I recently heard a concert by the Vienna Boys Choir. Among the works they sang was “Hail Holy Queen” from “Sister Act.”  (Don’t you wish we could do that some Sunday?)

Now, growing up in the Lutheran Church I was aware that Roman Catholics had special regard for Mary, the Mother of Jesus, which Lutherans didn’t have. Then I read Martin Luther. My Aunt gave be a copy of Roland Bainton’s book “Martin Luther’s Christmas Book”–excerpts from Luther’s Christmas Sermons. Almost every chapter mentions Mary. Eight of the nine pictures included depict Mary. It was here in the section on the Annunciation that I found Luther paraphrasing Bernard of Clairvaux that there are three miracles associated with the birth of Jesus. The first is that a virgin should have a child. The second is that God should become human. The third is that Mary believed she would be the mother of the Savior. It is Mary’s faith that is the greatest miracle.

Luther wrote: “ . . . most amazing of all is that this maiden should credit the announcement that she, rather than some other virgin had been chosen to be the mother of God. . . . Had she not believed, she would not have conceived. She held fast to the word of the angel because she had become a new creature. Even so must we be transformed and renewed in heart from day to day. Otherwise Christ is born in vain.”*

Mary is the perfect example of faith, a model for us. May we be transformed and renewed as she was.

Read Luke 1:26-38 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne

*Martin Luther’s Christmas Book, pp. 15-16.