Saint Mary Virgin, Mother of Our Lord, 15 August 2017
Isaiah
61:10-11
Psalm
34:1-9
Galatians
4:4-7
St. Luke
1:46-55
Background: The Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary
Even amongst
the members of the Anglican Communion there are a variety of views on this
feast day. We can see that in the variety of names by which the day is called.
In the Church of England the festival is called “The Falling Asleep of the
Blessed Virgin Mary” thus mirroring the Orthodox nomenclature. Scotland and
Canada honor the day as a commemoration also calling it “The Falling Asleep of
the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the Episcopal Church in the USA it is celebrated as
a holy day, “Saint Mary the Virgin, Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amongst
Anglo-Catholics, the day is observed as the Assumption, and the Anglican-Roman
Catholic International Commission see the day as both the Dormition (the
Falling Asleep) and the Assumption. The doctrine of the Assumption was adopted
by Roman Catholics in 1 November 1950 by Pope Pius XII.
First Reading: Isaiah 61:10-11
I will
greatly rejoice in the Lord,
my whole being shall exult in my God;
my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he
has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a
bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as
the earth brings forth its shoots,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the
Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.
to spring up before all the nations.
What this Isaiah sees as an individual’s response to
the saving actions of God on behalf of the whole community. The restoration of
what was ruined is a turn around of God’s judgment of Israel which is now
redeemed. Returning from exile and coming back to rebuild the “ancient ruins”
the community becomes a society of the saved. Thus it is appropriate to assign
this reading to Mary’s Day, and even more possible to see these words emerging
from her mouth of praise. Her song, the Magnificat,
seems to echo the words of verse 10. She is not only the representative of the
saved community, but also the bearer of its Redeemer.
Breaking open Isaiah:
1.
What kind of joy do you have as an individual?
2.
Where is there joy in your community of faith?
3.
Who knows about your joy?
Psalm 34:1-9 Benedicam Dominum
1 I will bless the Lord at all times; *
his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
2 I will glory in the Lord; *
let the humble hear and rejoice.
let the humble hear and rejoice.
3 Proclaim with me the greatness of the Lord; *
let us exalt his Name together.
let us exalt his Name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me *
and delivered me out of all my terror.
and delivered me out of all my terror.
5 Look upon him and be radiant, *
and let not your faces be ashamed.
and let not your faces be ashamed.
6 I called in my affliction and the Lord heard me *
and saved me from all my troubles.
and saved me from all my troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encompasses those who fear
him, *
and he will deliver them.
and he will deliver them.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; *
happy are they who trust in him!
happy are they who trust in him!
9 Fear the Lord, you that are his saints, *
for those who fear him lack nothing.
for those who fear him lack nothing.
This psalm reflects the words of David
who, as the initial verses explain[1],
is in dire circumstances. Even in distress David is praising God. The
appropriateness of these verses from the psalm, are seen in their foreshadowing
of Mary’s song in the Magnificat.
Words of deliverance, exaltation, and closeness with those who are humble seem
to prepare us for Mary’s recognition of these acts by God in her own life. Of
special interest is the verse, which proclaims, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” In the Magnificat we hear “He fills the hungry with good things.”
Breaking open Psalm 34:
1.
What is David’s joy?
2.
What might the poor have joy in?
3.
What does it mean that the Lord “tastes good”?
Second Reading: Galatians 4:4-7
When the fullness of time had come,
God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those
who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And
because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and
if a child then also an heir, through God.
The Law is
many things for Paul and it takes on several guises in his writing. Here the
Law is a teacher, and the lessons are about how Christians move from slavery to
freedom. It is really about the various progressions that we make in life.
Here, in these verses, we follow the Christian from slavery to the Law to life
as an adopted child of the heavenly Father. Even more so, the Christian is an
heir – the first-born – set to receive all the gifts of inherited grace. All of
this comes from the one “born of a
woman.”
Breaking open Galatians:
1.
How is God a parent to you?
2.
Where in your life is there enslavement?
3.
Where in your life is liberation?
The Gospel: St. Luke 1:46-55
Mary said,
"My
soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
and my spirit rejoices 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;
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the
Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
and holy is his name.
His mercy
is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
from generation to generation.
He has
shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
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;
and lifted up the lowly;
he has
filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
and sent the rich away empty.
He has
helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according
to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
Here we have
Mary’s song, the Magnificat. The
passages of the song bear an amazing resemblance to Hannah’s song in I Samuel (2:1-10), and thus serves as a
connection to the promises of the Covenant that will be made real in the birth
of Christ. It is especially powerful in Luke’s vision of God’s plan made
perfect among and with the lowly – here in the person of Mary. Mary recognizes
it as well in the verses of her song, which elevate the lowly, and put down the
mighty. We have images in the Scriptures
of Mary as the thoughtful and contemplative one. She ponders, she worries, she
beseeches. Here she is blessed (read happy) for in God’s attitude toward her
she sees God’s redeeming attitude toward the many. It is the promise made real
not on in her own life (just like what happened to Hannah), but in the lives of
so many others as well. Abraham and Sarah’s family grows in the sunshine of
God’s promises and goodwill.
Breaking open the Gospel:
1.
How do you magnify the Lord?
2.
Why?
3.
For what are you grateful?
After
breaking open the Word, you might want to pray the Collect for Sunday.
O God,
you have taken to yourself the blessed Virgin Mary, mother of your incarnate
Son: Grant that we, who have been redeemed by his blood, may share with her the
glory of your eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and
reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for
ever. Amen.
Questions and comments copyright © 2017, Michael T. Hiller
[1] “For
David, when he altered his good sense (feigned madness) before Abimelech, who
banished him, and he went away.”
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