Finding Holy Family
Presley Thomas
Day 1 of 5: Holding Difficult Truth — Mary
But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
—Luke 1:29-31 (NRSV)
Before the Nativity story, before Christmas, before Advent—there was just Mary—a young teenager, alone and afraid, not knowing what to do with the knowledge of her pregnancy. The angel Gabriel says to her and us, “Do not be afraid.”
We have all been afraid. As queer people, we may have fear about the oftentimes difficult truth of our sexual/gender identity. The nature of our love may exist outside of bounds we were taught to value, and we may have other fears that flow from that realization.
When we learn a difficult truth about ourselves that is hard to hold, it’s important to find a container for it. The angel gave Mary a container of faith in which she could place her difficult truth. It is a faith so big, it can be a container for your truth, as well, as you may wrestle with your queerness and how it might change the way you experience family.
The queerness of the Mary’s story is indisputable—a non-earthly conception that led to Mary’s pregnancy and the non-traditional formation of the Holiest Family. So from Mary’s example, we know that we are not alone in the queerness of our own stories, no matter how difficult our truths may be. The angel Gabriel’s appearance brought Mary a difficult truth that she agreed to receive, but she was also given a container to help hold that truth—one that wasn’t shame or hopelessness or fear, but a fruition of God’s promise. A gift for the whole world.
A Prayer for Holding Difficult Truths:
LORD, help us in the declarations we hold. Told and untold. Bring comfort and strength this season. Whether we need to hold onto what we have been given at this time, or whether we need to be bolder. May we follow the Holy Spirit’s urging to know who we are and the revelations you give us. AMEN.
Presley Thomas