Christmas Heartsong 122406

Luke 1:39ff

Read from Happy Feet coloring book, with tappers

God has given us each a heartsong,

It’s what bubbles inside us, what we love to be and do, what makes us who we are,

different from each other

but meant to sing together

How could you, Mary?

How could you say yes to such an unlikely commission?

What were you thinking?

You took a huge risk believing God’s angel instead of your common sense. Nice women simply don ‘t do that, you know!

And as if that wasn’t enough, you kept pushing the envelope when you went to see Elizabeth.

You and she have both been blessed, you say, and with blessing comes responsibility…to bring life, to live out your blessing.

You and she should have been practicing lullabies together, singing heart songs like good, safe, mommies do.

But instead of talking babies, you’re spouting all this radical, political stuff.

What are you thinking?

The powerful brought down, the humble lifted up…

The hungry filled….the rich sent away empty?

I mean, you’re suggesting God is upsetting the status quo! Military might no longer is the way, an economic revolution, a power reversal? That kind of talk will get you crucified, sister.

God turning everything upside down indeed. What kind of song is that for goodness sake?

One of the 20^th century writers, William Barclay, said

Is that what this is about, Mary?

Now that I think about it….the world surely isn’t in good shape with the status quo.

And nothing much does change without people like you, Mary….

Risk takers

People whose egos are small enough to participate in God’s activity rather than their own, but whose hearts are large enough to hold God’s song…

outside the box thinkers

outspoken uppity women

people whose heart song is different, like Mumble, but who can draw others into the wondrous harmony of justice and hope.

Mumble is told, a penguin without a heart song is hardly a penguin at all. Maybe its true of us too – a Christian without a heart song is hardly a Christian at all – and a Christian community without a heart song is hardly a Christian community at all.

We sing, Love Came Down at Christmas, but I guess love doesn’t come down at Christmas to preserve the status quo. The point of Christmas isn’t the obscene consumption of our shopping, but our renewing our heart song in Jesus.

Is that what you were trying to say, Mary?

In last week’s play here, the last line was, this changes everything.

Will it? Will we let it? Can we find, and sing, OUR heart song?