I invite you this morning to put yourself into the place of Jeremiah and Mary. Both young, both visited by messengers carrying the word of the Lord, both filled with fear from those words.
In Jeremiah’s case, we see the word of the Lord 
coming down to him to tell him that he is to be a prophet and to speak to the nations. Wait a minute Jeremiah says – I am only a child. I don’t know and would not know how to speak what you are asking me to speak. I am only a child and I am filled with fear at the thought of doing this. Why are you asking me? How can I possibly say yes? Would you say yes? Would you be trembling with fear?
Let’s look at Mary’s story. She is young and engaged to be married. She is confused, troubled by the request of her – hey favored one – God is asking you to bear the Son of the Most High – the Son of God. No wonder she trembles with confusion and fear. No wonder she is shaken and thrown off balance.
She has courage though – just as Jeremiah had courage to say back – I am only a child – I can’t do what you ask. Mary has the courage to ask: How will this happen since I haven’t had sexual relations with a man. I wonder if she was also thinking – why me? Why are asking me of all people? How can I possibly say yes? Would you say yes? Would you be trembling with fear?
Now in both of these call stories, God is asking someone to do something that, let’s face it, would be hard to say yes to. Fear I think is a natural response to these requests – fear is what they exhibit. But notice their fear is acknowledged by the messenger. Again, just as we saw last week, expressing fear doesn’t bring condemnation, reprimand, judgement, or argument.
The feeling of fear is acknowledged as a perfectly legitimate reaction to the request. Fear expressed is not fear buried or unattended to. Fear expressed can help protect us, but it can also lead us to transformation which is what happens for both Jeremiah and Mary.
Jeremiah hears: Do not be afraid – I am with you and I will give you the words. Jeremiah says yes.
Mary hears: I will give you your cousin Elizabeth to be your companion in your early days of pregnancy – just as Elizabeth is experiencing pregnancy. At Elizabeth’s Mary will find companionship and protection. Unmarried but engaged, and now pregnant, Mary quite likely would have been looked down on and shunned – what a wonderful opportunity for her to go to Elizabeth. Mary says yes.
There is such hope and trust in finding the courage to say yes in the face of fear. Jeremiah and Mary found courage through the reassurance that God provided through words and actions. Through the promise that God will be with them as they live out their call. Doesn’t mean there won’t be pain or fear or disappointment – but what it does mean is that God will not leave them to live out their call alone. Jeremiah and Mary teach us to have courage and not be afraid to say yes because God did not leave their side and will not leave ours. God will be with us.
Reverend Boyung Lee in her commentary for this week writes this: “Too often, dominant Christianity defines courage through heroic masculinity – loud, bold, certain. But Mary and Jeremiah model a different kind of courage: the courage to ask questions, to hesitate, to need more time, to take just one uncertain step. And they do not walk alone…we are not meant to walk forward alone.”
What fear are we carrying today? What call do we hear from God that we are resisting because of fear or hopelessness or a feeling of inadequacy? Can we hear the words – do not be afraid – I am with you – I will give you the words – I will not leave you alone – and find the courage to say yes in the face of our fears? Can we embody the hope and trust in saying yes even when we tremble with fear? Even with what we are being asked is so very hard for us?
I imagine it was hard for Jeremiah as a child to say yes to being a prophet who will speak to the nations! I imagine it was hard for Mary to say yes (we love to think of her as meek and mild – I think of her as fierce and fiery) I’ll carry this child. Yes is what they said – their embodied hope and trust in this God who loved them so deeply carried them through. Their yes came because they were able to acknowledge that fear, have it validated and hear the words “do not be afraid.”
May we find the courage to express our fear, have it validated and still hear the words do not be afraid, as we contemplate the call on our lives as this community of faith. Where might God be leading? Where might God be calling? Let us listen attentively even through our fear.
I want to end with this breath prayer offered by Cole Arthur Riley from her book Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Mediations for Staying Human (New York; Convergent, 2024), 104.
INHALE: I will not be silenced by fear.
EXHALE: A quivering voice is still sacred.
INHALE: God, my soul trembles.
EXHALE: Steady me in your arms.
May we find the courage to say yes in the face of fear.