AMAZING GRACE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this December 20th is, “Amazing Grace!”

That word “grace” in today’s gospel - Luke 1:26-30 - when the Angel Gabriel says to Mary, “Hail, full of grace” - triggers all kinds of stuff for me. It’s a great reminder that God is always “hailing” me - that life is full of grace. Everyday is filled with gifts. However, I need reminders over and over again - every day in fact.

For starters, what a great morning prayer, to wake up every morning - to sit on the edge of one’s bed - to pause - half awake or half asleep still - to listen - to hear the message from the angels of the morning saying to us, “Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you.”

That should / would / could scare us and then we can hear the angels follow up by saying what the Angel Gabriel said, “Do not be afraid.”

What a great attitude to have for each day - not to be afraid - because the Lord is with us - and we are filled with grace.

IN GREEK

In Greek the words for “Hail, full of grace” are “Kaire kekaritomene”.

Obviously, the English is just a translation. This greeting in Luke becomes part of the Hail Mary - as in, “Hail Mary, full of grace.”

“Kaire” means “Hello”. It’s a greeting - a joyful greeting. It’s a connecting. We’re hailing down Mary - and we still use that word “hail” as in “hailing a cab”. It’s a cheerful “hello”. It’s a call to celebrate, rejoice! It’s a “Surprise! I’m here!”

Then it’s followed in Greek by a big long word, “kekaritomene”. Hear the sound in that word of the Greek word “charis” - gift - as in being gifted - receiving charisma.

The angel is saying to Mary that you are God’s favorite. You are favored and loved by God. You’re God’s delight.

To translate these words “charis” and kekaritomene” - is quite a trick - especially because the theology of Grace has a long and heavy and varied history - in theology and in understandings.

A man named Ilion T. Jones said, “The word ‘Grace” is unquestionably the most significant word in the Bible.”

Questionably that’s quite a statement. As I looked up the word “Grace” in two theology dictionaries last night, I caught what he was saying. Grace was presented in long articles - many pages long. [1]

I also quickly went through Section IV of M. Scott Peck's classic book, The Road Less Traveled, pp. 233-312. It's entitled, "Grace!" and well worth going through again and again. [2]

THIS MORNING

For this morning I would simply like to convey that grace is amazing.

Grace overwhelmed John Newton - who wrote the famous hymn, “Amazing Grace”. I’m sure you heard the story about how he was a slave ship captain - who had a tough life - whom God delivered, who saved a wretch like him. In a great storm at sea he thought he was going to die. He didn’t. He converted to Christ. He eventually became a Calvinistic Methodist minister - who was against slavery.

The more we reflect upon our life - that we are alive - that we are in our skin - that we exist - that we are not slaves - we’re free - should have a tremendous impact on us.

For starters we have to reflect upon all that had to happen for us to be here this morning. We are a link in a chain - a long chain - of happenings - our parents meeting each other - getting married - the same with their parents - and their parents - all the way back to the beginning. Amazing. Amazing graces.

Being single - not having children - stares me in the face - on and off through my life. I stopped a line. I broke a chain. Amazing - as well as an “Uh oh!”

I’m also amazed that I have been blessed with a hundred million miracles to be me.

Today’s first reading from Isaiah 7:10-14 talks about asking for a sign - there are dozens of them every day - and thousands in a lifetime.

I have been gifted with faith and hope and love by God and so many.

When I hear the word “grace” I think of the phrase, “But for the grace of God.”

I’m here in church this morning by my own choice. I came with my own legs. I dipped my own hand in the holy water font. I said with my own mind, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

I realize that. Yet, I hesitate. How much of all that is the result of forces and people other than myself. I wonder how much of me is me? I’m amazed when I read some book that I read twenty years ago and I laugh and say to myself, “That’s where I heard that.” When I see a mom or dad walking into church with their kids, I say, “Thank you mom and dad for walking me into church.”

So when I think of others, I say, “Who am I to judge my neighbor - who’s here - who’s not here?” Yet I do it - and we all do it - everyday. Well, not everyday - but some days. Father forgive me for I don’t know what I do at times. But for the grace of God here I am.

I think of e.e. Cummings words, “be of love a little more careful than anything”. I then say, “be of grace, be of faith, be of judging, be of thinking a little more careful than anything.”

Amazing grace….



NOTES

Picture on top: from inside Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona, Spain, this past September.

(1) Quentin Quesnell, “Grace,” in The New Dictionary of Theology, editors Joseph A. Komonchak, Mary Collins, Dermot A. Lane, A Michael Glazier Book, Collegeville, Minnesota, pp. 437-450; Robert Haight, S.J., “Grace,” in The New Dictionary of Catholic Spirituality, editor, Michael Downey, A Michael Glazier Book, Collegeville, Minnesota, pp. 452 - 464.

[2] M. Scott Peck, The Road Less Traveled, A Touchstone Book, Published by Simon and Schuster, New York, 1978