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The long-running British sci-fi television show Doctor Who is finally, after many years, once again airing a Christmas special, which has been a tradition for my family to watch it. Now whether you have been a fan from back in the 60s, or a fan since the revival near the start of the Millennium, or if you have no idea what I’m talking about, here’s the “too long, didn’t watch” version. The titular Doctor of Doctor Who is an alien known as a Timelord who travels the universe in a space-time ship called the Tardis and is generally accompanied by some earthly companion.
About a decade or so ago, one of the Doctor’s companions in the key 18-25 demographic, asks him why he has someone travel with him. At this point, the Doctor was about 900 something years old, though he’s much older in the series now. In that moment, he told his companion something that has stuck with me. He tells her it’s “Because I can’t see it anymore.” Specifically, he is referring to the stars, though as he continues, it is clear what the Doctor really means is wonder. Because of his highly advanced age, the Doctor needs beings around him who are much younger who are still awed by all the universe has to offer. In this way, he can live vicariously through them and experience the joy that all these experiences would have brought him many centuries ago.
This has stuck with me because this is why many of us enjoy spending time with children. Children still see the world with wonder. Their joy and awe often remind us of our own similar experiences years and years ago, and it helps us relive those moments and see the glory all around us in this world God has created for us to enjoy.
Remembering this is both helpful and ironic as we hit our major theme today. It is helpful because in our preparation this Sunday, we are called to see the world through the eyes of Faith with Mary.
It is also ironic because this story of Mary’s is one of those “Not Safe for Work”, and even “not appropriate for kids”, tales that are sprinkled throughout Scripture.
The reason for that is that Mary doesn’t actually fit that 18-25 demographic that Hollywood so covets. She would have been more like 13 or 14, maybe 16 at the oldest. In her many depictions over the years, she has been “recast”, shall we say, to be older. Mary’s not unique in this recasting because of one simple truth: her young age makes us feel uncomfortable.
Mary’s tale is one that makes us pause, rightfully so. Her tale is about a teenage pregnancy.
Her story would be a tragedy even in our own time. Yet Mary has another added difficulty. In her day and age, someone found pregnant out of wedlock, particularly a young woman about to be married like her, could be killed with the full support of the law.
The situation God was asking Mary to enter in order to give birth to Jesus, who would save us all from our sins, wasn’t just an inconvenient one. This was a scenario that could potentially lead to Mary’s death.
This is the story we are called to see through the eyes of a child in her Faith. Thankfully, this child has a great deal more wisdom than most of us possess.
Mary says yes to God.
She says yes, knowing the good will outweigh the bad. She says yes, trusting that God will protect her through it all. She says yes, even when her own cousin-in-law balked at his own prospect of fathering a son in his old age, that son being John the Baptist, who we spoke of last week, and that prospect being something we have seen God helping to accomplish all the way back with Abraham in Scripture.
Mary doesn’t just show us something we have lost. Mary shows us something we may not even have ever had. Mary shows us the depths of seeing with the eyes of Faith. She shows us the ability to say yes to God. Mary gives us hope that we may one day be able to say the same way too.
In this Season of Preparation, Mary is the one who shows us best what it means to let God in to our lives and to our souls. As we prepare for the Nativity, so soon upon us, are we going to be like Mary? Are we ready now to let God in?