What is all the fuss about?
Tonight, we will gather in the church with two neighboring parishes. Our fabulous choir will man their stations in the stalls – almost one month before the new choral season begins. We will process to the Shrine of Our Lady, singing in her honor. The chancel will be adorned with flowers. A festive potluck, with wine and cake, will follow Mass. But why all the fuss? What makes this night so special?
The Ever-Blessed Virgin Mary is the first human being whose life was transformed by Jesus directly. God chose a lowly, likely illiterate, teenage girl – with no husband! – to be his mother. She was not coerced. She was not forced. Rather, with the faith and courage of a child, she answers the call of God. Looking up at the angel, she says, “Be in unto to me according to thy word.” In other words, “Yes.”
It’s entirely likely that Mary did not understand exactly what she was agreeing to do. She had no way of knowing that this “yes” would take her to the foot of the cross, where she would watch her son give his life for the sake of the world. But when we give our “yes” to God, we need not worry about where the road might lead us. Each step prepares us for the next. The God who loves us, who makes us worthy to stand before him, makes us ready to do the work he has set before us. You might call it sanctification.
And the exaltation of this lowly girl from a back-water village is nothing short of miraculous. Today, we celebrate her as the Queen of Heaven, who sits at the right hand of God himself. In Ancient Israel, the person who could most effectively influence the king was not his wife (likely to her chagrin!) but his mother. If you, a subject of the king, wanted something from him, you would ask his mother to ask him for you. She was the chief intercessor. We see an example in the First Book of Kings:
1 Kings 2 19 So Bathshe′ba went to King Solomon, to speak to him on behalf of Adoni′jah. And the king rose to meet her, and bowed down to her; then he sat on his throne, and had a seat brought for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right. 20 Then she said, “I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Make your request, my mother; for I will not refuse you.”
This is not unlike what we imagine when we pray to Mary. (Remember, pray does not mean worship! To pray is simply to ask.) We ask Mary to pray for us because we believe that Jesus listens to his mother. She has his ear, so to speak. And, as Solomon bows down before his mother Bathsheba, so too Jesus honors his mother. If he honors her, surely we should too.
We trust that she receives that gift because, of course, she is alive! No matter what you believe about the end of Mary’s earthly days, we all trust that she is very much alive with God in heavenly glory. When we sing or say, “Hail Mary!” we greet her with joy. It’s like saying, “Hey Mary! Glad to see ya!”
So tonight, we greet the Blessed Mother with joy. We thank her for her service to God and to humanity. We honor her for her example. We rest in the succor of her prayers for us. And with her, we worship her son.
See you tonight!