Happy Lutheran

A sermon delivered at Wartburg Seminary, on the commemoration of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

I invite you to reflect on the image above as a focal point for the sermon:  “The Portrait of the Artist as the Virgin of Guadalupe,” by Yolanda López. López imagines Mary as a vibrant, energetic woman of strength, determination and joy, striding into the future God is calling her.

In my meditation for today, I want to speak about Our Lady of Guadalupe, in order to share one perspective of how millions and millions of Christians experience God’s divine promise of salvation embodied in this particular manifestation of mother of Jesus, who is, through him, the mother of us all. She invites us into a relationship with God characterized by bold trust, daring action, and deep compassion.

It is perhaps an overstatement—but not by much—to say that there are as many Marys as there are individuals who venerate her; and this has been true since the birth of the church. Jaroslav Pelikan, the famous Lutheran—and then Orthodox—early church historian, wrote a book titled Mary through the Centuries, discussing her presentation as the second Eve, the Theotokos, the heroine of the Qu’ran, the Queen of Heaven, and the Mater Dolorosa—just to name a few.

Mary is a virgin and a mother—an impossible standard that women have been trying to live up to ever since! [That’s a topic for another sermon.] She is joyous; she is pensive; she is beautiful, she is humble; she is strong, and she is wise. And, thanks to her miraculous apparitions around the world, she transcends all ethnic and racial divisions, embodying women of every age, country and culture who adore her.

If you have had the opportunity to visit the Holy Land, you may recall the Basilica of the Annunciation, in Nazareth, which has dozens and dozens of mosaics, depicting Mary and the infant Jesus in different cultural contexts. This beautiful constellation of images embodies well Mary’s global appeal. Yet, even among all that glorious variation, this image before us today of Our Lady of Guadalupe, depicted with a more creative artistic representation than the more traditional tapestry, has a special place in Marian iconography.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Mary like few others. Globally beloved, ubiquitous in Spanish-speaking countries, particularly Mexico, and a champion of Latine Catholics in particular, she is beyond compare.

And while, I cannot speak to what she means in those communities where she is venerated with such passion and care, I can speak to what I have observed through years of research, conversations with friends and colleagues, and global travel. And in my experience, Our Lady of Guadalupe manifests both God’s gracious disposition to us, and our disposition of confident faith in God.

Our Lady is approachable. When God feels far off, when even Jesus seems out of reach, Mary draws near. She who has known the joy of birthing a son and the great grief at losing him too young knows our sorrows and griefs. It is not a coincidence that Our Lady is not only present here at Christmastime, but also plays a significant role during Holy Week as the Mother of Sorrows. Her life is bound up with the life of Christ, and she experiences in a vivid way his deep pain—and thus our pain as well.

Our Lady is the accompanier. I cannot count how many times I have seen on the rear window of cars someone’s name with birth and death dates, next to an image of Our Lady. It is a vivid reminder, and a plea, perhaps, that she walks with us—in all stages and experiences of our lives.

And, in this image, Our Lady is a force to be reckoned with. She strides out to meet the world, joy on her face, sneakers on her feet, as her blue mantel becomes a superhero’s cape and her mild demeanor is morphed into vibrant activity.

She is one who has been called blessed by God.

She is one who has been lifted up.

She is one who has experienced for herself the power of God’s justice.

She has seen, and believed, and she is ready to continue her participation in God’s salvific work in the world, whatever and wherever that may be.

This vision of Our Lady embraces her calling with relish; and her confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit, with her and overshadowing her, is palpable.  

In this season, and in every season, may Mary’s bold trust, daring action, and deep compassion be a model for us in our life of faith as well.

AMEN.