OUR LADY OF FERGUSON
Jesus said, "What you have done to the least. You have done it unto me." And in Amerikkka, we know we can not get any lesser than the n-word. So with his words, Jesus identifies himself with the n-word. In the icon of OUR LADY OF FERGUSON, the Mother of God and Christ are black. Christ is a silhouette in her womb area and is targeted and threatened with death as many African-Americans are by the police, the justice system, and even casual citizens like in the Ahmaud Arbery case. This targeted life mirrors Jesus' life as the authorities treated him like an n-word. He was not esteemed, and he was targeted, beaten, lynched, (put on a cross), and not given justice. Both figures in this icon have their hands up not just because they are threatened but also ironically, in the same pose, they are praying to and praising God who will judge those that would try to do them harm in the exaltation of 'heritage' and flesh. Ferguson, Missouri, was where the BLACK LIVES MATTER movement first came to national prominence. For Prints.
There’s something about Mary. That’s a movie title from the late 1990’s. I don’t remember what the movie was about, but at the time I thought it was stupid and hilarious. The title, though, has stuck with me. There’s something about Mary…
What is it about Mary, the mother of our Lord, that sticks with us, penetrates our hearts, inspires us and moves us to action? That’s too long for a movie title, but when I reflect on Mary, that’s what I wonder; “There’s something about Mary that draws us to her, that inspires us, that calls us to join her in the revolution of God’s people for the sake of the whole world.
Now when I was growing up as a “nice Lutheran girl” in the suburbs of Minnesota, I did not think there was something about Mary. In fact, we never studied Mary’s role in the Jesus story, never asked what she could teach us, never looked to her praise and protest song to consider how God might call us too to the revolution of God’s people. Nope. I learned by osmosis, never with any direct criticism, that Mary was for Catholics, not us.
Little did I know that Martin Luther, the one credited for starting a revolution (reformation) in the Catholic church, actually revered Mary. Luther saw Mary’s song as a model for Christian prayer and praise, not dependent on merit but rather a response to God’s grace. Luther believed that Christians are to respect and venerate Mary because of her faith, humility and willingness. He even included the Hail Mary in the original prayer book that led to the Small Catechism.
But what is it about Mary that speaks to us today, no matter what our religious tradition or upbringing might have taught us?
There are six reasons listed in your bulletin that name why Mary is important for Lutherans. I encourage you to read them and consider the ways that Mary may be spiritual guide for your own faith. But I can’t cover all 6 in a sermon, so today I reflect on Mary as revolutionary. Mary sings a revolutionary song of God lifting up the lowly, the poor, the hungry, the forgotten, the marginalized. Mary sings a radical song of hope for those on the bottom of life’s heap.
On this feast day we give thanks that she said yes to God’s call to bear Jesus and we, with Mary, open our lives to the mystery of the Holy One living among us. Mary is much more than a quiet, mild peasant girl turned saint. In today’s gospel reading we see her strong faith in God and we hear her bold witness to the One who does marvelous things. When Mary announces her pregnancy to her cousin Elizabeth, she sings a song of praise and proclamation, “My soul magnifies the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God my Savior. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is God’s name.”
But she also sings a song of protest; naming the ways that God works in the world that are contrary to the norm, defying those in power and calling God's people to a new, revolutionary way of being. Justice will be brought to the poor, the hungry will be fed, the world will be turned upside down.
In his book, Mary of Nazareth, Prophet of Peace John Dear writes, “Mary is not a passive saint. She is a contemplative and an activist, a mystic and a revolutionary. Mary is the mother of God, and so she boldly proclaims God’s word of non-violence to a world of violence, (She proclaims) God’s revolution of justice to a world of injustice. She is blatantly political. She disturbs the culture’s complacency and stirs up trouble.”
“Good trouble,” as beloved revolutionary, activist and US representative John Lewis said about the work he was doing to lift up those who are cast aside by white supremacy. He stirred up good trouble, not only as a political move, but because of his faith in Jesus, who also stirred up trouble in the face of political and religious leaders who had cast aside and marginalized the poor and lowly among them. Throughout his ministry Jesus called on those who follow him to stir up the kind of good trouble that brings justice to the captive, food to the hungry, relief to the poor, and freedom to the wrongly imprisoned.
Of course, Mary is a model disciple for contemplative and faithful living, but she is also a disciple who is active and prophetic, even before Jesus was born. As a mother she fed, played with, loved and disciplined the holy child. But she was also his first teacher. And from Jesus we hear the same revolutionary, turn the world upside down, prophetic word that’s been proclaimed to disciples throughout the generations. “Love your enemies. Hunger and thirst for righteousness. Forgive seventy times seven. Peace be with you.”
Elle Dowd, recent graduate of LSTC, and newly called pastor to the South Loop Campus Ministry, wrote a book, Baptized in Tear Gas--white moderate to abolitionist, that we’ll get to hear more about at the book launch after the liturgy tonight. In her book Elle writes about Mary and her protest song that she sings in what’s now known as the Magnificat. Elle writes,
“Mother Mary’s famous protest song in Luke 1 tells us that those who have been exalted, like police officers who are lionized in our current police state, will be made low. And those who have been treated as if they are lowly, like Michael Brown will be brought up high. Darren Wilson might be present at the heavenly banquet, I don’t know. But I imagine if he is, he will spend at least some time serving Mike Brown, refilling his glass, and bringing him his food. This too is liberation. It is setting Darren free from his former role, transforming him by teaching him how to lie down with the lambs without slaughtering them.”
‘In Mary’s ‘yes’ to be God bearer for the world, she sings a song of gladness and revolution focused on God’s greatness and God’s action. And if we dare to follow Mary on the journey from contemplative to prophetic witness, a time will come when we too will have to break through the culture’s silence and speak out publicly for God, siding with God, proclaiming God’s greatness, announcing God’s saving action and denouncing the violence that insults the God of peace.’
When we speak out against police brutality or work to end white supremacy, that’s not too political for the church; it’s faithful to the prophetic witness to cast down the mighty and raise up the lowly. When we call on one another to care for the earth, to cut down our carbon emissions, to compost, recycle and eat low in the food chain, that’s revolutionary care for the beautiful creation God has given to us. When we seek to understand the root causes of poverty, hunger and homelessness, then work to uproot the systems that keep people oppressed, that’s revolutionary, faithful and gospel centered.
Mary’s song gives all of us confidence in God’s grace; for the Holy One chooses to work in and through us too, to bear God’s light and love and mercy to a broken world. Can you see yourself in Mary? Can you hear that you too are blessed and chosen by God?
There’s something about Mary and there’s something about you too. God looks with favor on you and calls you to bear light to a broken world. To proclaim in words and actions the mighty deeds of God. To share the good news that God’s love, justice and peace are for all. That the mighty will be brought down from their imaginary thrones and those who hunger for the goodness of life and love will be filled.