MARY, MOTHER OF OUR LORD

Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” – Luke 1:38

In my sermon yesterday, I mentioned how my pastor invited me into the mystery of Mary and her motherhood. I referred to Mary as the mother of our Lord and the God-bearer. This is an ancient title for Mary, dating back to 431, when an ancient council of the early church met and decided that since Jesus is one person whose human and divine natures are completely united, Mary bore God. That is to say, when Mary was pregnant with Jesus, fully God and fully human, Mary contained God within herself. 

It’s just one of the details that invites us into the mystery of Mary and God’s work through her. How could a human hold the divine within her own body? It was enough to try to make the early church deny Mary the title theotokos, the Greek word which can be translated to Mother of God or God-bearer. But denying that means denying the full divinity of Jesus, and so it must be: the finite contains the infinite.

But then, for we Lutherans, that mystery is well-known. In communion, we believe that the bread and wine remain bread and wine. Christ is fully present in the elements because he said he would be, even as our sense can tell it remains bread and wine. And so, finite bread contains the infinite presence of our Savior, just as he promised. In baptism, we recognize that the water is just water, poured from the tap just like the water you use when you’re thirsty or need to wash dishes. The Spirit works through the waters as we baptize in the way God calls us, even as we can tell it’s still water. And so, finite water contains the infinite power of God, just as God promised. 

God consistently chooses to use normal, everyday, insignificant things to do miraculous, powerful, life-changing work. Mary, just another girl in an ancient society, becomes the one to bring God’s promises for life into the world. But it’s not the only time God has done such things, and it won’t be the last. And so, ask yourself: how do I bear God’s presence in the world today? You may not think you’re special or remarkable, but God can do so much more with you than you let yourself believe.

Let us pray:

God of mystery, who I know in simple bread and water, who entered the world through Mary, reveal yourself to me again. Guide me in the ways you would use me to your glory. Empower me to be your love at work in the world, in Jesus’ name. Amen.