Let It Be

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.