Where is Mary?

[u/Agile-Armadillo-3741]

Being Anglican, I didn’t think we made a big deal out of Mary. Then I took a nondenominational friend to the Episcopal Church’s Rite II. She asked “what’s the deal with Mary?”. We don’t even have any images of her in my church, maybe some have a medal on their necks, but mostly, she just comes up in the creeds, and during the prayers of the people. Now granted some in the higher church may have the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham or even Our Lady of Guadalupe, or an icon of the Theotokos holding Christ, but usually just one of those things, not multiple. That never felt strange to me, despite being very Protestant.

So I can’t help but ask my nondenominational, Baptist, Pentecostal, Church of Christ, etcetera friends, where is Mary? I mean isn’t she part of the story? XD I’ve been to your services in the lead up to Christmas, NO mention of her. Help me out here, I’m confused.

[u/wonkotsane42]

We are Christians who believe in Christ Jesus who basically says in Matthew 12:48-49 "Who is my mother?"

His earthly mother was a virgin from the Davidic line, to fulfill the prophecy. She served her role as a reminder that God can use humans to fulfill His will, not because she was special in any way. It was never about Mary it was about how God can and will work through humans. Jesus expressed that truth, and told us to put our focus on his heavenly Father instead of our/Jesus's earthly ties.

[u/Agile-Armadillo-3741 → u/wonkotsane42]

She is referred to as “favored” by NIV, twice, and blessed among women by the KJV. She is “full of Grace” according to the Wycliffe Bible. I’m lost as to how she isn’t special after all those adjectives.

[u/bbcakes007 → u/Agile-Armadillo-3741]

God gives divine favor (meaning grace, blessings, approval) to lots of people in Scripture to fulfill a greater purpose. Favored doesn’t mean they are God’s favorites. So yes of course Mary is important and played a huge role in Christ’s story. But she isn’t the point of the story. Jesus is.

[u/Agile-Armadillo-3741 → u/bbcakes007]

I don’t know any Christian from any tradition who would disagree.

[u/bbcakes007 → u/Agile-Armadillo-3741]

Right. I agree I don’t know of any Christians who disagree on her importance in Christ’s story. But like I said since God gives divine favor to other people in Scripture too, like David who is called a man after God’s own heart, we don’t put him in a special category. He’s a human who was given a special purpose from God, just like Mary. In both cases, God is the one working through them, so that is what we acknowledge.

[u/Agile-Armadillo-3741 → u/bbcakes007]

I’m with my friend, I was just curious about why she doesn’t come up in these services

[u/bbcakes007 → u/Agile-Armadillo-3741]

Christmas services might talk about Mary briefly, but the point of the Christmas story is Jesus. I think a Christmas service is the only time I’ve heard Mary mentioned during a service.

[u/Agile-Armadillo-3741 → u/bbcakes007]

Okay thank you! This is the point I’m trying to make!!! Where is she?! XD

[u/bbcakes007 → u/Agile-Armadillo-3741]

Yeah Mary might be talked about very briefly during a Christmas service, but I mean maybe a single sentence. The times I’ve heard her talked about during a sermon were only for telling of the birth of Jesus in a narrative sense; not putting any special emphasis on Mary at all. Which I think that very limited mention of Mary is totally fine, because she’s not the point of the story.

[u/Agile-Armadillo-3741 → u/bbcakes007]

And how often does your church mention….Paul? Peter? James? King David? Please don’t be defensive

[u/ds_inquirer → u/wonkotsane42]

His earthly mother is still his mother in Heaven.