HAIL MARY, FULL OF GRACE
Luke 1:39-56

A sermon given by the Rev. Richard H. Taylor
December 11, 2005 / 3rd Sunday of Advent

“Hail Mary, full of grace. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.”

There were probably a lot of Protestants in Beneficent in years gone by who would never ever have imagined that those words would have been spoken here: “Hail Mary, full of grace.” These words, so essential to Catholic spirituality and Catholic prayer life, and Biblical as they are, they were still anathema to many Protestants.

During the Middle Ages Mary became central to Catholic worship and piety. Protestantism, when it came along, wanted to strip itself of everything Catholic, so as popes, and indulgences, statues and Latin Masses went out the door, so did Mary. It is perhaps one of the great historic examples of throwing the baby out with the bath water.

Mary has a role to play in the Christian story. Her message is Biblical to the core. She should not be thrown away.

Even here in Beneficent Church the fight over Mary has taken some interesting forms. On the top of the organ case behind me you will see a medallion showing a mother and child. When I came here more than one Beneficent member took pains to tell me that that medallion was not a Madonna and child, not Mary and Jesus. They told me that in the 1920s there was a rising interest in the Christian family, and family life, and that the medallion was designed to emphasize motherhood and family in general, a twentieth century Protestant idea that had no Catholic influences.

Well folks, that's a fascinating little cover up. But look closely. Both the mother and child have halos. On either side of them is an adoring angel. Even above the medallion, in the ornate baroque decoration above it, there is another little angel peering over the edge of the ledge down on mother and child. Whether you like it or not, Beneficent Church has a monument to mother Mary.

Now in lifting up Mary, I do want to remind you that there is more than one way to think of her. The real Mary was very physical. She gave birth. She had an earthly body. She participated in this world. Unfortunately medieval sensibilities made her distant, pure, unearthly, unlike us. Doctrines were invented about Mary that have no root in the Biblical story, ideas like the Immaculate Conception of Mary, or her bodily Assumption into heaven. These are now required beliefs for some branches of Christianity. They are not Biblical and not recognized by most Protestant Churches.

More to the point these ancient views of Mary focus on her response to the angel Gabriel, who comes to announce to her the coming birth of Jesus. First she questions and challenges Gabriel. But then she says “let it be with me according to your word.” By emphasizing this line, Mary is seen as submissive, pliant, obedient, reserved. This view of Mary was then extended to be a universal principle of how women should live. I guess that's not surprising in male dominated organizations. The Mary who says “be it done unto me according to thy word,” becomes the woman who says “do to me what you will, I will accept anything.”

But this is not only a terrible thing to lay on women, it also misinterprets Mary and fails to understand the Biblical passage.

Go back and read the passage. It's the one just before today's lesson. First Mary is perplexed and doesn't believe Gabriel. Then she argues with him, “that's impossible,” she says. (She knew her science and anatomy.) It is only after Gabriel hands out some of the details of God's plan, and announces the revolution that God has in mind that Mary consents, “be it done to me according to thy word.” Note: if men or angels tell women to do something: women question them. If what they want is not of God: reject them. Abuse is not of God: reject it. And if Mary has found favor with God, as Gabriel says, note that she gets to give the answer, “yes” or “no.” Not Gabriel, not any man. Every woman is favored by God. Judge what God is calling you to decide, and then you get to say “yes” or “no.”

Now Mary says yes to having the baby Jesus. And once she says yes she means it. Dorothy Soelle tells us of Mary's commitment in this regard. She says,

“Mary rejects 'performance' as a measure if human value. I will not stick by you, she says, because you are handsome, clever, successful, musical, potent, or whatever. I'll stick by you without reservations or conditions. I'll stick by you because you are there, because you need me. Her unconditional acceptance is that of a mother who cannot exchange her child in the store if she finds it doesn't suit her.”¹

This is not passive submission. This is not a quiet woman hiding in a corner. This is a flamboyant wild choice to be engaged in the work of God.

But that then brings us to the central message of what Mary has to say. Mary needs to be restored to Protestant religion. But let us not run out to accept what other people say about her. Let us be Biblical about Mary. Let her speak for herself. Let her words recorded in Luke's Gospel become essential to our Biblical story telling.

In Magnificat, this incredible prayer of Mary magnifying the Lord, she announces the purposes of the coming of the Christ child. She announces the revolution that she is willing to participate in. She announces why God wants her to go to Bethlehem. If you will go to Bethlehem with Mary, then hear her words, take on her cause, join in her movement!

Mary announces mercy to those who honor God.

Mary proclaims the scattering of the proud.

Mary prophesizes that the powerful will be brought down from their thrones. Take note Herod and Augustus!

Mary discloses that the lowly will be lifted up. Take note ye who are in prison and oppressed!

Mary annunciates and enunciates that the hungry will be filled with good things. God is redeeming those on the soup kitchen lines!

Mary declares that the rich will be sent empty away. Take note all you who are enjoying your tax cuts and building your trophy houses.

Christmas does not mean what the people who run the Providence Place Mall say it means. Christmas does not mean what the advertisements on the television say it means. Christmas does not mean what the fliers in the newspaper say it means. Christmas means what Mary says it means. She's got it right from the beginning.

Christmas is not about expensive gifts. It is about feeding the hungry. Christmas is not about getting some plush business in the black before the end of the fiscal year. Christmas is about exalting those of low degree.

Now this season you may have any Christmas that you wish. But I would suggest those who get to know the real Christmas follow in the steps of Mary.

Mary is no condescending, compliant, frightened little girl, saying yes, yes, yes, to whatever she is asked.

Peter Daino says,

“No is a very Marian word. This surprises people who always associate Mary with fiat, which they say means acceptance, compliance. Where in the Gospel does Mary say no? She says no during her visitation to her cousin Elizabeth, when Mary sings the Magnificat. In that bold proclamation Mary says no to the mighty on their thrones… She says no to the well-fed. She says no to the oppressor who exploits the poor and hungry. That is how defiance works.”²

Take note: Christmas is about defiance. Christmas is about rejecting the principalities and the powers of this world.

God is in league with Mary to overturn the systems of oppression. God is in league with Mary to overcome the dominant classes, to end militarism, to radically undo the economic structures of the time, to oppose Empire, to vacate occupation and violence. If Mary has figured out this much by the time God chooses her, imagine how much she has figured out by the time she has been a refugee escaping Herod's armies, and living in the different culture of Egypt! Can you imagine the kind of stories Mary told Jesus when Jesus was growing up? Can you imagine what it meant to be a child in the home of such a revolutionary mother?

Mothers, there is nothing wrong with setting Mary as your example. Raise your children like she did. But be sure you get the real Mary. Check out Luke chapter one.

Sidney Callahan says,

“Mary speaks for all those who have been lowly, on the outside, at the bottom, colonized, suppressed,… If she has been favored and blessed, if she is the sign of the ultimate and greatest power, then the lowly who follow her can believe themselves blessed… by the universe. They may make their demands and unite against the princes who oppress them.”³

And so there is Mary the revolutionary, Mary the spokesperson for the poor, Mary the goad challenging Empire. This is the kind of woman of whom it is said “you have found favor with God. Blessed are you.”

Hail Mary! Full of Grace! The Lord is with you!

Amen.

1 – Soelle, Dorothy, The Strength of the Weak
2 – Daino, Peter, S. M., “Mary, Mother of Sorrows, Mother of Defiance,” 1993.
3 – Callahan, Sidney, “The Magnificat,” 1975.