Welcome, and thank you for joining us for another Christmas celebration. As we gather once again in the spirit of this joyous season, I remember some of the previous addresses I have given you, basically because I’m afraid of running out of material.

Three years ago, we marveled at the Bethlehem star that guided the way to the humble manger. We looked at modern day technology and how we can literally look back in time to see where the stars were at the birth of Jesus. In fact, it wasn’t a star at all. What the wisemen saw and followed, was the impending coalescences of Jupiter and Saturn, which, at the moment of Christ’s birth over Bethlehem, was the slight overlapping of these giant planets, causing a brightness in the sky that has rarely, if ever, happened during human existence. 

Two years ago, we delved into the inspiring tale of the real Saint Nicholas, a strident bishop who stood for truth and, yes, tossed a few gold coins through the chimneys.  More importantly, he was a bad ass who tore down pagan temples, stared down the corrupt government, and punched the heretic, Arius, in the face for denying the divinity of Christ. But we have relegated him to a fat old man who lives with elves and reindeer. If you recall, we looked at the reconstruction of his face. He was literally dug up from his grave and put through facial reconstruction technology. Thus, we could see the real Saint Nick.

And last year, we spoke of the three wise men, the magi, that group of pagans who practiced “magic” from the East. Those magicians, sorcerers, astrologers (not just astronomers), from a faraway land had the humility to fall down before a child. They represent the conversion of sinners being welcomed by Christ from the very beginning of his ministry, which began in a manager.

This year, I would like to speak to about the most important moment in the Nativity story, but it was a moment that no one really considers being part of the Nativity story. I want to speak to you about the Annunciation.

The Annunciation

From all of eternity, the Lord had the idea of the incarnation in His mind. And then, He decided to go through with it. He did it. He actually did it. The Father’s idea of the incarnation was incarnated. The Father’s Word was spoken. It was a Word brighter than the words, “Let there be light,” for the abounding darkness of our sinful world was darker than the abyss of nothingness.

In the beginning of our universe, the Father brought the cosmos out of nothing into something. But in the small town of Nazareth, the Father did nearly the opposite: He broke forth from Heaven to Earth, from the Absolute to the Contingent, from the Creator to the creation, from the immutable to the mutable, from the Omniscient to the weak, form the Omnipresent to the confines of DNA and atoms and cellular walls and  . . . to the confines of a Nazarian womb.

The humility of the King of kings to become confined by flesh and blood boggles my mind. The meekness of restraining His strength to that of bone and muscle, tendon and tissue and sinew is something beyond my ability to appreciate.

          And yet, I see the supreme act of humility in the incarnation, something a little different than you might expect. There was an act of humility in this little scene in Nazareth that plumbed the depths of Divine humility – something that more than any other of Jesus’ actions on this earth display His infinite humility and meekness. I dare say, that this humility, which I will explain momentarily, even surpasses the humility and meekness required of Him to be scourged and crowned and pined to a cross with nails. The meekness He will show thirty-three years later – withholding His strength, His rightful vengeance – the humility required to subject Himself to the bloodthirsty Sanhedrin and Romans – still, I see as pale in comparison to this: the Lord asked the permission of a young girl to be incarnate. In this sense, the divine humility was so humble that it placed itself at the feet of a young girl. 

          Let me explain. You see, the Angel Gabriel announced something very particular. He spoke in the future tense: “Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb.” (Lk 1:31) It had not happened yet. It had not happened because the little girl had not yet consented. She had not yet given her fiat, her yes. She had not yet humbly accepted the gift of the incarnation. The Lord would not force Himself upon Mary. That would be preposterous.

          And so she asked, not in disbelief, but in humble desire to better know so that she could better love, so that she could better serve, “How shall this be done, because I know not man?” (Lk 1:34). To be crystal clear, this wasn’t a “There’s no way! I haven’t known man?” Rather, it was a “Can you explain how this will happen, since I have not known man?” There is a very big difference. She did not doubt the power of God, she just wanted to understand the power of God so that she could respond properly.

          Gabriel explained how it wouldcome to be. “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy [One] which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren: Because no word shall be impossible with God.” (Lk 1:35-37)

          Is this moment – right between Luke 1:37 and Luke 1:38 – the most important moment in all of scripture? To review: verse 37 was spoken by Gabriel saying, “Because no word shall be impossible with God.” But what is the next line? What is verse 38? Here, we pause. I contend that this is the most important moment in all of scripture. I contend that this moment was the point of the entire Old Testament, all the prophets and prophecy, the point of all the Jews being the chosen people. It was the point of all of David’s psalms. It was the point of everything.

I contend that this moment was the most important in the history of the universe. Why? Because there would have been no incarnation without it. There would have been no Gospel given to us, no death and resurrection. Now, I know the Lord could have conquered sin with a snap of his fingers. He didn’t need Mary or anyone. But He chose this path, the path through Nazareth, the path through a young virgin. 

At this particular moment, right before Mary gives her consent, salvation history as God planned it hung in the balance.

I have a very funny picture in my head, which I don’t think is far off. Please allow your imagination to join mine.

The Father’s legions of angels had heard about this incarnation for a few trillion years. In fact, Lucifer and his fallen angels left heaven over the incarnation. The idea of worshiping flesh and blood was unbearable for them.

But there were plenty of angels in heaven, and the tradition of the Church Fathers and scripture depicts nine choirs of angels. And these angels anticipated this moment for trillions of years. The moment of the incarnation.

I imagine these nine choirs of angels gathered in droves around Ann and Joachim’s house waiting in anticipation. I see these angels peaking in the windows and through the cracks in the door. I imagine their attention was so drawn to that little girl in that little house that even they would have struggled to stay on task elsewhere. Here is where it gets funny to me. You see, each of the choirs of dangers have jobs to do in the universe.

I wonder, did Guardian Angels of the ninth choir (they are in the ninth choir) forget their duties in order to focus on the soon-to-be Virgin Mother? You know that Guardian Angels protect us all day long from little problems. But at this moment 2,000 years ago, where they so occupied in awaiting Mary’s answer that they accidentally neglected their duties for just a split second? Did any stone mason in Rome clumsily fall off his ladder? Did some Egyptian housemaid uncharacteristically stick her finger with a needle? How many carpenters, perhaps even Joseph, slammed their thumbs with a hammer? Did soldiers in procession of every army of every kingdom awkwardly stumble in unison, invoking the giggles of onlookers? I find that very funny. If there was ever a single second in which Guardian Angels fell short on the job, it was at this moment.

The Father has assigned not just guardian angels, but Archangels to great dignitaries in both Church and civil roles. Even bad guys, like King Herod, have Archangels assigned to them, the traditional holds. So, at this moment, did Herod stump his toe in front of his entourage? Did the high priest in the temple trip on his elegant vestments and choke on his incense? Did Caesar choke on a grape? I sort of hope so, because I love the idea of all those Archangels hovering around Gabriel waiting to hear the answer. 

Now, the fifth choir of angels, called the Virtues by early theologians, govern the natural order of the universe. But did the law of gravity cease for just a second? Did the planets lose their orbit around the sun and have to be put back on track? Or, my favorite image: did any child running through the forest jump over a little stream and hover in the air for a few extra seconds, causing him to think he had herculean powers. And perhaps just as that little boy loved the experience, how many Germanic arrows went just above the bullseye to the chagrin of the soldier? I can easily see them scratching their head grumbling about their bow. Or, how many Mongols spontaneously came off horseback? I can see them getting to their feet wondering who had cast a spell on them. Or, how many infuriated Roman artists could have sworn the paint drifted upward on the canvas? Think of that! How many Greek playwrights shook their quills because ink drifted upwards rather than downwards? And did the Lord see all this natural world disruption and chuckle saying, “It is good”? 

And if the holy angels became breathless for a moment, the demons of hell might have groaned in anger and confusion and terror of what might – just might – come.

          Whatever the heavenly and hellish powers did at this moment, I am quite certain that sinful man’s business carried on as usual, oblivious to the monumental moment that would forever change all of creation.

          The incarnation hung in the balance, for God placed His infinite humility at the humble feet of a little Jewish girl.

          The Annunciation was not just announcing the incarnation; it was the announcing of what the incarnation would be with Mary’s consent. The Lord is announcing not just His incarnation but the docility, the purity, the holiness of His mother.

          And here the story sits: right after Luke 1:37. The angels stare on the scene. The demons are cringing in torment. In fact, the entire Christmas story hangs in the balance. There will be no Bethlehem, no shepherds, no wise men. There will be no hark the harold angel’s sing, there will be no glory to the new born king. Everything hung in the balance.   

          And then it happened: the little Jewish girl said in Luke 1:38 “Be it done to me according to thy word.”

          And the rest, my friends, is history. The rest is salvation history. My salvation history. Your salvation history. The rest is Christmas, the passion, the resurrection, and the new heaven and new earth for which we anxiously await.

Happy Advent and Merry Christmas.