Mary, did you know that you would be misrepresented, misunderstood and overlooked for most of Christian history? Whether we’ve shrouded you in plaster-cast superstition or cancelled you out as nothing more than a convenient womb for the incarnation, I suspect we Christians, have disregarded you, the real Mary, for a long time.
Luke portrays Mary, it appears to me, as a feisty teenager with the guts to embrace an extraordinary vocation to be the mother of the Messiah. Luke shows that she has agency, a voice and astonishing courage and faithfulness. As if that were not enough at some mysterious level, she offers her humanity, her DNA, her generational inheritance as the human contribution to the incarnate Son of God.
This remarkable girl is the model disciple, the first to submit to and follow the ways of her son Jesus. Mary demonstrates to each of us how to say “yes” to the costly call of discipleship. No doubt she counted the consequences of her “let it be to me” reply to the angel Gabriel. Her “yes “to pregnancy left her open to accusation by the “law of bitter waters” (Numbers 5). This law subjected a suspected adulteress, as Mary could have been viewed, to a test which required drinking dust, holy water and the ink of a priest’s written curse. Guilt was assumed if the suspect miscarried or became unwell. All this was conducted in a process governed by public humiliation and shame. Should her son survive this then he would grow up exposed to the taunt of “mamzer” (illegitimate) and prohibited from special assemblies of God’s people (Deut 23:2). Mary bravely chose to face the consequences.
This daring youth is often portrayed as compliant and subservient, a means of suggesting that female followers of Jesus ought to be serene, passive, and submissive. Sometimes this construct of Mary has even been used to justify oppression and abuse. However actually reading her story in the gospels leads to a totally different conclusion about her personality and posture: by all accounts, she is active, vocal, courageous and quite directive. Perhaps even a little bossy – just read John 2.
A brief run-through of references to Mary in the gospels shows us a woman of faith who surrenders herself to an incomparable mission. Her song of praise presents us with a woman with a heart for justice who calls out for social change and the removal of the current political regime. Simeon’s prophetic word that a “sword will pierce your own soul” tells us that she will bear great sorrow. John, telling the story of the wedding at Cana, shows her as one who believes in the wonder-working power of Jesus even before he has performed a miracle. However, it’s the last gospel chapters that show her true grit. Mary remained faithful; she is one of the last at the cross and first to the grave on resurrection day.
And the last biblical reference?
Acts 1, Mary is in an upper room praying as she awaits the outpouring of the Spirit.
Mary stuck with Jesus from first to last. Yet in the end, Mary is an example, not the focus. Mary is not about Mary, but all about Jesus. Perhaps John captures the core of Mary’s discipleship better than anyone.
“Do whatever he tells you”. (John 2:5)
This week we will dig into her “Magnificat” her song of praise and protest.
Iain