December 16

 Luke 1:26-33

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”


Much has been written about Mary, Mother of Jesus. We know that she was young, set to marry a man named Joseph, a virgin, and a person of immense faith. The Protestant Reformation condemned the veneration of Mary. Martin Luther believed that we “…have an obligation to honor Mary…,” but reminds us to “…be careful to give her honor that is fitting.” Over time, some Protestants have softened a bit on the issue of giving Mary too much reverence. Certainly, Mary should be admired for her faith and courage in the face of such a huge task, and she took on this responsibility knowing the risks that it entailed. Shannon Kubiak, the author of God Called a Girl, spoke to Mary's vulnerability. "She was a nobody from the middle of nowhere...and God chose to use her for the most incredible task of a lifetime," marvels Kubiak. 

I think it is safe to say that, as culture, we have become risk-adverse. We can easily relate to her fear, but few of us respond to God’s call in such a selfless way, sure that God would not ask something from us that we cannot give. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could be more like Mary? Each time we are faced with some situation that we can make better through our love and belief in God, some injustice or grief that we can alleviate, we should be more like Mary. Step up to the fear or even pursue those actions that make us fearful but are in response to God’s call. 

Maybe the best way to honor Mary is to be a bit more like her in the small ways that God sets in our path.  

Tabbi Miller-Scandle