Fourth Sunday of Advent Luke 1__26-38 Let It Be
Luke 1:26-38
"Let It Be"
Paul McCartney doen’t claim to be a theologian, but every once in a while, even a former Beatle and rock and roll songwriter can stumble onto something profound. Way back in the 1960’s he wrote these lyrics:
When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
Let it be, let it be.
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.
I’ve heard these lyrics hundreds of times over the past thirty-five years or so and you’ve probably heard them countless times, too, but it only occurred to me a few weeks ago that they were taken from Luke 1:38:
Then Mary said, “Here I am, the servant of the Lord;
let it be with me according to your word.”
They are simple words, but words of great wisdom … and faith.
We know very little about the mother of Jesus, even though she has been revered by millions of people over the centuries. The Bible doesn’t say a lot about her, but we know that when an angel named Gabriel visited this poor, young, unmarried, frightened girl and gave her the most unbelievable news anyone has ever heard, she simply said, “Let it be.”
In this regard, this previously unremarkable person had a lot in common with other great people of the Bible like Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Ruth and Moses. Like these other previously ordinary people, Mary simply said “yes” to God’s call. When the Lord had some great thing for them to do, each of them had simply said, “Let it be.”
We don’t have to be great theologians of biblical proportions to get it right and we don’t have to be great people in the eyes of the world, we just have to be willing people, people who say “yes” to God. From there, God will show the way.
This Christmas, the greatest gift of all time is presented to you once again. Emmanuel comes. The Holy Spirit bears the love of God, the salvation of Christ to you and awaits your answer. Will you unwrap the gift?
In our hour of darkness, there are words of wisdom whispered bearing light and hope. Mary spoke them. We can speak them, too:
“Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
LET IT BE
Paul McCartney 1969
When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right it front of me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be
And when the broken hearted people
Living in the world agree
There will be an answer
Let it be
For though they may be parted there is
still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer
Let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
yeah, there will be an answer
Let it be
And when the night is cloudy
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine until tomorrow
Let it be
I wake up to the sound of music
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
There will be an answer
Let it be
Let it be is one of my favorite Beatle songs. It was written by Paul McCartney in 1969. It begins with Paul saying how when he finds himself in times of trouble, "Mother Mary" comes to him.
I had always thought that Mary in the song meant the virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. But Paul’s mother was also named Mary, and she died when he was a young boy. In the song Mary comes like an angel whispering to him these wise words-- let it be.
"Let it be" in that context is comforting and means "Let go . . . don’t worry about your troubles.
Christians over the years have revered Mary. I offer one caution, Jesus the Christ is the Consoler. He sends the Spirit to us in trouble. We pray with the saints in glory, but it is our Lord who dispenses the gifts, the graces that brighten our lives and strengthens our hearts.
It was a good thing that Paul McCartney had a mother Mary who he could hear whispering in his ear when he was troubled as she did when he was a child. I’m not promoting spiritualism here, nor do I think Paul McCartney was. This is a common experience to all mankind, we remember those who were closest to us, especially when we are in trouble. We look back in our memories for our parent’s counsel and example, how did they handle things? And that does help.
But when we run out of help from all of our earthly connections, like Mary the Mother of Jesus we can turn to God and say, "I’m troubled here. I have no answers. Let it be Lord, let your will be done."
That message is also in Paul’s song. He lifts the listener up and out of his own life, soon he is singing about all the broken hearted people in the world, people who hate each other or are at war. "Although they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see. There will be an answer-- Let it be."
This time the words "Let it be" have a different meaning. "Let it be" here does not mean to just accept bad things. It means "let it happen"-- let some new world, a happier and more peaceful world, become a reality.
When Paul wrote this song in 1969 there was violence in Ireland, wars happening in Vietnam and around the world. So he was speaking about sad and angry people who are fighting one another. We still have situations like this today, with broken-hearted people fighting each other in Iraq, Pakistan and India, Palestine and Israel.
Paul McCartney’s song tells us long for peace.
I have wondered over these last 5 long years, where are the successors to those singers of the sixties and seventies who had visions of a peaceful world? Are we so hardened, so calloused, so disillusioned that we cannot even hope or sing of a better world?
We are grateful to Mary the mother of Paul McCarntey for saying “Let it be,” but consider how sort of stoic giving in to what the world presents differs from that of Mary the mother of Jesus.
Mary the mother of Jesus though not understanding the mystery that was presented her trusted God that it was good and said, “Let it be according to your word, not according to my troubled thoughts.”
Her affirmation is what we need now. We few Christians in this world should affirm along with Mary, “Let it be – the coming of the Kingdom of our Lord. Let it be that the Good News will reach everyone in this city. Let it be that we will find daily bread for all and peace at last on this earth.” Let God’s will be done.
Now to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit be ascribed, as is most justly due, all might, majesty and glory in the Church through out all ages. Amen.
Charles Scott, Vicar
Church of the Good Shepherd
Indianapolis, Indiana
Church of the Good Shepherd, Indianapolis
