“IT MEANS JESUS IS GOD”
Saint Luke 1. 46-55
Saint Mary Mother of God [transferred]: 14 August Anno Domini 2011
Fr Watson, S.S.P.
In 1970 Paul McCartney wrote a famous song titled 'Let it Be.' And though the author explained it was about personal things in his life and was not about anything religious, the lyrics do illustrate a Biblical truth:
"When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom- 'let it be.'"
You dear brothers and sisters find yourselves in trouble-constantly. You are sick and getting sicker due to the "wages of sin"-your sin. Your relationships with others are not as they should be (as the Lord says THEY MUST BE for you to live) due to the things you've done and the things you've failed to do. Your love for the Lord has faltered and you have rejected His Word. "Fast falls the even-tide; the darkness deepens; change and decay in all around I see" [TLH 552] are but daily observations of the trouble your sin has produced for the world, and for you.
Mother Mary comes to you only insofar as the Holy Scriptures come to you. Unlike other communions, we bind ourselves only to the revelations of Scripture. Saint Mary of Nazareth is our "Mother" the way Saint Eve is our Mother (and Saint Sarah wife of "Father" Abraham). As Paul tells Timothy, that he, Paul, is Timothy's "Father" in the Faith, we too acknowledge and confess that we have had many Fathers in the Faith; likewise Mothers. For those who are shaped and formed and imputed with love and by love, giving love and honor to others is but meet and right. And with the Blessed Virgin it's even more sublime and beautiful. For this new-testament Mariam is the Mother of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. This Mary is the Mother of God-Theotokos. Unlike those not held captive to Scripture alone, we believe, teach, and confess that the Blessed Virgin does not "come to us" nor helps us in any particular way. Our Lady (another salutary address for this humble hand-made of Adonai) is now "asleep" in her precious Son; Mary is "dead" and thus has the joy of no longer being "in" this veil of tears. Mary does not know what is happening to you or in your life in any direct or specific way; Scripture is our only guide and norm. But, Mary still comes to you the way Saint Peter and Saint John, and the Apostle Paul come to you: through the pages of Holy writ and through the recorded incidents, stories and words as preserved unto us by the Blessed Evangelists and Apostles. Mary does come to you and speaks to you through the four Gospels and the Book of Acts. Mary does come to you in Genesis 3.15, Isaiah 7.14, Ezekiel 44.1-2 and Revelation 12. 1-3. She comes to you at the stable, on the flight to Egypt, at the foot of the Cross atop Calvary, and with the Apostolic band post Resurrection. The Virgin comes to you this morning in the words of St. Mathew's Evangel. Mary speaks words of wisdom does she not? Mary spoke to Elisabeth (and you) the purest and sweetest good news by the power of the Spirit Himself; the Holy Ghost Who is the Wisdom of God the Word. Mary spoke the Word and she carried within her virgin and inviolate womb the VERY WORD OF GOD.
In the Words of the Magnificat, the most beautiful and peace filled of all the Church's canticles, the Virgin does not say "let it be" in so many words, but rather trumpets and rebroadcasts "Mother" Hannah's own song of Grace and deliverance from 1st Samuel 2.
Our Lady is a "type" of the Church itself-yourself. She is a picture of all Christians in her "fiat" to the Lord's Words given her through the Archangel's tongue and the Paraclete's overshadowing. For after Gabriel explained to her how she, the "highly favored one; full of Grace" would conceive in her womb and bring forth Jesus Who would be Son of the Highest (God) and reign eternally, even though she would give birth as a virgin, she is given Faith by the Spirit (the same Spirit Who caused her to miraculously and monergistically conceive that very moment) to say "be it unto me according to thy word;" or "let it be." Mary's "amen" (yea! yea! verily it is so) is your amen to the Grace, Love and Mercy of Jesus.
Her faithful response under the "Cross" when she saw no "Glory," as at the wedding in Cana is your response as well: "whatever He says to you, do it!" [Jn. 2. 5b]
Mary's soul is the soul of every believer likewise filled by the Holy Ghost with the washing of regeneration + and the renewal of life. You too magnify the Lord with the words He has placed in your lips. Like Mary you also shine back the reflected love and light of His perfect life of obedience and His perfect suffering and blood atonement for sin. Like Mary, you are a highly polished stone of mirrored radiance. And, if Mary shines all the brighter (for she did in fact carry the WORD MADE FLESH for nine long months within her own flesh; something which is, well universally unique) so; can we not joy in the "highly favored" status of our fellow Christian saints and heroes?
The Virgin points to her Son. Her Son is her God and Lord and your God and Lord. As a "type" of the Church she teaches the salutary lesson that Christ is always found in and with His Church, His family, and in His Father's House-where she and Joseph found the 12 year old Messiah. Mary rejoices in Jesus her Redeemer. She may have carried Him to the Temple on the 40th day for the ritual redemption of her male firstborn, but by faith she believed He was redeeming her and all of Israel as the true paschal lamb!
In Mary's lowliness and humility, in her service and prayer, in her contemplation and hard work within her vocation, she also typifies all the lost and lonely and broken people that the Lord came to save.
This morning all of Israel, the New Israel of Christ's disciples in these last days, celebrates the dormition of Christ's Holy Mother. We remember that she is Holy for the same reason that you are Holy. A sinful creature, such as Mary, becomes Holy (SAVED) by Grace through Faith in Christ alone! Mary, as any good Christian tells you about Jesus: "Holy is + His Name; His mercy is on them that fear Him; He hath exalted them of low degree; He hath filled the hungry with good things."
On this day and every day we speak as one with the entire Church Catholic by the very words of God the Holy Ghost: "all generations shall call [Mary] blessed."
Let it be Lord. Let it be to your faithful lambs this morning, let it be.
"When you find yourself in times of trouble
The Lord Jesus Christ comes to you in Word, Washing and Supper
Speaking words of Wisdom, peace and forgiveness."
In the Name of The + Father and of The Son and of The Holy Ghost