Reading
for Feast of St. Mary/C: Luke 1:46-55
August 15, 2004
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." [Lk. 1]
Today is the feast day of St. Mary the Virgin. Within the Episcopal Church there are varying opinions and a wide spectrum of belief about the person and nature of Mary. For some (especially those in the Anglo-Catholic tradition), Mary is praised as the Holy Mother of God, the Mother of Divine Grace, the Virgin most faithful, the Queen of the angels, apostles, and saints, the Lady of Guadalupe and the Lady of Lourdes, the Queen of Peace, the Comforter of the Afflicted, the Refuge of sinners, and the Mother of Love. For others (especially those with a rational Protestant bent), Mary is simply the mother of Jesus, a humble and faithful Jew who said yes to God. Whatever ideas you may have about Mary, wherever you are on your journey of faith, you are welcomed here at St. Jude's. In my sermon today, I will use Marian language to help us gain an understanding, not so much of Mary per se, but rather how God is revealed in Mary.
But first, let me address some of the obstacles that some of you very rational, Protestants might have regarding St. Mary. There are three doctrines about Mary that seem to be stumbling blocks to many folks. They are:
These are all theological statements that speak to Mary's relationship with the holy. They are not biological statements that are meant to close our minds to the laws of nature. Since the doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption are not found in Scripture nor are they part of the Episcopal Tradition, I will focus on the theology of the virginal conception for a brief moment.
The virginal conception is the belief that Mary conceived Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, without sexual intercourse with a man. How is this possible? With God, all things are possible. Does this belief go against our medical understanding of how a child is conceived? This is not a biological statement about obstetrics but rather a theological statement about Jesus' relationship to God. What does this mean theologically? It means that Jesus is intimately related to God from the start. Have other women experienced virginal conceptions throughout history? This is an unusual (if not unique) event although many women have had a virginal conception through in vitro fertilization and will in the future, through cloning. Do we have to believe in this doctrine in order to be faithful? Faith is not about belief in beings. Faith is an orientation of the heart, mind, body, and soul towards God. Faith is trust in the power and presence of God to transform lives.
So, if the doctrine of the virginal conception increases your faith in the power and presence of God to transform lives, then hold it dear. You are aware that with God all things are possible. If this doctrine does not increase your faith in the power and presence of God to transform lives, then let it be. Faith is not about doing mental gymnastics in order to be theologically correct. Faith is an opportunity to have abundant life. Remember, the goal of our religious path is to lead us from a place of fear to a place of love. St. Mary is an embodiment of that unconditional love that has been and continues to be revealed to us.
Specific information about Mary is limited in the Scriptures. Mary was an insignificant young girl, from an insignificant town, located in an insignificant province of the Roman Empire, who was engaged to an insignificant carpenter. Nothing about their circumstances would have led anyone to suspect the role they would play in God's plan of salvation (i.e. the healing of humanity). Mary is a prime example of a faithful servant of God who said yes to God at an incredible risk to herself. She became a vital instrument in the history of human salvation. There is nothing sweet or romantic about the life of Mary, although she is often portrayed in art as a pretty young woman, wearing a pretty blue robe, surrounded by pretty angels and flowers. The story about Mary is so familiar that we let its familiarity mask its scandal. What is that scandal? While Mary was considered "the favored one," the one chosen by God, the truth is that she had a child out of wedlock who was later executed as a criminal. Imagine being a parent who has watched the beloved child being tortured and killed?
Today, many assume that those whom God favors will enjoy health, wealth, good looks, and social prestige. But these attributes have never been the essence of God's blessings. The healing of the human race is! Mary exemplifies what it means "to be blessed by God" in the words of the Magnificat that were read in today's gospel: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoiced in God my Savior. For he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things and holy is his name. God has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty." [Lk.1:49-53]
These are prophetic words that challenge the American Dream. What do they tell us about being blessed or favored by God? The words of the Magnificat tell us that whenever we become agents of God's love, whenever we strive for justice, peace, and the dignity of every human being, then God has truly blessed us. These can be difficult words especially for those new to the faith or those sitting on the fence.
I would like to now transition from the scriptural aspects of Mary to the mystical (i.e. the deeper realms of faith where the power of the Holy Spirit has a profound effect on the transformation of lives). The Holy Spirit is God at work in the world who leads us into all truth and enables us to grow in the likeness of Christ. Sometimes, the Holy Spirit enlightens us through the spirit of historical people who have had a profound effect on the course of human history. St. Mary is one of those people. There is a thin space between the presence and spirit of those who are living and those who are deceased. Perhaps there is someone in your life who has died and yet whose spirit continues to have a profound influence over you. Such is the case of St. Mary in the lives of many devout people. Mary's spirit has inspired people, throughout the centuries, to wake up and to become a living force of love in the world. Her message is one of compassion, grace, peace, hope, and insight to those who have been disillusioned by the powers of the world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God.
The socially minded skeptic will interpret these experiences of St. Mary as superstition, hysteria, clerical manipulation, or the opium of the masses. But those pilgrims who do hold Mary in high regard and go to places like Lourdes, Fatima, Loreto, or Guadalupe, all come back saying this one thing: The world is full of grace; it is grace-filled.
While I have never had a personal experience of the Holy Spirit through the image of Mary, I have been deeply touched by the reports of those who have. Whether these pilgrims have petitioned for health, or have expressed their faith in times of political and cultural crises, their petitions have all implied that "things do not have to be this way." I whole-heartedly agree. Things do not have to be this way! There is a means of healing from this chaotic, disillusioned, alienating, and painful existence on earth. Healing is possible for all of God's creation. This is the primary message of St. Mary. We can become recipients of healing or agents of healing. We simply need to humbly submit our heart, mind, body, and soul to God in Christ. When we (like Mary) proclaim, "let it be according to thy word," when we say yes to God, then we become agents of healing, recipients of transformation, and messengers of hope and grace. It is then we can sing: "My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."
There is so much hurt and disorientation in the world; many problems, and much loneliness and depression. So if you ever have the privilege of hearing a grace-filled voice in the context of Marian imagery, a voice which speaks of unconditional love, healing, understanding, forgiveness, humility, and service, then listen very carefully. It could be an opportunity to walk through the door of abundant life.
"Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus."
| Updated 8/20/04 |
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