Bashing Mary

The other day on our local Christian radio station, some preacher went on an extended diatribe about Mary. He was clearly expressing some pent up anger, probably aimed at Roman Catholics, and he went on and on about her sins.

I understand the need to clarify the unique role of Jesus in salvation. He is God Incarnate. Period. There is no other intercessor between God and humanity. Period. It is in Jesus and Jesus alone that we find salvation. Period. I believe and I preach this message regularly. But....

Here is my question. If Jesus is human (orthodox faith says, fully human) and if Jesus is a good son and Jesus is a man and Jesus has any sense of honor, then what is Jesus' response to people going out of their way to speak ill of His mother. I do not question the motivation of those who do this, but I do think at time there is some disrespect. At some point don't you think Jesus might say, "That is my mother you are talking about!"?

Many self identified "Bible Believing Christians" never refer to Mary as the Blessed Mother. I do not know why. In the Bible, Luke 1:48, Mary's Magnificat states, "all generations will call me blessed." Note the last word, blessed. Just prior to this, Elizabeth, pregnant with baby John the Baptist and filled with the Holy Spirit declared, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?"

I know there are excesses in Marian devotion, but seriously, is the only alternative to ignore her, or only mention her to run her down? Her "yes" to God is, like it or not, a vital link in our salvation. No momma Mary, no baby Jesus. God made a world where human cooperation is needed. I also know that Mary cared for baby Jesus, toddler Jesus, little boy Jesus, teenage Jesus and she was there at the bitter end on the cross. Luke's portrayal is the most positive and touching. A mother's pain in her Son's death is something we can imagine, and many mothers have experienced. She shared in the cross of Jesus, at least in a natural sense, in ways very few Christians ever have or could. Mary is, for that reason, worthy of respect (though not worship).

I have always struggled with the proper mode of Marian devotion. I think her role as a mediator is Biblical (cf John 2) and I think her status is great in the eyes of God. I truly understand why many folks prefer not to talk about  her. I just think it is rude to trash her. Her sacrifices and the price she paid to bring Jesus in the world are the work of God through a human. She said things like "I am the servant of the Lord" and "Do whatever He tells you." She is a role model and a type of Eve, of Israel and of the church. Based on moms I have known, she probably treated the disciples of Jesus like her own kids. In a real sense, she was a "mom" to them (and us). John's Gospel alludes to that in the crucifixion. A pious young Jewish girl, untouched by a male, holy and pure, she is the gateway of the Incarnation. As we gather to ADORE HIM let us spend a brief moment to thank her. It is the respectful thing to do.