Wandering Christian

Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos,
Mary, full of grace,
The Lord is with thee;
Blessed art thou amongst women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
For thou hast borne the saviour of our souls.
Byzantine Rite and Eastern Orthodox Angelic Salutation (Hail Mary), based on the Gospel according to Saint Luke

I often get very impressed when I find out that, to some people, a simple Ave Maria can be more offensive than advocating homosexual blessings, equal rights to ordination, and other controversial issues. And it is unbelievable that the Blessed Virgin Mary, who has always been a central figure in Christianity, has been forgotten by so many people, especially nowadays.

It is true that little was said about Mary at the beginning. She was a woman, after all, and women were considered second-class citizens among Jewish people at that time. Also, she was probably illiterate, and could not leave anything written. So, it is expected that only the most relevant events about her life would be found in the Holy Scripture. However, such passages were so deep that, if merged with information people at that time had about her (and that, later, was regrouped by Tradition), one can infer that Mary plays an important role in Christianity.

And, of course, there was always "something about Mary". Even when Marian devotion was disencouraged, it would come back even stronger, and often tied to supernatural events. The Oxford movement that happened within the Church of England, and later has gotten widespread, with the label of "Anglo-Catholicism" was merely an explosion of beliefs that were natural to many, but kept in secret. But if a lack of care for Mary would be disrespectful, an extreme Marian devotion can be considered idolatry as well. So, where would be a secure and balanced location to place her in the 3^rd Millennium? Is the Virgin just a chimera from the past or does she still speak to our hearts today?

First of all, Mary is a symbol of purity. It is known to many that God has chosen her, among all women, to be the one who would have His only begotten Son in her womb. Of course, God is God, and therefore, He is miraculous. God did not need to manifest this way. Nobody fully understands the mystery behind the Incarnation (and some do not even believe in it the traditional way), but there is something behind this story that still touches me... He has chosen her, which means that He appreciated her very much. And, of course, God loves all mankind, but the fact that he saw grace and virtue in her shows us that this God we worship is not related to palaces and beautiful garments. He is much more interested in our hearts. And he has seen the sanctity in Mary's heart. She shows us that a human being can be holy unto the Lord and an agent of His uncountable blessings...

Mary also represents a group of people who have been ignored by mankind until then: women. Women were often considered inferior beings. They were seen as futile, weak and less intelligent people, whose only reason to exist was reproduction. However, God transferred Mary from that disgraceful place society had placed her to His holiness. And we can extend this concept to all who were marginalized in our tormentuous world: racial, sexual and religious minorities, slaves, the poor, the elderly, children... Through Mary, we find out that God cares about all His children, and that there is no special group of people who are more loved by Him. As the "second Eve", she restores us back to the state of full equality before God, and shows us a path of salvation through His Son.

Mary brings us the concept of motherhood. Her life is an example of how we should behave as parents. And it is obvious that parents are the first people we direct our affections to. When we think of Mary holding, feeding and caring for the infant Jesus, we deeply desire to act like her with our children, and also to have her as our own "higher" mother. The Holy Mother of God is central to our understanding of parenthood in the midst of our calamitous society. She should be the light that guides us through our family lives everyday.

Mary is, still, a symbol of submission. She never doubted that she had to follow God's will. We never see in her any sign of reluctance. She was always there, at His command, and ready to follow His desire. When we become like Her, we become His full servants. Our will is therefore, God's will. And, through her actions, she commands us to let God rule our lives, the same way Jesus tells us be when we say the Lord's Prayer.

To be like the Blessed Virgin Mary is, after all, to be special to God, and graceful to His eyes... a living blessing. To be like the Mother of God is to carry Jesus inside us, and, the same way He was nurtured in her womb, we must nurture the Christ that lives inside us, by following his commandments. To be like the Holy Virgin Mary is to show we, simple human beings, can follow her steps and be holy to God. To be blessed among women, is to know that women are as blessed as men. To be like the Joy of all who Sorrow is to be equal to anybody in God's eyes... is to be human, and therefore, sensitive to people's sufferings. To be like the Queen of the World is to know that our lives must follow her example, and our families should be like her family was. To be like the second Eve is a way of showing a complete submission to God's will.

Loving Mother of Our Savior, Lady of Angels, Virgin Theotokos, Star of the Sea, Queen of Peace, Queen of Heaven, Our Rose, Seat of Wisdom, Our Lady... Mary points us to the divine - the one who came to redeem the world: Jesus Christ. Let us follow her example and rejoice, for the King of Universe has come.

Further reading:
Luke 1

When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
Hebrews 9:11-15
The Bible (New International Version)

Liturgy comes from Greek leitourgia, which is a composite of two words: leos (the people of God) and ergon (work). Liturgy means, therefore, the works of the people of God.

The peoples of God have been worshipping Him throughout the centuries... First, there were only simple services. But then, many improvements were made to this "work of God's children". Liturgy has been the fullest expression of our faith in a God who turns everything beautiful. And when we consecrate our lives to His service, they become beautiful as well.

Anglicanism never had a central theologian, or divine. In fact, its liturgy, centered on the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) has been its deepest identity. It attempts to mimic the greatest of all liturgies: the one that is described in the Epistle to the Hebrews: Christ, the High Priest, who enters the tabernacle and offers himself as a sacrifice. This is the liturgy that sets us free and invites us to celebrate life joyfully and welcome our High Priest at each mass we celebrate together.

Anglican liturgy comprehends both elements from the early Church Catholic and the Reformation. It might have an iconoclast and outspoken Evangelical approach, or an intuitive and artistic Anglo-Catholic style. But the words taken from the BCP, which we will examine now, describe this invitation to our High-Priest and Lord Jesus that is repeated every Sunday around the globe, according to the principle of lex orandi, lex credendi (the law of prayer is the law of belief).

Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
Excerpt from Holy Eucharist - Rite II
The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church

This invitation to worship opens a common service. The celebrant and the congregation are now a whole body of believers, who intend to bring the Kingdom of God to our world, and to magnify his name. This event is very important, as it leads to individual confessions of sins, which occur shortly after that.

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Excerpt from Holy Eucharist - Rite II
The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church

It is important to notice that this is also an invitation to sainthood. By asking God for forgiveness, worshipers clean their hearts, and prepare themselves to be saints, following Christ's steps when he entered the Tabernacle. Again, this is a very Trinity-centered prayer. God, the Almighty one must be adored, but it is His (Holy) Spirit the one who is requested to clean our souls, and through our Lord Jesus, the prayer is delivered to Him.

But, of course, no one can fully reach God's sainthood by himself. And, because of that, the following words are repeated or sung, as a sign of humility and repentance.

Jesus said, "The first commandments is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord your God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.
Lord, have mercy (Kyrie eleison); Christ, have mercy (Christe eleison); Lord, have mercy (Kyrie eleison).
Excerpt from Holy Eucharist - Rite II
The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church

The short prayer recited at the end, also known as the Kyrie, has been repeated for many centuries. It comes from the time in which most Christian communities used Greek as its main language.

Κύριε ἐλέησον, Χριστὲ ἐλέησον, Κύριε ἐλέησον.

This penitential act might come before the main service, or during it. There are several options to it, but the main idea it transmits is always there: that only by God's grace, we can acknowledge eternal life. We are not worth being saved, and yet, His mercy has provided us this graceful way to be one with Him.

Now, it is time to listen to two (or more) passages from the Bible. This is a major shift, because, for the first time people actually hear what God has to say, by paying attention to those lessons and to the following sermon. Before that, it was time to prepare minds, bodies and souls to receive freely God's message. Now, it is His time to act.

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Excerpt from Holy Eucharist - Rite II
The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church

The Nicene Creed is one of the most important documents of the early Church. It is often recited (or sung) after the sermon. This series of statements reflect, in a poetic way, the teachings of the One Holy Catholic Church. The words "I believe", which come at the beginning of it, meant, in original Latin "I give my heart to". And by "lifting up our hearts" to God, the Nicene Creed, followed by a set of prayers, known as the prayers of people, connects us to millions of brothers and sisters who are sharing this common faith. It also connects us to the communion of saints, who are there in Heaven, interceding for us: the Triumphant Church.

The central act of worship is, of course, the Holy Eucharist. There is no fixed explanation for the Real Presence, and there are many who believe in one of the most common theological explanations for it (transubstantiation, consubstantiation or sacramental union). Many Eucharistic prayers have been developed, but some common points are shared by all of them.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
***
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
***
We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.
Excerpt from Holy Eucharist - Eucharistic Prayer A
The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church

I would like to emphasize three special parts that really speak to my heart. It is often preceded by the greetings of peace, and starts with a commandment: lift up our hearts and let us give thanks to God. Then, the Sanctus is recited. These verses, extracted from two passages (Isaiah 6:3 and Matthew 21:9) are a formal invitation to our Lord Jesus Christ. Like those people who were in Jerusalem, greeting Him as their savior, we greet Him as our savior, formally acknowledging His Priesthood, His Kingdom and His Glory. Shortly after, the priest asks the Holy Spirit to sanctify the wine and the bread (the epiclesis), so, they will be, for us Christians, the Blood and the Flesh of Jesus Christ.

A commandment, a greeting (and adoration) and a request of sanctification. God's three faces: the Creator, the Redeemer and the Sanctifier - all of them are present in this joyful moment of celebration. Thanks be to God, for we were reconciled with Him by our baptismal covenant. Thanks be to God, for His begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, our High Priest. Thanks be to God, for He has allowed us to be His children.

Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, all honor and glory are yours, Almighty God and Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and for ever. And now, we pray.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.
Excerpt from Holy Eucharist - Rite II
The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church

So come, kingdom, come!

Further reading:
Hebrews 9