One of my favourite works of art is a sculpture by the famous French artist, Rodin.  It is called The Cathedral and it is a carving of two hands, pointing upwards to form a kind of Gothic Arch - rather like the ones which surround us here in this building.  Because of this Rodin called it The Cathedral.  It is a remarkably small and delicate sculpture, which was a bit of a departure for Rodin who rather liked carving larger than life figures.

The Cathedral is a very gentle and prayer-like.  Indeed, it reminds me of that other famous sculpture by Albrecht Durer, known as The Praying Hands which is often used as an illustration of prayer.  Durer's hands are clasped together in the pose much favoured by my school teachers as they said: Now then, hands together, eyes closed, which was a signal that we should adopt a holy posture and a reverent demeanour.  Hands were firmly pressed together and eyes screwed tightly shut.  It was, I remember, rather important to adopt this pose because any deviation from it generally brought forth the sanction employed skilfully by Mrs Hall as she wielded a heavy ruler to good effect.

Rodin's Cathedral differs from such a pose in two important respects.  The hands do not actually touch and seem to be in the act of moving gently towards each other.  There is a vulnerability and even a hesitancy about them.  The other difference is that they are two right hands.  The suggestion is of prayer, as Rodin intended but it is a prayer which is a dialogue between two people - ourself and, of course, God.  As such it is a powerful image of the way we reach out to God and how God reaches out to us - with gentleness and a sense of exploration.  He seeks us but he does not seize us.  He beckons us to touch Him but he does not clasp us violently.  The Cathedral is not about a hearty handshake.   It is a slightly hesitant offering.   The fingers on each hand seem about to touch, but there is the possibility that they might, at the last moment pull away. 

The Cathedral becomes a symbol of how God often deals with us and nowhere is that more evident than in The Annunciation which forms our Gospel today.   Luke gives us an amazing encounter between God's messenger, the Archangel Gabriel, and a simple but devout Jewish maiden, Mary.  What we read is of a gently but vital meeting between God and one whom He has chosen for the most special co-operation between himself and humanity that there has every been.

The first thing to note, from Luke's account, is the complete lack of surprise on Mary's part that, quite suddenly, unannounced, and angel pops in to see her.  One wonders if we should be so unperturbed if, at this moment, an angel suddenly appeared to us.  But then, unlike Mary, schooled in Old Testament visions of angels popping up all over the place, we have become rather sceptical.   Some, I suspect, have doubts about angels, at least as physical realities bothering with human beings.  We are happy to leave them carefully confined within the pages of the Bible or in the realms of fantasy. 

Mary's angel was very courteous.   He greeted her rather nicely as he told her that she was favoured by God.   Only then did Mary show any reaction.   Luke says that she was  perplexed and wondered why Gabriel should suggest that she had a special favouritism in God's eyes. The angel addresses her perplexity with gentleness.  The mission is too important for God to risk that Mary  might withdraw her co-operation.   As with Rodin's Cathedral he moves cautiously towards her.  Gabriel reassures her - "Don't be afraid."  Then, without further hesitation, Gabriel reveals the purpose of his visit.  Out it pours - almost breathlessly - she was to conceive within her womb a Son who would be called Jesus and who would bring in the Kingdom of God and who would be King over all human hearts.  

Having delivered his message, Gabriel waited and Mary hesitate.  It was, after all, a rather incredible message not least because, as Mary was quick to point out, she wasn't actually married and was still a virgin.  Her hand is close to withdrawal.  Gabriel senses this and quickly counters her uncertainty.  "The Holy Spirit will come upon you" - God's power will overshadow and the child will be holy - indeed will be the Son of God.  Mary's Jewish schooling would readily understand that the Spirit plays a significant role in the history of Israel and especially in the critical moments of the story of God' people, but in case she was tempted to withdraw again, Gabriel clinched the deal.  Her cousin Elizabeth was pregnant too.   The future John the Baptist was already forming in her womb.   Yet she had been regarded as barren.  Mary knew this.  The women were very close.   It was to Elizabeth that she was about to go with her own news - seemingly before she bothered to tell Joseph!  Then came the punch-line -"Nothing will be impossible with God."  Mary's fingers reached out carefully towards God - Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according o your word."  Mary's YES.  Her fingers entwined around God's.  His plan for the Salvation of the world could begin.   Gabriel had done his job well.

As some of you know, I have spent a great deal of my ministry involved with the Vocation of others - those who would offer themselves to God for some particular ministry, and in all his vocational work I have to come to realize that the Annunciation is an absolute classic account of God's call and our response.  It has all the ingredients of God's search for our co-operation in his plan for ht world's salvation.  It has a pattern which many who have come to offer themselves to God will readily recognize.

There are 8 parts to his pattern.

FIRST - there is Intrusion - the angel enters Mary's life.

SECONDLY - there is Greeting - God makes himself known.

THIRDLY - there is Uncertainty - Mary was perplexed or as some translations have it more emphatically - greatly troubled.

FOURTHLY - there is Reassurance - God calms Mary's fears

FIFTHLY - there is the Call itself - God reveals to Mary what he wants her to do

SIXTHLY- there is Incredulity - How can this be?

SEVENTHLY - there is the Promise from God - He will act through His Holy Spirit who will make even impossible things possible.

FINALLY - there is Response - Mary's 'Yes' to God.

This Pattern can be seen in almost any Call from God to individuals to serve Him in s come particular way.  Whenever God wants us to do something - or become something - he will reach out and make himself known.  This comes through various signs.  Teresa of Avila says:

This Lord of ours is so anxious that we should desire Him and strive after His companionship that He calls us ceaselessly, time after time ...  His appeals come through the conversations of good people, or from sermons, or through the reading of good books; and there are many other ways ... in which God calls us ... through sickness and trials or by means of truths which God teaches us at times when we are engaged in prayer; however feeble such prayers may be.

She goes on to say that we don't always respond to God's call when we first hear it but, she adds,

His Majesty is quite prepared to wait for many days and even years.

Inevitably, when God reaches out to us in this way we are filled with uncertainty - perhaps even anxiety - but God has a way of calming our fears, if we let him. 

The Call is often to some particular service - of the kind which our Faith & Skills Audit has suggested or it may be that he doesn't want us to do anything, but to become something - more loving, more prayerful, more open to others, more content with who we are and with what we are doing with our life.   In every Call from God there is always the call to become more truly ourself - to become the person God longs us to be - which is bound up with becoming more like Jesus Christ.

Often our natural reaction to God's call is to protest that it isn't possible - we aren't up to it; there are hundreds of reasons why he shouldn't choose us.  God counters this with the Promise that we never have to do things in our own strength - His Holy Spirit is always with us.  We can be assured that whatever strength we need, God will supply; whatever gift we need, God will show us that we already have it.   This process may take place instantly as with Mary or it may take months or years as Teresa of Avila suggests but, unless we are constantly trying to run away from God there comes a point when we say 'Yes' to Him and when we do, all sorts of possibilities happen, including a calming of our struggle and an eagerness to serve Him.

If Rodin's Cathedral can be a symbol of the gentle but decisive encounter between God and Mary so it can be seen as God's encounter and involvement with us.  He is patient and He is also vulnerable.  WE might still deny him.  As He reaches towards us, we might still draw back.   We might not, in the end, share in the work he longs for us to do - which is part of his vast plan to bring the world into his Kingly rule of Love. 

Faith and Skills Audits may help some to accept God's Call to them.  Fro others it might actually frighten them.  How can they possibly give more to God? How can busy people be expected to do more?  Well maybe it isn't always about doing more or giving more.   Perhaps it is about recognising what we already give and do and realising that we have been a part of God's plan all along.   Perhaps it's about doing what we do with more love; more faith.

Whatever - one thing is certain.   Mary was called to be the Christ-bearer - giving birth to Him for the world's sake.  So, too, God calls each of us to be Christ-bearers in our own lives - not physically, but spiritually.   We are called to be loving and faithful signs of Christ's presence in a world in need of salvation.  God is depending on us.   He waits vulnerably for our fingers to entwine with His - He waits for our YES.  At Christmas, thanks to Mary, He says His Yes to us.   How do you respond?