Mary
In the Protestant Liturgical Calendar, the principal festival of Mary is “Mary, Mother of Our Lord” on Aug. 15. This festival of the church, which sometimes goes overlooked, is meant as an opportunity to celebrate Mary’s role as the mother of Jesus in the Gospel narrative. For “Mary conceived and bore not only a plain, ordinary, mere man but the veritable Son of God,” and “for this reason she is rightly called, and truly is, the Mother of God” (Formula of Concord, Epitome VIII.12).
And, the Council of Ephesus, in 431 A.D., proclaimed Mary as the theotokos, the God-bearer - quite a title indeed.
The Magnificat, Mary's song found in the gospel of Luke, was significant to Martin Luther as well. In 1521, Luther completed his commentary on the Magnificat, which served as the main canticle of the Evening Prayer. For Luther, Mary’s song served as a fitting model for Christian prayer and praise, as a response to God's grace, and not dependent on merit. Luther saw that God, by grace, had chosen Mary to serve the important role of bearing the Christ-child. Mary's response, as found in the Magnificat, was one of willing-obedience and humble service and it is good for us to honor Mary, and attemp to live her example in our lives as well.
As Luther examined the Magnificat, he identified six works of God: mercy, breaking spiritual pride, putting down the mighty, exalting the lowly, authoring trust, and giving good gifts (often desribed by Luther as “life, forgiveness, and salvation”). All six of these works find their origin in and point to the Incarnation - God taking on flesh - in Jesus. The incarnation then is God's greatest work, and the source of salvation, grace, and mercy for each of us as God's people.
As we consider and remember tomorrow’s feast day of Mary, and whenever we sing or read the words of the Magnificat, we can celebrate Mary’s faithfulness and all the mystery and magnificence of the Incarnation. At the same time, we pray that God would use us also, to continue bringing grace and mercy into the world, and that we too would be willing servants to Jesus, Our Lord.
~Pastor Mike Middaugh
And, the Council of Ephesus, in 431 A.D., proclaimed Mary as the theotokos, the God-bearer - quite a title indeed.
The Magnificat, Mary's song found in the gospel of Luke, was significant to Martin Luther as well. In 1521, Luther completed his commentary on the Magnificat, which served as the main canticle of the Evening Prayer. For Luther, Mary’s song served as a fitting model for Christian prayer and praise, as a response to God's grace, and not dependent on merit. Luther saw that God, by grace, had chosen Mary to serve the important role of bearing the Christ-child. Mary's response, as found in the Magnificat, was one of willing-obedience and humble service and it is good for us to honor Mary, and attemp to live her example in our lives as well.
As Luther examined the Magnificat, he identified six works of God: mercy, breaking spiritual pride, putting down the mighty, exalting the lowly, authoring trust, and giving good gifts (often desribed by Luther as “life, forgiveness, and salvation”). All six of these works find their origin in and point to the Incarnation - God taking on flesh - in Jesus. The incarnation then is God's greatest work, and the source of salvation, grace, and mercy for each of us as God's people.
As we consider and remember tomorrow’s feast day of Mary, and whenever we sing or read the words of the Magnificat, we can celebrate Mary’s faithfulness and all the mystery and magnificence of the Incarnation. At the same time, we pray that God would use us also, to continue bringing grace and mercy into the world, and that we too would be willing servants to Jesus, Our Lord.
~Pastor Mike Middaugh
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