Mary, Under the Cross

Posted : 24 Dec, 2011 08:17 PM

I think that protestants, in wanting to NOT make the errors the Roman

Catholics do by worshiping Mary, have almost ignored her altogether.

I have been a member of two protestant churches and the normal thing

is to hear about Mary only at Christmas time.

She is obviously unique, and I think that we can learn from her and

certainly admire her.

I take my cues from the Reformation, and I have read why they thought

the Romanists were wrong about Mary. They said Mary was given too

much veneration, almost Idolatrous worship, substituting her for

Christ Himself in some ways on the devotional level.

On the other hand, they themselves has a very explicit devotion to

Mary. Luther especially, but also Zwingli and Calvin.

In the Gospels, we are told that she is to be called blessed in every

generation. God chose her to be the vehicle of God's grace in giving

Jesus to the world. Mary is also an example of justification by

faith alone, because she believed so purely in the gospel.



Maybe you have seen the Passion? I saw it with my Dad and my brother

at the movie theatre. It is a good movie and you almost see it

though the eyes of Mary. She is always right there by His side.

She is weeping, witnessing Her son's death, cradling his corpse.

She stands with all the other Christians who also live under the

shadow of the cross, including all those today whose lives are at

risk because of their witness for Christ.



Mary was the the one disciple of Jesus who did not flee when all the

other disciples fled, but stayed and accepted the burden of being

under the cross to the very end.



There are two statements that Mary makes in the Gospels, both of

which I think are absolutely exemplary for the Christian life.

The first is: "Let it be unto me according to your word."

This act of surrender, submission, standing in awe before the

presence of the Holy, is the very posture of Humility and surrender

all of us are called to take before God.

And Mary's words anticipate Jesus' statement in the garden, "Not my

will but yours be done."



Mary's second exemplary statement comes at the wedding at Cana.

First Jesus has this little, almost tussle with his mother, saying,

"Woman, my hour has not yet come"---Which sounds a little gruff,

Jesus speaking to his mom like that. But then she says to the wine

stewards, "Whatever he says unto you, do it." Well, again, this is

the call to, as we protestants sing, "Trust and Obey."

So from the lips of Mary we get probably the two most salient words

of counsel for living the Christian life.



I have read the best book on Mary is called "Mary through the

centuries", by Jaroslav Pelikan. (Yale University Press, 1996)

Also, to find out what the early church fathers said about Mary

There is a book called: "Mary and Fathers of the Church", by

Luigi Gambero (Ignatius, 1991)

For all you symbolic types out there, I am wondering what kind of

stuff you will come up with. Lets see...death came through Eve....







Sincerely,



James

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