50 Books in 2020

This year, the year that sucked everything out of me, was the first year I have ever completed a reading challenge I have posed for myself. At the beginning of 2019, I wanted to read 25 books, or a book every two weeks. I had not yet discovered the joy and wonder of audiobooks from the library (they were certainly too expensive for me to buy) and the idea of finding time to sit down to read while having a one year-old around was next to impossible. I don't think I even got close to my goal of 25 books. So at the beginning of last year, I was an idiot and decided to double my goal: 50 books in 2020. And I actually did it! 

Below you will see my brief review and rating of each book I read in 2020. My secondary goal was to read as many books by women and people of color as possible. I didn't do a terrible job of that-- I believe there are only two books on the list written by white men (The Blood of Emmett Till and Permission to Feel). 

My Reading Challenge Page from Goodreads

The #MeToo Reckoning: Facing the Church's Complicity in Sexual Abuse and Misconduct by Ruth Everhart

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am so grateful for the stories in this book. Ruth Everhart tells more of her story as a pastor in the church and also solicits stories from various other women to share here. The church needs to continue to talk about this issue-- especially the churches who don't think they have a problem with sexism, misogyny, and sexual abuse. It is a hard one to read, just like Ruined, but it is so important. 

The Magician's Diary by C.J. Archer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was really into this series by the end of 2019 and I liked it well enough, but sometimes when the first book in the series is so good, all the other ones fall flat. Eventually it just felt like the same story over and over again. I was waiting for the two main characters to get together and there just wasn't enough of that sexual tension resolution in it for me. 

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read this book before I went to see the movie in theaters because I had never read it before. I know that it is one of the most beloved novels ever written and I understand why, but I honestly liked the movie more. Perhaps that's just because the movie was so fantastically made. Or perhaps I could not identify with the sisters in the same way I would have been able to a few years ago. It was still a wonderful story and it is a classic that should be read by everyone. 

Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: An Introvert's Year of Living Dangerously by Jessica Pan 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It is HILARIOUS and I relate to it so deeply. She lives out several of my worst nightmares like doing stand up comedy and improv. It’s brilliant. She reads her own book, which is my favorite thing authors do. 

The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina-- Separating the Myth from the Medicine by Jennifer Gunter 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read this book in preparation for our campus ministry discussions around faith and sex during the month of February. I really thought I knew a lot about women’s health, but I learned A TON reading this! I recommend it especially to people raising girls and anyone who feels weird asking their gynecologist questions.

Yes Please by Amy Poehler 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was the exact kind of funny, charming, and sweet I needed at the time that I read it. I loved it. And I don’t even like Amy Poehler's comedy all that much. It was just the right amount of freshness to a celebrity memoir. I thought it would convince me to try Parks and Rec again. I tried. I really tried. And I still don't like that show. 

The Infinity Inside: Jewish Spiritual Practice through a Multi-faith Lens by Rabbi Laura Duhan-Kaplan 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We ordered this book as part of our curriculum for our class and study abroad in Italy that was supposed to happen in May. It is a fantastic primer to spiritual practices and I learned a lot. I find myself going back and reading parts of it even now. I'm super grateful for Rabbi Laura's voice. 

Fingerprints of Previous Owners by Rebecca Entel 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is about the local folks who work at a fancy resort and all that comes with it. However, it is a white author writing from the perspective of POC, which seems super gross. I wouldn’t have picked it out if I’d known that. It is really good storytelling, which is why it gets three stars. But it's literary Blackface, which is super weird and problematic. 

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxanne Gay 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is so hard. But it’s also really important. It addresses fatphobia, trauma, ableism, weight loss reality tv shows, and is an all-around vulnerable and enlightening memoir. I recommend it, but be sure you take your time through it.

The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was never taught about Emmett Till in school. I'd say I don't know why, but I do know why-- our education system is so white-washed that we are not even taught about some of the most important and tragic events that happen in our country. This was an incredibly difficult book to read, but I am grateful to know this story now and the impact it had on our entire world. Four stars only because it was written by a white man. 

Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We read MLK, Jr.'s letter in seminary, but I wanted to read it again as we moved into a summer that saw more Black people being slaughtered by the state. It was even more poignant than the first time I read it. I don't count it in my 50 books, because it is so short, but it was worth making the list for this year. 

From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America by Elizabeth Hinton 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Again, I wasn't taught any of this in school. This book is long and very historical, but if we are going to fight against systems of oppression like the prison industrial complex in the United States, then we have to know their origins. 

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I finished reading this one in time to wrap up Black History Month and begin Women’s History Month. This is a fantastically told story from multiple perspectives and styles. I really enjoyed it all the way through and I was glad for the happy ending. 

The Ungrateful Refugee by Dina Nayeri 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I cried through most of this book, but it was absolutely worth it. I don't even really know what to say about it. The various stories were so compelling and I am so grateful for people like Dina who share their voice with us. 

Elizabeth Warren: Her Fight. Her Work. Her Life. by Antonia Felix 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I didn't really know much about Elizabeth Warren and her life at the beginning of the election cycle and it is hard to understand the history of someone while they are running for president, so I was thankful for the chance to humanize her a bit more by listening to this biography. 

The Gifts of Imperfect Parenting: Raising Children with Courage, Compassion, and Connection by Brene Brown 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is a must-read. Especially if you have an 18 month to 20 year old child. Especially if you’re a One, Three, or Eight on the Enneagram. We can’t give our children what we don’t have. We can’t raise our children to be more shame resilient than we are. We have to journey and grow with them.

Burnout: The Secrets to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was a vicious personal attack against me and basically all my friends. I don’t know who these women think they are, but they are absolutely right and it is wildly infuriating. Please go read this immediately if you are a woman, know a woman, ever interact with a woman, have a woman for a boss or employee or colleague, or otherwise have been near a woman in any capacity.

The Social Media Gospel: Sharing the Good News in New Ways by Meredith Gould 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is already hella out of date because it was published in 2015, but it has some great pointers and advice now that almost every congregation is engaging in online community-building.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my comfort book that I try to read or listen to every year. It never disappoints me and it always gets me through any reading ruts I might encounter. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. 

Autopsy of a Boring Wife by Marie-Renee Lavoie 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rude, abrupt, and charming. I loved this short little book for its raw feelings and language. I recommend it if you’re looking for something to reset you a bit.

The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The description compared it to Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, so I was skeptical to say the least. But it has been such a beautifully woven story that I would put it on the same shelf for sure.

If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It is basically the plot of every romcom, but I find I am fully invested in Laurie and Jamie’s relationship despite myself. 🤷🏼‍♀️ The heart wants what it wants. It’s charming and a good summer read to take your mind off things, but don't expect anything profound.

The Montessori Toddler: A Parent's Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being by Simone Davies 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was surprised by how much I liked this book. Most parenting books present toddlers as problems than need to be solved. Or at least present “issues” of toddlers and offer solutions. I know it’s a basic of Montessori parenting but I was happy to hear, at every turn, toddlers are people and we must treat them as if they’re people. I immediately put away 90% of B’s toys and he was delightful yesterday. It has already changed the way I see him and talk with him. I hope we can stick to a simpler play life.

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you’re not used to listening to Black women, I recommend *listening* to this book, which is read by Bahni Turpin. I don’t think I would have read the inflections into the book if I hadn’t been listening and I think I needed it.

It’s a tough book. Well, it was for me. It put me face to face with some of my racist tendencies and unconscious actions. It convicted me, saying that talk is only the beginning. Learning is only the beginning. We must also use our bodies and dollars to be anti-racist. It helped me run through some scenarios in my head, rehearse conversations so that I will feel more comfortable saying “that is racist” when I hear it, and catching myself when I do the same.

We continue to learn because we want to care for our siblings more fully. Just like discipleship, we’ll never get it perfect, but we can work toward getting it right more often and repenting when we’re wrong.

Waking Up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I would not normally recommend reaching for white voices on the perspective of racism, but Irving offers a very gentle and accessible introduction to race and racism through her own experiences of “waking up” to her racialized world and her own biases and racism. If you have a hard time listening to passionate Black folx or if the whole conversation makes you a bit uncomfortable, this would be a good place to start your anti-racism journey.

Racism without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in the United States by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you like interview-based research, this is the book for you. It examines research from 2005 and he has added some commentary (and predictions) about the 2008 and 2016 elections. The premise is this: individual racists don’t really matter, in fact trying to weed out “the racists” is distracting to the larger problem of colorblind racism that continues to wreak havoc on our world. It’s a good read. I learned a lot and in every interview I learned more and more about my own racism and the systems from which I benefit.

One Coin Found: How God's Love Stretches to the Margins by Emmy Kegler 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

From start to finish, Pastor Emmy reignites the good news with vivid biblical imagination. She is a gift to this church. I don't have anything more to say because you really need to pick up this book and read it yourself to be blessed by it. 

Trouble I've Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism by Drew G.I. Hart 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read this book again this year. It moved me a lot more this time (I read it in seminary some 4 years ago). It is important for us to continue to listen to the stories of Black folx in the Church. Their stories are important to us and to God. If your church is on the 201-type level of anti-racism work, I recommend this memoir/theology. 

How to Lead When You Don't Know Where You're Going: Leading in a Liminal Season by Susan Beaumont 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

As the reality of the unknown future continues, I’m called again and again to stillness, discernment, and listening. I was really looking forward to this book because it had so many glowing recommendations from my colleagues, but it was just not what I needed at the time. But if you are into spiritual practices that help you slow down and discern in "still" ways, then this would be a good book for you. 

The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I like how Cone drags Reinhold Niebuhr in the beginning. He deserves it. And I loved his chapter on feminist/womanist theology. I remember reading parts of this in seminary but I don’t think I was fully ready for it. I really absorbed it this time.

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I needed something light and smutty during this week and this one did the trick. It’s the first in a series of three books and it was sufficiently sexy and clever. It’s rated R for sure, so don’t listen in the car with your children. 3/5 stars because some of the writing was cheesy and some of the dialogue felt gross in a bad way.

This is God's Table: Finding Church Beyond the Walls by Anna Woofenden 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I deeply resonate with the feelings of “I’m so tired” and “I am so full of joy” that is never ending in mission development/redevelopment. The Garden Church is what we would call “successful” in the church— something that survives the planting pastor. But it was still difficult and full of doubt. I love Pastor Anna’s honesty in all of this. I needed to read this this year. 

Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you’re feeling confused and annoyed by the various takes on Sen. Kamala Harris, this might be a good collection to dive into. Lorde has taught me so much and I am so grateful for her voice. 

When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow wow wow. I don’t even know what to say about this memoir. If you believe that the BLM movement is a terrorist organization, I’d invite you to understand its origins by reading this book. It has convicted me even more to stand up and say #BlackLivesMatter.

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

It was good— I didn’t think it was as good as The Kiss Quotient, but it was still cute.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I had no idea what this book was about but I kept hearing that it was so good, so I got it from the library. I don’t usually do horror but holy cow this was so good. It had really amazing twists and it kept me engaged until the very last page. Dang. It is so good. 

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I didn't love this book as much as I loved Adeyemi's first book, but it was still really wonderful. It kept me turning the page and I am so glad I finally picked it up again. 

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I missed this very popular book three years ago when it came out but I’m glad I finally read it. I found it be an accessible book that touches on the complexity of being Black in America. I’m thankful for the perspective and, as always, for Bahni Turpin for her performance of this novel.

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I know others have said it before but it’s worth repeating: this is perhaps the most important book of the decade. There are not enough good things to say about it. I learned so much and feel so blessed to have it recommended to me by so many.

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow wow wow wow wow. I loved this novel. Everything about it. It made me laugh and cry and long for more. It was absolute perfection. It is definitely the religious fiction novel I'll be recommending for years to come. 

Untamed by Glennon Doyle 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is probably my favorite book that can be considered “self-help-ish.” (Besides all things Brene Brown.) It’s memoir and wisdom fantastically combined. Her unique story doesn’t make her words any less universal. I wrote several things on sticky notes and pasted them to my sewing wall. I’m grateful for this book right now.

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is another one that has been on my list for a while. It is fantastic and heartbreaking. I’m so glad I listened to it. I highly recommend it.

Oh Crap! Potty Training: Everything Modern Parents Need to Know to Do It Once and Do It Right by Jamie Glowacki 

⭐️⭐️

Well, I found my least favorite book of the year. I’m sure her method works (I’ve heard nothing but good things about this book), but the way this book is written is the most condescending nonsense I have ever read. I’ve read lots of books by experts in many different fields and not one of them was written like this. Yuck. 

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I did not know that it is actually a dystopian novel set in California about 4 years from now. Yikes. But as soon as I started, I knew I would have to follow Lauren’s story to the end. When the world starts collapsing in on itself, I hope to be like her: resourceful, compassionate, vulnerable, and tough. I hope we can all be more like her.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was unexpected in a number of ways: 1) it was nice to immerse myself in a world where the first woman was elected as the 45th POTUS. 2) this book was much sexier than I thought it would be. I’m not complaining, but I was surprised! 3) the last chapter of this book made me sob with hope and it is kind of exactly what I needed. I loved it. 

No Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Unlike the last parenting book, I really enjoyed this one! I really enjoyed the realistic examples and the re-definition of “discipline” that fits our family and parenting style well. No guilt or shame in this book— just really good suggestions. I think it would even be great for people with older kiddos.

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It is no secret that I adore Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing and I’m not sure anything can ever measure up to it. But this novel is absolutely gorgeous. It is a coming of age in grief and faith. It was exactly what I needed. I loved it. And, of course, I can listen to Bahni Turpin read just about anything at all. 

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love a good enemy-to-lovers novel. And I love witches and magic, so this really fit into my favorite things. The story is good and interesting, with some good twists and turns that I probably could have predicted if I had been paying better attention. 

Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This one didn't move quite as fast at the first one did, but it was still enjoyable. I'll be looking forward to the next one as well, just to see where the story goes. 

Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive by Marc Brackett 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was one of the exceptions to “no reading white dudes” this year because the author’s conversation with Brene Brown really captured me. This is the kind of book another PhD would like— it’s pretty research heavy. But it’s also important. If you’re already convinced that social/emotional intelligence and learning are important, you can probably skip the first three chapters. Otherwise, I found it helpful to put a language to something I already feel is vitally important for our young people and all of our leaders. 

What God does next - Redeemer Episcopal Church

 Luke 2:1-20

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. ²This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³All went to their own towns to be registered. ⁴Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. ⁵He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.⁶While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

⁸In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” ¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

_______________

we believe in a God who transcends time and space. This sermon was originally preached in a certain time and place for a certain community, but I hope that it might have a word to share with you here. You can read the transcript below or listen to the unedited recording of the sermon at this link. 

Let us pray. God who chooses to be with us, to live among us, and put on flesh— remind us of this radical act of love for your people and help us to listen to those who proclaim it. Amen.

What brings you here, to this place today?  What brings you here?  Have you come to see the Messiah?  Are you here to experience the birth of a long-awaited and promised king?  

Are you driven by curiosity, and you’re here to see for yourself if the good news is true?  Are you here by routine, because this is what you always do for Christmas?  

What brings you here today? Are you forced to be present at the nativity, by coercion or guilt or appeasement of a loved one? Why are you here?

There is very little doubt as to what this service is about. And who it is that we are waiting for and why we are celebrating today.

Perhaps you know this story by heart, or at least parts of it— the parts of it that have been captured by the most popular songs and hymns on the radio. It’s the story we know because it has been told and retold in movies and children’s plays. For the most part, we know about the census, stable, the bands of cloth, the manger, and shepherds.

Christianity has been at the forefront of this country long enough that even if you weren’t raised in the Christian tradition, there’s a good chance you know what Christmas is all about. 

Even in this past week, I thought “oh this is the story everyone knows. With the shepherds and angels, blah blah blah.” Seriously. I thought “blah blah blah” about this story. The story that we read every Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. But that’s how familiar we are with this story. At a certain point, we must wonder— why do we keep coming back each Christmas to hear it again? 

Perhaps that *is* the lure for us. As our world continues to be unpredictable year after year, as our lives become disrupted by the next gadget or pandemic or crisis or natural disaster, we are desperately searching for something that feels familiar. We long to cling to a piece of the story that doesn’t change, that won’t ever change. Perhaps that’s why we come back year after year to hear this story again and again. 

My fear is that this story has become so familiar to most of us that we don’t really listen anymore. Think about it again… when the gospel was read, did you really listen to the story? Did you catch all of the details? 

Did you hear that God doing something new? 

Did you hear God being quietly subversive in the midst of this familiar story? 

Did you hear our surprising God doing something unexpected?

Everything about the incarnation and the nativity is new, subversive, wild, and exactly what we should always expect of our unmovable and unchanging God. Everything about Christmas is exactly what we should expect from God. 

Perhaps that is what makes this story feel less wild to us. We have an entire history of God lifting up the youngest, the lowly, the forgotten, the ones that the world would shun. We have an entire anthology of stories that we call the Bible that is about God doing this very thing throughout history… surprising God’s people with newness, with better, with liberation and freedom. This is what God has always done, this is what God did in the the birth of Christ Jesus, and this is what God continues to do today. 

…

The very fact that God chose to come into this world to be among us at all is absolutely mind-boggling. But if we listen closely, we can hear how each part of this story is revolutionary.

God chose a nobody family from a no-where town. An unwed young woman and her fiancé. God chose scandal right at the first inklings of the incarnation. God chose the body of a tiny, vulnerable baby instead of the body of mighty warrior. God chose to be here among the animals, to sleep in a manger. To be with the outsiders in a strange city.  

God chose shepherds, the dirtiest, smelliest, lowliest of the working class to be the first to witness the newborn king. They would be the messengers who begin spreading the good news to the entire world. And the people believed them and they were amazed. 

Again and again, God surprises us by using the lowliest, the dirtiest, the forgotten, the youngest, and the ones that the rest of society would so often shun to bring the good news of Christ Jesus into the world. That is God’s subversive, incredible, grace-filled message this day— that God continues to work through these people today. The real question is whether or not we will listen. 

Will we hear what God is saying in the story of Christ’s birth? Will we believe the young unwed family asking for help? Will we be surprised and amazed by the love God outpours in the very act of coming into this world as a tiny baby? Will we listen to the shepherds who proclaim this good news and be reminded of God’s devotion to even those we have forgotten? Will we read this story one more time and be prepared for what God is doing next? 

Because, dear ones, what God is doing next is going to surprise even those of us who are most familiar with this story. What God is doing next is going to be even more wonderful and holy than we could ever imagine. What God is doing next will be exactly like the first Christmas morning— altogether wild and unpredictable and it will completely change the world. So let’s continue to come back to listen to this familiar story that we might be prepared for what God does next. Amen.

Mary's Song - Jubilee Collective

Luke 1:26-38 

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

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This sermon was originally preached for a certain context and for a certain people, but we believe that God transcends time and space, so I hope that this sermon might speak to you here in this place as well. You can read the sermon below, or you can watch & listen to the sermon at this link. 

Let us pray. God, who was formed in the womb of a woman, give us the strength and audacity to repeat Mary’s song as a warning to the oppressive powers and as a reminder to ourselves what your presence among us truly means. Amen.

To put it plainly, the Church has a terrible history of not listening to the stories of women. From the very beginning of God’s people recording history, women’s stories have been truncated, left out, amended, and altogether ignored. This is especially true when the woman might put those who would call themselves God’s people in an unfavorable light. After all, it was the men who told and retold the stories, it was the men who began writing them down, and the men who read them aloud to groups of… other men. It is no wonder that the voices of women have been lost and purposely left out of most our religious history.

Especially the voices of young, unmarried women. Especially, especially the voices of young, unmarried, pregnant women. 

That’s what makes this Sunday’s story such an incredible one to me. It is an absolute wonder that we even know this part of the story of the incarnation. It is an absolute wonder that Mary’s story was even recorded in the first place and that we are able to hear it and tell it again every year at this time. 

Mary wouldn’t have recorded this story herself, and Mary seems to be alone when this episode with the angel happens… so how could this story be around today? When I tell you it is a miracle, I mean it. I have been part of the Church long enough to know that even when a woman holds certain types of power and privilege, she is still less likely to be believed than a man. Pick up any #MeToo or #ChurchToo books or blog posts and we will learn that this silencing has been happening for centuries and continues today. Even the most convincing and evidence-based stories are often dismissed or covered up if they might harm the powerful, most especially the powerful men. 

But… that doesn’t seem to happen here. Mary has this wild story of an angel visiting her and announcing the coming of a new king and presumably she tells others— her mother and father, perhaps? Her betrothed, Joseph? 

God is doing something new and interesting even at the first inklings of the incarnation. Despite the patriarchal world in which she was entrenched, in the very first flutter of becoming human, God gives Mary a voice. A voice that is heard. And believed. At least by enough folks to make it into Luke’s gospel account. 

This young woman, who comes from a no-where place like Nazareth, who is unmarried and now pregnant— this is on whom God places the hinge of all creation, to carry God’s very flesh and blood into the world. 

And we believe her. It is one of the core tenets of Jesus’ revelation— that Mary was a virgin and visited by an angel and became pregnant with our God. We believe this story that no one else witnessed, that she then goes and tells Elizabeth, her cousin. But then again, it doesn’t add up that the church would believe the testimony of this young unmarried pregnant woman about her own purity, when we know the Church today is so quick to place shame and guilt on the backs of the young pregnant women today. 

What changed? I don’t think we have to look far. I think Mary’s compliance changed. In the beginning of this story, we hear what sounds like a gentle, quiet, acquiescing Mary, who complies with the desires of the creator. An obedient woman, a good woman. But only ten verses later, Mary sounds less like an obedient girl and more like a revolutionary mother. Her famous song, sung in the presence of her aunt Elizabeth, calls down the powers that have pretended to align themselves with God for centuries. Suddenly this God-bearer, a woman, has found her voice and proclaims the greatness of God and the weakness of man. 

This Mary, who would likely go home to her family and friends and be shamed for being a pregnant, unmarried young woman, put those very same people to shame in her song. She proclaims the turning of the world from those who have long been in power, to the weakest, the hungriest, those that the empire have used, trodden, and forgotten. People who look like her. I don’t think the Magnificat is was sung in longing comforting lullaby voice or even to a jolly tune. It sounds much more to me like the beginning of a battle cry, a tune that would help steel herself up for the coming abuse from those around her. It is a warning, more than a hope. A promise, more than an anticipation. She is proclaiming what she knows to be true about herself and about the God who she carries within her very body. 

And as the empire has continued to lure the Church into compliance, wrapping its tendrils of white supremacy and power around this gospel, it is no wonder that the Church would shut its ears to Mary’s song. Because we know that Mary’s song is not just a threat to them— the folks in DC or the lobbyists or the Jeff Bezos of the world— but Mary’s song is a threat to the very institution of the Church under which we worship. It is a threat to whatever power and privilege we have been able to grasp through the years. And we don’t want to listen. 

So it really is no wonder that the church has some issues with listening to young women. When the song of this young woman is a threat to its cohabitation with the empire and the powers of this world. When we read it again, we can see the shift so naturally— from a compliant little girl to the truth-telling young mother of God. In God’s presence, in the knowing that comes from being intimately connected with God, she has a message for the most powerful and we don’t want to hear it. 

But we must. We must listen to the stories of young women, especially to the stories of young women who the church would say are defiled and impure, shameful or unworthy. We are called to hear the stories of the people who the Church would cast out and put aside. Because they are God-bearers. And they are the ones who have shown us, do show us, and will show us, with no embellishments, what the Kingdom of God is like. 

From the Magnificat to the resurrection, we have done a good job of not believing the women closest to our God, the women who showed up and worked hardest, the women who will continue to do the back-breaking work of labor and deliverance. Why? Because it’s easier that way. It’s easier to deny the truth that these women profess, instead of coming face to face with the reality that Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection actually means something for us, right now today. It is easier to view Christmas as a neatly wrapped manger scene than the beginning of a revolution. But in the coming weeks, when we hear the story of a newborn king coming into this world in the most unexpected ways, I hope that we will remember that this is only the beginning of what God has in store for us, this is only the first fruits of the wild party that God will set before us in the coming of the Kingdom. For now, we wait and listen for the invitation, because it will come from the voices of the young women.