Hannah, Mary, and You

This fall we have heard the story of several extraordinary women from the Bible, and today we add Hannah (and in anticipation of Advent, Mary) to that list …

 Hannah, Mary, and You

1 Samuel 1:4-20; 1 Samuel 2:1-10 

Perhaps you wonder how I choose the Bible passages for sermons each week. Sometimes, like this fall, I choose them myself to accompany a series or a particular theme. Most often, though, I follow the Revised Common Lectionary.

The Lectionary is a three-year cycle with four texts assigned for each week: one from the Hebrew Scriptures, one from the Psalms, one from the New Testament epistles, and one from the gospels. Each year of the Lectionary focuses on one of the synoptic gospels: Matthew in Year A, Mark in Year B (where we are now), and Luke in Year C (which begins at the start of Advent in two weeks). Passages from the fourth gospel are scattered through the three years. If you came to church every week for that three year cycle, you would hear most of the gospels and a good sampling of the rest of the Bible.

The Bible, of course, resists being divvied up in this way. Some compelling narratives are too long for a single week and are spread over several weeks. That makes it difficult for preachers and listeners to make sense out of these stories. For example, the Lectionary separated the story of Ruth into two weeks, but last week, our intern Ruth MacKenzie brought the whole story into her sermon. Other important texts appear out of context when we hear them in little snippets in the Lectionary. And of course, many passages never appear on Sunday mornings at all.

Still, there are three things I love about the lectionary. First, for most of our Sunday School classes we use a curriculum that is based on the Lectionary, so people of all ages are studying the same passages on a given Sunday morning. Second, the Revised Common Lectionary is used by many Christian denominations, which makes it easier to participate in ecumenical Bible studies, as I do each week with several of my Northfield clergy colleagues. And third, every once in a while, the Lectionary reveals some interesting pattern or connection that I would not have thought of otherwise.

With that long introduction, let me say that this morning is one of those “once in a whiles.” As I was thinking about the story of Hannah, the barren woman whose prayers for motherhood are answered by the birth of Samuel, I realized that the last few months of lectionary passages have been filled with interesting, powerful, and inspiring Biblical women. I am sorry to say that you have not heard sermons about all of them, primarily because I took six weeks for the special series on “What Matters.” They include the Syrophoenician woman, the personification of Wisdom from the book of Proverbs, the good wife (also from Proverbs), Queen Esther, Ruth and Naomi, the widow who put her small coins in the offering, and now Hannah. And if we look forward, in 4 weeks we will hear about Elizabeth and Mary.

I have several books on my shelf about Biblical women (including these), and all of them seem to be written for women. There is nothing wrong with that, though it is interesting that books about male characters in the Bible are usually not written just for male audiences. My point is that the stories of these women have something for all of us, men and women alike. Some of their stories are elaborate; some are brief to the point of terseness. Some of the women are rich and powerful, some are poor and powerless, and two are not really persons at all.

Since it has been some weeks since we heard some of these stories, and some of them you didn’t hear because I was preaching on other texts, let me refresh your memory about these women.

• The Syrophoenician woman came to Jesus with a request to cast out a demon in her daughter. She pressed her case even when the disciples tried to send her away, and even after Jesus spoke harshly to her. Only when she was persistent did Jesus heal the child.

• We missed hearing the voice of Wisdom in the Old Testament book of Proverbs (because of the fall sermon series). Wisdom speaks in the voice of a woman, and she scolds her listeners for not heeding God’s words of moral instruction. She speaks in a prophetic voice – warning them of the calamities that will come if they do not change their ways – not so much as punishment as the natural consequences of their choices.

• The good wife who is described at the end of the book of Proverbs (we missed her this fall, too) is a person of many talents and great energy. She is, I suppose, the ancient counterpoint to today’s busy women, engaged in a wide variety of activities and responsibilities. And she praised for her skills and her accomplishments.

• Esther was a young Queen who was called upon to act bravely to save the lives of her people. She had not sought out a position of influence, but as her uncle put it, perhaps she was chosen as Queen “for such a time as this.”

• Ruth was a young widow who followed her mother-in-law Naomi back to her home in Bethlehem. She loved and respected Naomi, and she took advantage of opportunities that came her way (as Ruth MacKenzie reminded us two weeks ago). Her spunk (and Naomi’s advice) led her to marriage with Boaz, and thus to start the family tree that would branch through David and all the way to Jesus.

• The widow who came into the temple and dropped two coins in the offering box is not named, nor do we know anything else about her plight. (Her story was part of the Lectionary for November 1.) All we know is that Jesus used her as an example when teaching about whole-hearted giving.

• Today, we heard the story and the song of Hannah, the barren woman whose prayers were answered with the birth of her son, Samuel. Hannah endured the provocation of her husband’s other wife, Peninnah, and the misguided scolding of Eli the priest. When her prayers were answered, she sang with joy about all of God’s mighty works, not just her own motherhood.

• And just one month from today, we will hear the Advent story of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, celebrating together about their unexpected pregnancies. Mary’s song, the Magnificat, is in many ways a reprise of Hannah’s song (a song that we just joined in singing).

Some years ago, I led a weekend retreat with the title, “Grandmothers of the Faith.” I recounted stories of a dozen women in the Bible, and asked the participants to listen for the characters to whom they felt drawn – their own ancient “grandmothers of the faith.” This morning, I invite you to do the same: to think over these stories and listen for the ones whose stories intrigue you, move you, or resonate with you.

Perhaps one will remind you of yourself; or maybe one will recall a parent, friend, or child whom you know well. Maybe you have heard a story that gives you courage for a difficult task, like Esther, or urges you to speak prophetically like Wisdom, or invites you to give God praise for the work of justice in the world, like Hannah and Mary. It is by discovering (and nurturing) our connections with these ancient characters that we transform our relationship with the Bible from “ancient history” or “moral instruction” to the “living word” about God’s presence and work in our world.

As I have reflected on these stories this week, I have been particularly intrigued by the song of Hannah, for some of the same reasons that I have always been drawn to Mary’s song, the Magnificat. In both cases, the woman who is singing has reason to celebrate for herself. Hannah is grateful for the birth of Samuel which answers her fervent prayers; Mary is overcome by the honor of being chosen to bear and birth the Savior of the World. But neither of them sings about their own personal joy. Instead, they both sing about God’s mighty deeds of justice.

This is a powerful corrective to our post-modern sense that “it’s all about me.” It is a reminder that while we may take deep joy in the events of our own lives, there is also profound joy in the events of the world – especially when those events are arcing towards the coming of God’s shalom.

So the gift of the lectionary to us today is the gathering of these women together in our midst. I tried to imagine them in a way that would make a clever sermon: maybe sitting around a quilting frame or sipping tea and discussing a book club selection. They declined these invitations. Instead, they offer an invitation to us: to remember them, and to claim them as our grandparents. And Hannah and Mary add one more thing: Praise God! Praise God for your own blessings, and also for the blessings of the world around us.

Prayer for November 15, 2009

Almighty and everlasting God, creator of all things seen and unseen, hear now our silent prayers, as we open our hearts to you in the sacred quietness.

God of faith and hope, we bring before you our prayers for those we have named this morning – we especially remember … Bring to each of them the gifts of mercy and grace that are most needed, according to your wisdom and love.

God of all creation, we pray this morning for our planet, our world, and our neighbors.

We pray for our good earth – that all people may respect it resources, preserve its future, and enjoy its fruits in the season. We pray for the soil and the sea and the air.

We pray for the leaders of the nations – that they may all act with love, wisdom, and hope; and that they will invest their efforts for the good of all people. We pray for those who govern.

We pray for our neighbors who are wealthy, free, and healthy – that they may use their resources for the benefit of those in need. We pray for wisdom as good stewards of your gifts.

We pray for our neighbors who are poor, powerless, and exploited – that their voices may find allies, and that the forces and systems that enslave them may be overturned. We pray for courage to change the world.

We pray for those who are sick, sorrowing, despairing, and lonely – that they may find healing, consolation, hope, and companionship. We pray for compassion to change the world.

We pray for those who are dear to you, but often forgotten by us.

All these prayers we offer in the strong name of Jesus, and we pray together now in the words that he taught us …