Reconsidering Mary, Mother of our Lord Jesus
Over the years, many have asked my position regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary. It lies somewhere between the extremes of those who disregard her completely and those who view her as God.
I do not pray to her as many of my Roman Catholic and Anglo-Catholic friends do. Nor do I regard her as of no account except for the Christmas story. Her life and testimony have often been a comfort to me, as with many of the other saints. I think a lot of the question centers around the issue of the difference between veneration and worship. Many blur the lines and as such enter into idolatry.
Mary herself had no such confusion. When informed that the Lord God had assigned her to an incredibly difficult task, and called her blessed, she asked for clarity. She did not point out the effect that this would have on her reputation, and possibly her survival. We are only told of one person, who both recognized her pregnancy and her innocence – her cousin Elizabeth, another woman of God. Even Joseph speculated about her conduct and how he was to protect the royal lineage.
Both my bachelors degree and first Masters were done in a former Roman Catholic university. Unfortunately, it became apostate before I attended. Those of us who still held to the Christian faith, whether Roman Catholic or Protestant, banded together to encourage one another. Many others on campus were nominal Catholics. I found their perceptions difficult to accept. They lacked an understanding of both the Holy Scriptures and their own traditions. A number of them believed in praying to Mary because they were afraid to pray to our Lord Jesus Christ. For them, she was reduced to a convenient surrogate. They told me that I did not understand because I wasn't Roman Catholic. The arrogance perplexed me, and I wrestled with the sadness of their situation.
How can our hearts burn with love for God when we refuse to accept his forgiveness of our sin? How can we partake in the Holy Eucharist and not be overwhelmed by His grace? Finally, I decided I would go and see one of the local priests. The first man I found was only interested in speaking to me if I wanted to convert, be baptized, married or buried. He had no time to discuss issues of the faith. I went away discouraged.
Time passed and I continued to deal with the problems on campus. I decided to try again. This time, a much younger priests spoke with me. I told him that I was not interested in converting, nor in trying to convert him, but just wanted to discuss matters of our faith. This time I found someone who was open. I asked question after question. I put before him things that I regarded as being unorthodox that were nevertheless asserted by the students who claimed to hold the true faith. Finally, he looked at me and asked, "where did you get all this? It is so far out in left field!" I told him that I had learned these things from Roman Catholic students on campus. Clearly, these matters grieved his heart as well. That conversation had been very affirming for me. My only regret was that the “higher-ups” transferred him and I was not able to talk with him again. But I have known many others, devout lovers of God, who remain part of the Roman Catholic Church.
How does this affect my view of Mother Mary? First of all, as a devout Jew, I doubt that she would accept many of the trappings that are thrown around about her. I appreciate her. Not only as the gutsy young woman who willing said yes to God, and put her life and reputation on the line, but also as the mature woman who stood publicly by the cross, heartbroken, but faithful to what she saw as the end.
She disappears from the pages of Scripture. Only legend tells us of her role in the early Church. But if she were living with John, we can be assured that she was active. I am glad that we do not know exactly how, because it would probably have been perverted into a cage for how women should be. Instead, women need to be encouraged to follow Mary’s resilient example of faithfulness.
Years ago, I knew a woman named Bonnie. She was married to a pastor and had three children. She herself had a deep love for God and to watch her during worship was to see a thing of real beauty. My husband and I often looked after their children when they went out of town. She developed cancer but believed in the depths of her heart that the Lord could hear and heal her. When she and her husband decided to return to their home state, one of the other pastors said to me, privately, "she has gone home to die." Both she and her husband have since died.
Years later, when I was recovering from cancer, very weak and sometimes oscillating between one place and another, I had a sense one day, of Bonnie celebrating in worship before the throne of God. My immediate response was, "and if you have time, pray for me too." In that moment, I understood how the custom of praying to the saints had developed.
Barriers, although present have crumbled. We have within us a sense of the continuity of the Church Universal. Death no longer holds us in fear. Instead, we feel a oneness with that great cloud of witnesses that surrounds us. And yes, I see Mary is an important part of the heavenly throng.
I give thanks for Mary, for this incredible woman tasked with parenting our Lord. Did she always get things right? No. But she remained faithful to her God. She persevered. And in spite of all the difficulties, there is no mention of her ever complaining.
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