Dear friends in Christ, grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

It was nearing the middle of December, and a little boy asked his mother if he could have a new bike for Christmas. She told him that the best idea would be to write to Santa Claus. But the boy, having just played an important role in the Sunday School Christmas program, decided he would write to the baby Jesus instead. “Dear Jesus, I have been a very good boy and would like to have a bike for Christmas.”   Unfortunately, when he read it over he wasn’t very happy, so he decided to try again. “Dear Jesus, I’m a good boy most of the time and would like a bike for Christmas.”  Again, he wasn’t happy with that letter either.  So he tried a third version. “Dear Jesus, I could be a good boy if I tried hard and especially if I had a new bike.”  Still he wasn’t satisfied.  So, he decided to go out for a walk while he thought about a better approach.  After a short time he passed a house with a small statue of the Virgin Mary in the front garden.  Suddenly, he had a brilliant idea. He crept in, stuffed the statue of Mary under his coat, hurried home and hid it under the bed. Then he wrote this letter. “Dear Jesus, if you ever want to see your mother again, you’d better send me a new bike.”

Growing up in southern Minnesota, Protestants often teased Roman Catholics about the Virgin Mary, and in turn, Catholics teased Protestants about Martin Luther.  They would say that Christmas was the most magical time of the year when Protestants had no problem with statues of Jesus, Mary, the saints and angels adorning their churches. In Lutheran congregations Mary always had her annual fifteen minutes of fame in December when the Sunday School program rolled around. You had your shepherds, your angels, and your young maiden kneeling beside the babe in swaddling clothes.  But soon after the presents were unwrapped and the nativity scene packed away for another year, the Virgin Mary drifted back into the shadows, where we were convinced that she belonged.  Why our Roman Catholics neighbors made such a big deal about Mary never made sense to us.  As we joked, “They Glorified Mary and We Glorified Rice.”  We were convinced her words in the Magnificat, “From now on all generations shall call me blessed” were taken out of context. Surely, she wasn’t to be revered and honored for all time. Surprisingly, Martin Luther himself tried to address this question as he preached on the story of the Virgin Mary’s visit to Elizabeth over 30 times.

Today’s reading from St. Luke’s gospel actually begins a few verses earlier and in a place about 80 miles further north  in the village of Nazareth. There Mary was greeted by the Angel Gabriel who announced to her that she had found favor with God, and that she would bear a child and name him Jesus. Still Mary questioned the angel, “How can this be since I am a virgin?”  The angel reassured Mary by telling her that her elderly cousin Elizabeth living in the Judean countryside, who was considered barren, had conceived a son. Then the angel added, “For nothing is impossible with God.” With that Mary acquiesced, saying, “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be according to your word.”

We don’t know Mary set out with haste to the Judean countryside.  Was this arduous three-day journey to her elderly cousin Elizabeth’s home near Jerusalem,  Mary’s call of duty, all to help an elderly and vulnerable relative in the last months of her pregnancy?  Perhaps.  It certainly demonstrates Mary’s heart of compassion and empathy. Or maybe, Mary fled to Judea to satisfy her own curiosity and disbelief that the angel’s message could really be true? That certainly is a powerful witness to the depth of her faith and conviction.   Or was Mary’s journey to the Judean countryside simply an act of wonder? Mary was full of the Holy Spirit. She was full of God’s grace and yet she could not rest.  For whatever reason, Mary went with haste.

When Mary entered Elizabeth’s home, she was greeted by her elderly cousin, and immediately, when Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice, the child within her womb leaped.  within her womb.  Elizabeth was overjoyed as well.  Elizabeth exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord come to me?” They are prophetic words, for which Mary should be called blessed for all generations.

Surprisingly, Mary’s response to such a greeting was not a song of pride and glory.  Instead, it was a song of confession and humility.  It was not about her and her faithfulness and devotion.  Not, it was all about God’s goodness and faithfulness to Mary.  “For the mighty has done great things for me.  For that reason, all generation will come to call me blessed.”

Of course, Mary would have plenty of challenges before her as well, more than she could have imagined.  She would spend three months with Elizabeth, learning what it meant to be an expectant mother, but she was also being prepared for what she could expect in Nazareth when she returned.  That is why Luther believed that Mary should be remembered as blessed for all generations. Luther himself said, “The holy maid could not come to honor before she has first been put to shame.  Here she was, expecting a child, potentially deserted by her husband, in danger of stoning for being unwed and with child.”  Mary’s visit to Elizabeth confirmed her conviction that faith becomes easier and God’s call more manageable “where two or three are gathered together.”  That is one of the most important lessons you can embrace this Christmas, and one of the most important gifts that you can share.

In our journeys of life, we all need spiritual mentors and spiritual homes for encouragement along the way- even God’s most hand-picked followers.. Elizabeth may have asked, “Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”  But didn’t God really provide Elizabeth to Mary as a kind of spiritual grandmother and an expectant grandmother at that! – She would nurture the young Mary and encourage her in the Lord. Elizabeth was her instructor and teacher, her friend and confidant, her mentor and advocate. Yes, God gave Elizabeth to Mary for a special period of time and a special purpose.  I can’t help but think that God is preparing each one of us to play these roles as well.

Perhaps you are new to the Christian faith, and you are struggling hard to understand and make your way in this world. God has some one for you who can help and guide you.  You’ll most likely find your mentor in the church.  After all, it’s where God-loving and mature believers often congregate.  I encourage you to pray that God would enable you find an Elizabeth to help you out during this period of your spiritual journey.

Or perhaps you are a more mature Christian that God is preparing to be an Elizabeth to some Mary out there. You’ve been through your own share of pain and struggle. You can understand and you can sympathize. You have grown to walk with the Lord, and how to call upon him in need, and you have the power of prayer in your life.  There’s a Mary out there who needs you. Be on the lookout for her, when God sends her along.  Oh, yes, you will still have your struggles, to be sure, but Mary needs to watch you meet them with the Lord’s help.

Or perhaps you are somewhere in between. You need someone to challenge you in your life and faith.  Someone with a younger or older perspective.  Believe me, there is a whole generation of curious seekers out there.

My friends, do not dismiss the Virgin Mary when the Christmas story is done. Martin Luther wrote, “Mary is the highest woman and the noblest gem in Christianity after Christ.  We can never honor her enough.”  Though he added, “Still honor and praise must be given to her in such a way as to injure neither Christ nor the Scriptures.”  Yes, all generations should call her blessed.

It is said that the Christian faith is only one generation from extinction.  Our children face challenges every day.  Fifty years ago, they might have found support and sympathy from friends, colleagues and institutions, but today they are often forced to face their challenges on their own. That is why the story of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth is so timely. A new uncertain generation needs the sympathetic support and compassion of older Elizabeths in their lives. That is the role that you and I must play with intention and purposefulness. We all live and thrive best in relationship to others. Sometimes we “give,” and sometimes we “receive.” Faith is a quality that must be taught and nurtured- Even for God’s most hand-picked servants, like Mary and Elizabeth   And it all begins with you and me playing our part. Amen.

May the peace of Christ which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.