Writing this week’s sermon has been somewhat of a challenge. Not because it’s less than a week until Christmas and the schools have broken up, and there are three adorable but spirited children in our house. It’s not because I am ill prepare or have nothing of interest to say (although you guys might argue that I rarely have anything interesting to say!) No, it’s been a challenge quite simply because I’m not sure there’s anything I can add to the words of Mary’s song (The Magnificat) that won’t lessen their incredible impact.
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.
If it were up to me I’d probably just read the whole thing out, walk away without another word and let us sit in silence for a bit to just ponder their magnitude. The enormity of these words in the context on the moment in which they came.
You see, Mary’s song is quite simply my favourite passage in scripture, and the fact that it was spoken by a poor, vulnerable and anxious young woman only serves to show how amazing our God is. Two weeks ago I spoke about how, when Luke introduces John the Baptist as the prophet who would foretell the coming of Jesus, he wrote a long list of names, each of them powerful and influential men. And as it was then, so it is today, for it is not the rich and the powerful men of the time who get centre stage in God’s incredible story, no no; this time it’s a young and dependent woman on whom the hopes of all eternity rest.
I grew up in a large Irish Roman Catholic family and thus, Mary has always been somewhat of a prominent figure in our family. It would not have been uncommon to walk into my Grandmother’s house (or the houses of one of her 7 brothers and sisters) and see paintings, cards and even statues dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. When visiting cousins in Ireland it always seemed harder to get up to any kind of the usual childish mischief when there was a four foot statute of Our Lady glancing at you from the corner of the room! Sneaking biscuits before dinner whilst The Blessed Virgin Mary looked on was a challenge. I suspect looking back now, Mary would have quite liked to have been included in the jokes and games of excitable children on their summer holidays.
But I can honestly say that was never really sure what all the fuss was about. Mary confused me. Why was she always wearing blue? How did she feel about all those animals in the stable? What part did she really play in all of this?
It was only a bit later on in my faith that I realised that there was a bit of controversy surrounding Mary. Those from a particular tradition within the church might have looked upon the décor of my Nan’s house as being ‘difficult’, challenging or perhaps even blasphemous.
And why should we celebrate Mary? Why should we look up to her? Why should we ask for her prayers? Surely anything focussed on Mary is time not focussed on Jesus, right?
Being a rather laid back and non-confrontational sort of soul, I can’t say this ever really bothered me. But it did leave me with some questions.
Then, about 3 years ago I sat in a small chapel one evening, waiting to hear that evening’s sermon. The preacher got up; a gentle and wise man who was an experienced preacher and teacher. He was also from overseas and had spoken to us in the past about his conservative evangelical upbringing and education. You can imagine my tension when I heard that he was going to preach on the subject of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
He stood up at the lectern, cleared his throat and simply said….
“People often ask me who I think the greatest follower of Jesus Christ was. The usual names always make the shortlist. Would it be Peter, or Paul? Perhaps John or Barnabas? Whenever I’m asked that question I always give the same answer. The greatest follower of Jesus Christ was His Mother Mary. She was, and still is today, the greatest example of an obedient Christian that we will ever know. And we should all be a lot more like Mary.”
I’m not sure I took a breath for the entirety of that sermon. I was on the edge of my seat and drank in every word.
How could Mary be the greatest follower of Jesus? She gave birth to Him? How could she be a follower of Christ?
Well, if we think about it, it’s quite simple really.
Which of Jesus’s followers nurtured Him; took care of Him and loved Him for who He was, not just what He could do?
Which of Jesus’s followers was confronted by smelly and excitable shepherds or mysterious foreign sorcerers as they got used to life as a new family of three?
Which of Jesus’s followers cared for Him when He was sick or cried tears of joy when the One who would walk on water, took those first tiny steps on the dusty streets of Nazareth?
Which of Jesus’s followers encouraged Him continuously; helped Him begin His ministry at a wine-less wedding in Cana and set Him on the path that led to our salvation?
Which of Jesus’s followers supported Him when the local towns and villages were terrified of the miracles that He was performing? When they tried to throw Him off a cliff or have Him arrested?
Which of Jesus’s followers stayed with Him until the very end, when all others had ran away in fear of their lives, and sat at His feet as He hung on a cross?
Which is Jesus’s followers was there, in that small cramped room three days after His death, when He appeared and said ‘Peace be with you.’
It’s Mary isn’t it? Mary is that follower. Mary is the one who sticks with Jesus from the beginning to the end.
Mary is the one who understood what it was going to be like in the kingdom of God. She was a poor local girl who in her magnificent song that we heard today sings
“He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.”
Mary gets what is means to be a follower of Christ even when He was a tiny little baby snuggled up inside her tummy.
She knew that He would be the one that would change things for us, forever. And it all started in a small, unimpressive home in Nazareth room when the Angel of the Lord appeared to a young woman and said ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you’.
Today and this week I encourage you to pick up your bibles and read through some of the passages that feature Mary. Read them slowly and carefully and ask yourself, what can I learn from the greatest follower of Jesus Christ?. What might her story teach me about following Him?
Mary sang - ‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
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.”
May the words of Mary be true for us here today, too.
Amen
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