured, fragmented right now – but the spirit of wholeness, of abundant life, of indomitable hope, of creativity will come upon you. You’ve got this.

These may not seem like ideal circumstances – but the power of God hovers over you.

The angel, in a nutshell, is telling Mary that she and her future child are God’s miracles, not God’s mistakes.

A Course in Miracles teaches us that a miracle is a change in perception from fear to love. Mary learns today that God is omnipresent Love, a loving presence and power that will always be with her. She can turn from her fears and toward the power of divine Love. She can even use the power of love to name and claim possibilities in life, a future full of hope.

In our own lives, in our own world, in our own time…there is anxiety, pain, uncertainty…but we have the power to believe in ourselves, to believe that God believes in us, and to affirm glorious possibilities. Those are the miracles offered in our story today. They are miracles of love, and this is the good news. Amen.

I give thanks for divine Love.
It gives me the power to overcome fear.
It gives me the power to name and claim my good.
Alleluia!
Amen.