Worship of Mary

This past Sunday we sang a great song that echoed Mary’s prayer in Luke 1. It was so God-Centered and Christ exalting. In particular I loved the part that echoed Mary’s words, “my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”.

After singing this song I was struck by the regrettable damage done by the Catholic Church to this grace-filled woman. As evangelicals, and particularly formerly catholic evangelicals, we recoil when people talk about Mary for more than a couple of minutes because we are so cautious of the popular worship…err…veneration of Mary at the hands of Rome.

What a tragedy this is. Mary was a great woman of faith, not because she was a great woman, but because God is a great God. The hero of the virgin birth is not Mary, but God! We do not see Mary’s virginity, piety, or spirituality exalted in any of the biblical texts. Instead we see God’s glorious grace amplified. So shame on Rome for erecting a statue to Mary that obstructs our view of God’s grace and power. And shame on us for closing our eyes to the biblical Mary (regardless of our motives) and in so doing missing the power, glory and grace of God in the life of Mary.

Here is the text from Luke 1. Find yourself agreeing with Mary’s theology and God-centered worship that points to the faithfulness, power, grace, love, mercy, and righteousness of God as expressed through this wonderful prayer.

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” Luke 1.46-55

Possibly Related posts:

1. Worship Matters:: thinking biblically about worship
2. How Gerald Ford’s death causes me to worship Jesus
3. Hallelujah, What a Savior
4. How the Super Bowl Causes me to Long for the Kingdom
5. Reformed Conferences on the east coast (US)

9 Responses to “Worship of Mary”

1. Seth McBee says:

   December 12, 2006 at 1:56 pm

   First, good thoughts, I also think we do the same thing with the Holy Spirit…because of the charismatic movement

   Second…do Catholics wish everyone a
   Mary Christmas instead of a Merry Christmas?
2. erik says:

   December 12, 2006 at 3:56 pm

   In Nebraska it all sounds the same:

   People say Merry Christmas
   People have a wedding and get “merried”
   Catholics worship…err..venerate Merry

   Perhaps that is your mid western brogue coming out :/
3. Jacob says:

   December 12, 2006 at 4:30 pm

   Erik,

   Did you talk to pastor Steve? He wanted his secretary to put on the church billboard out front “The Worship of Mary” because he was going to preach on the magnificat. The secretary accidentally put “Worship Mary.”

   Steve had a few concerned members on Sunday morning. Ha!
4. erik says:

   December 12, 2006 at 4:33 pm

   WOW! I had not heard that…yikes.
5. Jim says:

   December 12, 2006 at 4:45 pm

   Erik,

   “So shame on Rome for erecting a statue to Mary that obstructs our view of God’s grace and power.”

   I thought this line was a great way to say it, given that Rome claims that they use Mary and statues to point them to Christ. So sad, may our prayers go out for those lost by such a religious system, and words of truth go forth!
6. Alicia says:

   December 13, 2006 at 12:30 am

   My husband and I were blessed by the world premiere of the Christmas opera Simeon at Bob Jones University this past weekend. Near the end of the opera just after Simeon meets the baby, the Levitical choir walked through the court of the women singing “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” while Mary sang the Magnificant. It was beautiful and deeply moving.
7. Laz says:

   December 21, 2006 at 11:08 am

   I know the way Mary is treated by Catholic laypeople doesn’t border on idolatry (it is idolatry) but what about the official stance of the RCC?

   I know the RCC says veneration is different than worship so why don’t they put a stop to the idolatry especially in Latin America?
8. Seth McBee says:

   December 21, 2006 at 11:23 am

   Laz.
   The RCC is more concerned with power than discernment. They want to bring as many people under their umbrella as possible. Look at this history of how they started to include priests who spoke in tongues, or also when Pope John Paul kissed the Koran. The like to unite not divide…ever
9. Laz says:

   December 21, 2006 at 11:34 am

   You’re right Seth, we see that too in their stance on evolution…