 |
| Raphael ~ Madonna and Child |
Let me make a
clarification about the place of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Anglican
devotions. Devotion to our Lady has been
for centuries part of our tradition,
but Anglicans generally have their own slant on it:
1.
Martin Thornton, the author of
English Spirituality, writes:
“Devotion to our Lady—and St. Bernard probably
invented that title—is the obvious safe guard against ascetical
Apollinarianism, and our lack of such devotion to her is equally the cause of
its modern prevalence.”[1]
2.
What is Apollinarianism? "Apollinarius
(b. about AD 310) taught that Jesus was not fully human because he did not have
a human soul. He imagined Christ as God clothed in flesh and with many human
attributes, but the guiding principal (ego) remained totally divine. Jesus
being totally divine could not be tempted.”[2
3.
It important not separate the
affective (or emotional) side of our understanding of
God from the speculative (or intellectual) side. Thornton goes on to say:
“Devotion to St. Mary supports and
strengthens orthodox Christology against Apollinarianism: if Mary is his
mother, then Jesus is unquestionably man.”[3]
The “Hail Mary”
was originally intended as a defense against Apollinarianism.
Hail Mary, full of
grace
the Lord is with
you.
Blessed are you amongst
women
and blessed is
the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
God-bearer,[4]
pray for us
sinners now
and at
the hour of our death.[5]
A common
Anglican rule of thumb is: Never ask Mary or the Saints for anything that you
should be asking God for, but by all means ask anybody in the ongoing Body of
Christ, including Mary and the Saints, for prayer on your behalf. However there is even within Anglicanism a
broad spectrum of practice. The Book of Common Prayer acknowledges the role of
our Lady, and her wonderful example, but does not give us a model of prayer to
Mary.
The
Visitation May 31
Father
in heaven, by your grace the virgin mother of your
incarnate
Son was blessed in bearing him, but still more
blessed
in keeping your word: Grant us who honor the
exaltation
of her lowliness to follow the example of her
devotion
to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who
lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for
ever and ever. Amen.[6]
Saint
Mary the Virgin August 15
O God,
you have taken to yourself the blessed Virgin Mary,
mother
of your incarnate Son: Grant that we, who have been
redeemed
by his blood, may share with her the glory of your
eternal
kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and
reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.[7]
The
Annunciation March 25
Pour
your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we who have
known
the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ, announced
by an
angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross and passion
be
brought to the glory of his resurrection; who lives and
reigns
with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now
and for ever. Amen.[8]
You will also notice in these collects not only the blessedness of
Mary, but also the cause for that blessedness; the incarnation of God in the
flesh of Mary, Jesus God Incarnate. She
is called Theotokos which means “God-bearer” in the original version which is
different than “Mother of God.” In one
of our hymns, Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones, we sing of Mary as the bearer of
the eternal word.
O higher than the
cherubim,
more glorious than the seraphim,
lead their praises, Alleluia!
Thou bearer of the eternal Word,
most gracious, magnify the Lord.[9]
more glorious than the seraphim,
lead their praises, Alleluia!
Thou bearer of the eternal Word,
most gracious, magnify the Lord.[9]
Let me offer my own tribute to our Lady.
LADY
LAUD YOUR SON
Lady laud your son.
Cast down your golden crown and worship
him,
born a babe in stable laid,
who walked the hills of Galilee
with fisher folk and tax collectors,
made of them a holy band,
shocked the scribe and Pharisee
not less than priest and Sadducee.
No simple man, nor plain was he.
His is the power that calls forth you and
me.
Lady laud your son
whose death pierced your own soul
with grief too sharp to bear
fulfilling prophet's words in temple court
so long ago. Proud mother of a little babe,
with head bowed down
you contemplate the way
he cast down the mighty from their thrones.
Lady laud your son.
You have given once again.
In mothering you have given many times
before.
Resurrection joy, ascension parting mingle
in your breast.
The old ways of holding him can never be
again.
Lady laud your son.
Cast down your golden crown and worship him
in the circle of the saints, his sisters,
brothers,
all your children now, all crowned like you
God-bearer, now for ever blessed
held in warm embrace by glad hearts
everywhere.
Lady laud your son.
PAX
The Rev. Canon Dr. Robin P. Smith
No comments:
Post a Comment