Mary The Prophet

Mary is very important to the story of Jesus. Because, she is one of us. And that makes her different from her Son enough to make her more relatable to encourage us to be more Christian. This is the theme of my sermon from this past Sunday. How does that work? I does not work in the way tradition has given us.

Who She Is

Historically, we Protestants have gotten away from Mary. Talking about Mary seems too Catholic for us. We are not sure what to say about her. We know what we don’t want to say. Protestants not say Mary is some how a mediator between us and her Son.  Protestants do not hold to the idea that she remained a virgin all her life. Nor do we believe Mary was born following an Immaculate Conception where she did not have the taint of sin. We believe Mary was one of us.

“She is the first Christian,” some argue. “She was the first to accept the story.”  That is one way to look at her. I don’t phrase it that way. I believe we are talking about an Israelite woman who lived the same hard life as most women in her area and time did. And like other people she asked what God was doing. Unlike others, she got a direct answer. It was an answer that demanded a lot from her.

Trusting God

There is another story about the mother of a son who was a specific gift from God. Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel promises God that she will dedicate her son to God’s service. The price of the promise is, Samuel is raised by the High Priest. She sees him once a year to bring him gifts she has made for him. But she does this because she has the faith that God is good.

She says, “The LORD makes poor and makes rich: he brings low, he also exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust: he lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor.” (1Samuel 2:7-8a) Samuel was a great prophet who united the Israelite tribes and anointed Kings Saul and David. But his mother Hannah also acted as a prophet. The first qualification of a prophet is trusting God

Mary’s Song

            Mary’s song has been sung almost every day for two thousand years. The Episcopal Church’s Book of Common Prayer offers it for every evening prayer time. It is a reminder at the end of the day that God overcomes everything we are concerned about or afraid of.

Mary’s song is given as a response to the words of Elizabeth (1:44-45). Mary spoke; Elizabeth heard her greeting; and the baby Elizabeth was carrying responded. It is a common reaction. A young woman in a church I once served told me that her unborn baby would settle down during the sermon time at church. After, he was born he did the same thing. I wasn’t sure how to take that because it sounded like I was able to put the kid to sleep before he was born. But she experienced a crisis pregnancy. When she told me all the terrible things the doctors said might happen to her child, I prayed with her and even anointed her. She calmed down. And I persuaded the congregation to help fund her trips to Nashville to see the specialists. She would talk to me when she picked up the money.

She called me during her last trip to Nashville. “Pastor Don, the doctor said we should plan for a funeral because the baby may not survive.” I replied, I will start planning for a funeral. But I would also plan for the child to be baptized. The baby survived. And some weeks later, I baptized him.

I tell this story because Elizabeth has provided Mary with assurance and shelter. Mary has found her time to rest and now she speaks her praise to God. Just like when time is taken (sometimes stolen back) from the turmoil of the day, this prayer is offered daily.

God My Savior

Mary begins, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” Samuel’s mother Hannah begins her song in a similar way, “My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is exalted in my God.” She says her victory is in God. Mary says her savior is God.

We usually use the word savior to refer to Jesus and specifically to being saved from our sins. Mary doesn’t mention that. When she refers to God being her savior, she is saying something astonishing is taking place. “He has shown strength in his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. God 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.”

Mary would have been about as welcome in the Temple at this point as Jesus is some thirty years later. I get the impression that she would overturn the tables of the money changers and make a whip of cords to scatter them too. Like mother, like Son. It’s a good thing Elizabeth’s husband, Zechariah the priest can’t say anything. He may have had somethings explained to him.

Mary is prophesying of a new world being born in the judgement of an old one. She lives in a world where there is law but no justice. There are plenty of would-be saviors but no salvation. There are promises but no peace.

Not Just His Mother

            A co-worker once asked, “Why do some people name churches after Mary and make a big deal about her? She was just Jesus’ mother.” I thought, “Un, huh, go home and say, Mom I am a great guy and you’re just my mother.” No extra cornbread for you.

Mary is the mother of our Messiah. She raised him. She deserves respect and honor for that. But before then, she was God’s faithful prophet and carried the divine word in more ways than one. This is a fact that should not be forgotten.