First Reading
The first reading is from the Christian Scriptures, from the Gospel according to Luke, Chapter 1 verses 11-22. This passage where the angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah announcing the arrival of his son, John the Baptist, appears immediately before Gabriel tells Mary that she will conceive Jesus.

The angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him "Do not be afraid Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John…"

Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."

The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you this good news. And now you will be silent and not be able to speak until the day it happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at the proper time."

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

Second Reading
The second reading is from "Out of Solitude- Three Meditations on the Christian Life". The author is the scholar and theologian Henri J. M. Nouwen. This is an excerpt from the chapter entitled "In Expectation".

Our life is a short time in expectation, a time in which sadness and joy kiss each other at every moment.

Joy and sadness are as close to each other as the splendid colored leaves of a New England fall to the somberness of the barren trees. When you touch the hand of a returning friend, you already know that he will leave you again. When you are moved by the quiet vastness of a sun-covered ocean, you miss the friend who cannot see the same. Joy and sadness are born at the same time, both arising from such deep places in your heart that you cannot find words to capture your complex emotions.

But this intimate experience in which every bit of life is touched by a bit of death can point us beyond the limits of our existence. It can do so by making us look forward in expectation to the day when our hearts will be filled with perfect joy, a joy that no one can take away from us.

The familiar hymn that the choir just sang dates back to the ninth century. Originally in Latin, the hymn is part of a series of seven antiphons sung during the final week of Advent. The lyrics have since been translated into English and recast in our hymnal, however the tune carries with it a sense of longing. Each antiphon celebrated a symbolic quality of Christ, such as Light, Ruler, Wisdom. Emmanuel means "God with us". The invocation of the divine presence, and the preparation to receive Love, Truth, Light and Hope in our hearts is what Advent is all about.

I am not a Christian. I resonate more with my Jewish heritage and Eastern Spirituality. However, as Unitarian Universalists, we draw from many sources. We are part of a Christian tradition and like most churches Christmas Eve and Easter are the most highly attended worship services.

This year, it seemed like we went right from Halloween into Christmas. The orange and black items on store shelves were quickly replaced with red, green and sparkling tinsel. Time was folks waited until after Thanksgiving to deck their homes with evergreens but even with the unseasonably warm temperatures, Christmas music and decorations seemed to appear earlier than ever! I believe the reason for pushing the Christmas season goes beyond commercialism in a time of economic slowdown- although that certainly is a factor. My sense is that in light of September 11th, the ongoing threat of terrorism and that we are a nation at war, many Americans have a deep yearning for Christmas. However, it is possible to get so caught up in a flurry of activity and consumerism as to completely miss the meaning of the holiday. So, lest we rush into trying to buy Christmas and get even more harried with extra activities, let us pause on this first Sunday of Advent to reflect on some of the deeper themes.

Certainly, anyone who is a parent can attest that pregnancy is a period filled with expectation. It is interesting then that the first chapter of the Gospel according to Luke contains two stories in which people discover that they are "expecting". After a brief prologue comes the story of Zechariah that Miki read for us this morning. Zechariah is a priest in the temple. He and his wife Elizabeth are pious Jews who follow the law. They are both from priestly families. In fact, Elizabeth is a descendant of Aaron, Moses brother. Despite their good background and righteousness, they have not been able to bear children, which at that time, and in some cultures today, was considered a disgrace.

The priests drew lots for divine providence to select who would offer incense in the temple. The duty fell upon Zechariah. He enters the innermost sanctum of the temple and burns incense at the altar. As he is praying, he receives a heavenly visitor. Gabriel is one of seven Jewish archangels. The Angel Gabriel announces to Zechariah "Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son, and you are to give him the name John." It is perfectly understandable that Zechariah became overwhelmed with fear and had his doubts. Both he and his wife are advanced in age and have been unable to conceive. However, when Zechariah asks, "How can I be sure of this?" Gabriel does not have a sense of humor. His response is basically, "Because I am the angel, and God says so, that's why!" The most fascinating part of the story is that because of his doubt, Zechariah is struck mute. According to Gabriel's dominion, Zechariah remains completely silent until the good news he was told comes to pass. The worshippers who are outside of the temple wonder what is delaying Zechariah. When he finally emerges, he is speechless, only able to gesture and make signs. However, the crowd senses that he has experienced God.

The story that immediately follows is more familiar. This biblical passage known as the Annunciation or the Announcement has been the inspiration for many works of art. The account has a close parallel to the first in many ways. Six months later, the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will conceive a son and name him Jesus. Mary is betrothed but not yet married to Joseph, a carpenter. She asks, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" Gabriel replies that the Holy Spirit will descend upon her. The Angel also offers a sign by telling Mary that her relative Elizabeth who was once barren is now six months pregnant. "For nothing will be impossible with God". Mary's response is then, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word".

I am not concerned with whether these stories are historically accurate or the theological implications of Virgin Mary's conception. Instead, what intrigues me is what these two stories have to teach us about Advent- the spiritual practice of waiting in expectation. The stories have greater meaning when taken side-by-side. Although Zechariah is highly respected as a priest, he is terrified by this divine message. In response, he is overwhelmed by fear and doubt then rendered speechless. Mary is a simple young woman. Her response to this divine message is surprise and confusion. Luke reads "But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be" (Lk. 1:29). Mary also asks Gabriel a question but why is it that she is not struck mute as well? Zechariah's question is "How will I know?" where Mary asks, "How can this be?" Zechariah is set on knowledge and certainty. Mary believes the message and wonders as to how it will unfold.

So, what does this mean for us? These biblical stories illustrate two possible paths when confronted with mystery. Zechariah is paralyzed by fear. Mary is open and receptive. She provides space for the sacred to take shape. Where Zechariah demands rational explanations, Mary trusts the unfolding circumstances and accepts with a sense of wonder and curiosity.

The Angel Gabriel heralds a blessed birth and conception. This means the arrival of something new, heretofore unseen, unknown and unexpected. Certainly the birth of some children is like this but I would like you to consider instead the times in your life when a new path, approach, perspective unfolded before you. Sometimes it is an intentional change: a decision to move, change careers or study for a degree. Oftentimes, a change comes upon us unawares. Like the Angel Gabriel announcing incredible news, we can find ourselves beginning or ending a romantic partnership, struggling with declining physical ability, grieving the loss of a loved one, called to a new path we never anticipated or coming to terms with the reality of terrorism and war.

This sort of revelation is terrifying. It means abandoning the life we have known and giving birth to a new way of being in the world. Like Elizabeth who gave birth to John the Baptist in old age and Virgin Mary the mother of Jesus, the timing of our own conception may defy convention.

Theologian Henri Nouwen reminds us "Our life is a short time in expectation, a time in which sadness and joy kiss each other at every moment. . . Joy and sadness are born at the same time, both arising from such deep places in your heart that you cannot find the words to capture your complex emotions." This is one of the reasons for religious community. Gathering for worship invites us into the full range of human emotions: joys and sorrows honoring both as holy. We sit in silence together to listen for that still small voice within. We share stories, hopes and struggles with one another. Sometimes there may be no words, only signs and gestures, but we can affirm the Spirit of Life moving in one another.

During this season, in which our world is overshadowed by fear, the Christian tradition reminds us that the sacred comes through humanity. "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel". Emmanuel: God with us. I close with a poem written in the fifteenth century but whose message echoes through the ages:

Lo, in the silent night
A child to God is born
And all is brought again
That ere was lost or lorn.

Could but thy soul, O Man,
Become a silent night!
God would be born in thee
And all things set aright.

Let each of us be receptive to wonder, beauty, and truth, that we may give birth to greater Hope, Joy and Love.