Church of the Good Shepherd
3700 Rutherford Street
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17111-1997
The Reverend Kester T. Sobers, III, Pastor
Mary, Mother of Our Lord
2004
2004
We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you a special celebration that comes around every six or seven years depending on leap year. As a general rule, the day of Mary, Mother of our Lord, goes by unnoticed, just as do other saint's days and commemorations unless they occur on a Wednesday or a Sunday. But, what a special and significant day it is for us. In all of Christianity where Mary is remembered or honored at all this day is known by several designations, each one pretty much defining the character of the observance. In the Eastern Church, where Mary was first honored, today is known as the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. That literally means her "falling asleep day." In the Roman Church, today is known as the "Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary." That simply means that Mary was "assumed" bodily into heaven, without her physical body being corrupted or returning to the dust. Typical thinking is that this is the least that Jesus could do for the Mother who bore him. In our tradition, we simply set aside this day as one in which we honor Mary as the one who was the instrument of the Incarnation. There can be no more central, more pervasive, more vital proclamation of the Christian faith than that the Infinite assumed a finite form and in that way made plain to us the preciousness of life itself and the promise of eternity. Mary is the once through whom the Infinite is made visible for us. Surely this is a worthy celebration!
Interestingly enough, Martin Luther accepted without question the doctrine of the Assumption, but, for him it was not nearly as important as Mary's role in God's plan for salvation and eventually her significance in and as the Church, the Body of Christ. If you remember, Mary is mentioned as being present at Pentecost, and is often pictured as being in the center of the disciples when the Holy Spirit descended.
The Good news of this day, the reason for our interrupting our regularly scheduled programming is more a matter of what God has done, than is it about what Mary has done. By her own acknowledgment, God has done great things for her. As we are the church, the good news for us is that God has done, or desires to do the same great things for us. God lifts us up. Through the Christ event, God becoming as one of us, we are made worthy to enjoy eternity with God. Not because of what we have done, but rather because of what God has done for us.
This day in the life of Mary signifies the end of her life as a disciple. It is the climax of her earthly life. Her life of discipleship began when she agreed to become the mother of Jesus. God initiates and offers. Mary willingly accepts the offer. When Mary met her cousin Elizabeth, she rejoiced over Mary's saying "yes" to God: "Blessed are you, Mary, who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." Mary defers all the praise to God: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." Mary also says that God "has lifted up the lowly."
The Church has always taught, and over the years it has been increasingly important to us, that the Eucharist is central to our discipleship. We gather together to be fed by both God's word and the Sacrament of the Altar. Both Word and Eucharist have become our sustenance as we journey from the here and now of discipleship to the heavenly banquet of resurrection. When God, through the angel Gabriel, announced the coming of His Son to Mary, and she willingly cooperated, that announcement was brought to fruition in body and blood. Mary could not deny what was growing within her, and what came to pass that first Christmas amidst the animals with shepherds looking on, and angels singing in the background. If we only hear the word of promise, and then nothing ever comes of it, we could easily lose hope. But, hearing the word of God, we then receive Jesus Christ, his Body and His Blood, in our very special way. The promised is fulfilled with the foretaste of the heavenly banquet right here in our church Sunday after Sunday.
Today, we also remember that in the Scriptural account from which the Magnificat is taken, the following verses tell of Mary hurrying off the hill country to care for her aging cousin Elizabeth who was then pregnant with John the Baptist. Not only did Mary hear the Good News, not only was she carrying the Good News in her own body, but she lived the Good News by acting in charity and love for another. When you and I come forward and reverently receive the Eucharist we are in a way saying "yes" to God as well.
St. Paul says that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, so that we are no longer slaves but his children, and if children then also his heirs. Thanks be to God. AMEN
--K.T.S.
August 15, 2004
August 15, 2004
First Reading: Isaiah 61:7-11
Psalm 45:11-16
Second Reading: Galatians 4:4-7
Gospel: Luke 1:46-55
Spiritual Growth & Resources