The Feast of St. Mary (aka “The Assumption)

August 15^th is a Feast Day honoring St. Mary, mother of our Lord. In the Roman Catholic tradition, it is a holy day of obligation (meaning the expectation is that the faithful go church).  While we don’t have that tradition in the Episcopal Church (nor, unfortunately, did we at St. Barnabas have a service), Mary is absolutely worth our recognition and glorification.

I wrote a lot about Mary in my blog post before Christmas which you can read here. She is NOT a meek and mild character to be dotted upon and then disregarded.  She is fierce and should be regarded as such, even emulated.

Beyond Mary’s saying, “Yes,” to Jesus’s birth and watching her son die on the cross, she bore witness to Jesus’s ministry, even pushing him at times, like any good mother would.

“On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’” John 2:1-5

We may never know why Jesus didn’t want to respond to the need at the wedding feast.  Perhaps he thought it was a frivolous use of God’s power, but he did respond to his mother’s instructions.  I love that Mary does not argue with Jesus, debating with him about what to do when.  She simply has faith that he should and will do something, and she identifies those that will help accomplish that work.  Mary makes it clear that it was important to act and she facilitates getting those actions done.  That is the definition of fierce!

How can our understanding of Mary help our own faith?  If nothing else, we can heed her words, “Do whatever Jesus tells you.”  Of course, that means we need to listen to Jesus!  We need to develop our relationship with Jesus to be able to hear what he is telling us, in Scripture and in prayer (and in other ways as well!).   Like Mary, we can be assured that Jesus will not lead us astray, nor will he ask of us what we cannot do.  Mary herself is proof of that – she proved she could birth, raise and let go of a beloved child. A sacrifice indeed, but one she willingly made.  Can we offer our own sacrifices?

In the post title I mention that this feast has also been called the Assumption of Mary - again, an RC tradition.  I am cynical enough to think that the belief that Mary was bodily assumed into heaven (like Jesus was at the Ascension) began because no one knows where her body was buried.  Those less cynical than I couldn’t imagine that Mary’s blessed body could decay after bearing Jesus, so having her taken up into heaven seems a more fitting end for her earthly presence.  It is a reasonable argument.  I’ll chose to leave the details up to God and those that want to debate such things. 

What remains important is that Mary lived. Her faithfulness is irreproachable and should be emulated in our own lives.  Thank you, Mother Mary, for all that you did for us and how your actions continue to illuminate our hearts, minds and souls.  You are magnificent. 

In Christ,

Rev. Valerie+