A SISTER IN THE FAITH

One summer, thirty or so years ago, when I should have been engaged in O-level revision I decided that I had had enough and went out for a ride on my bike. I ended up on the banks of the Dee, and remember pushing open the door of a Church not so far from St Bridget’s, in fact St Andrew’s Church on Meols Drive. After the heat of the day the building was blissfully cool, and, I noticed, the air was pickled with the fragrance of incense. Since in those days I was used to fairly austere worship, this was a form of Anglicanism which I had not yet encountered.

More surprises awaited me inside, not least a statue of the Virgin and Child in the aisle, with lights burning in front of it. I was nonplussed by all this, since I was pretty sure that Anglican’s didn’t “do Mary”. Though we might see her in stained glass windows and the obligatory nativity play at Christmas, she did not impinge much on our consciousness, and indeed we were rather suspicious of what other Christians seemed to think of her.

I think rather differently now, and am gratified that the new Common Worship Calendar keeps a “Festival of the Blessed Virgin Mary” on August 15th (the Alternative Service Book of 1980 kept the festival on 8th September, but the August date was already universal in other Anglican, Roman Catholic, Orthodox and even some “Reformed” Churches). After centuries of concern and misunderstanding, a biblical honouring of Mary “blessed above all women” is coming to unite Christians rather than divide them.

Why is Mary important? Essentially, she can be seen as a pattern of faith - an example of how God’s grace works in us and of our response. Think of the story of the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) - Mary is the one who says “yes” to God. The God who initiates the work of salvation in Jesus actually waits on one of his creatures, and waits for her Response. True, Mary was prepared by grace for such a vocation, but she still had to make her affirmation. God’s grace does not force itself upon us, but waits for our response to him. What does God desire of you and me, where does he call for our response and ministry ? Pray for the courage and grace to say “yes” like Mary.

And then Mary shews us that discipleship is not always smooth and easy, and involves coming to the Cross. There is no more poignant picture than the one John sketches for us at the Passion, where the Mother stands beneath the cross of her Son (John 19:25-27). Mary is indeed blessed as one who hears the word of God and keeps it (Luke 11:27-28), even to great cost. When some brandings of Christianity seem to suggest light and glory all the way and neglect the taking of the cross, we need to be reminded of the biblical patterns seen in Mary and the saints.

Mary also can serve to remind us of our vocation in revealing Jesus. I have always found the Eastern Orthodox Icon tradition revealing. Mary is never depicted alone, but always holding the child Jesus. So often it is the Child who dominates the picture, and Mary either holds him out to the observer or points to him. Everything about Mary points to Jesus, just as she told the servants at the wedding at Cana to “do whatever he tells you”.(John 2:5) A right and biblical understanding of Mary leads us to a more authentic discipleship, and points us afresh to Jesus. She does not obstruct or obscure him.

There is much else that the Mary of Scripture can reveal to us about following Jesus, and we will try to explore much of this in the evening Communion on Sunday 15th August. Suffice to say that I am no longer suspicious of Mary - rather I can affirm her as a sister in the faith - standing out amongst that great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1) that encourage me on the Way.

Roger Clarke

August 2004