Every now and then I need just a little bit of Sister Act in
my life. The 1990’s Roman Catholic Rock movie with Whoopie Goldberg arguably at
her best and without a doubt at her most joyful. To my husbands delight, we
rocked out to a few Sister Act songs this morning in honor of the Assumption ofMary celebrated today. I mean who doesn’t love it when the shy novice of a
religious order surprises all with powerhouse vocal chords that put the
cherubim and seraphim to shame.
Now of course, I would not be telling you about my Sister
Act love, making myself irrelevant to anyone born after the year 1989 if there
was not a very very profound point to be made about God’s ultimate coolness. We
will get back to Sister Act my wish for religious sisters to turn up the jams
in our churches today but for now, let’s talk about God’s realness and
relevance. Enter… the Virgin Mary.
Regardless of how you feel about Mary, travel with me back
to the beginning of God’s promise on her life. The first chapter of Luke gives
us almost all that we know about her. After the angel appeared to her and told
her, “Surprise you are going to be the mother of God”, she went to visit her
cousin Elizabeth. At their greeting, Elizabeth gives Mary one hell of a
compliment, “ Blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to you by the
Lord would be fulfilled “ and then the climax. Mary recites a canticle giving
all glory and gratitude to the God of Jacob in one of the most beautiful
prayers ever uttered by human lips.
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit
rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon His handmaiden’s lowliness;
behold, from now on all ages will call
me blessed. (Read the rest here)
All ages will call her blessed? ALL AGES?
Last time I checked all means all and so if God is real and
He keeps His promises then we should be able to see this “All Ages” claim happening
even now! So let us ask. Have all generations called her blessed? Is Mary in
fact truly blessed for believing that what was spoken to her would be
fulfilled?
My dear friends, I present to you a 2016 National Geographic
cover.
“ The Most Powerful Woman in the Word”
What? A young woman from Nazareth who lived 2000 years ago was named the world’s most powerful woman in 2016 by a secular global exploration
magazine. And what’s the article tag line? (you can read the whole article here)
Mary barely speaks in
the New Testament but her image and legacy are found and celebrated all over
the world.
Blessed INDEED is
she who believed that what was spoken to her would be fulfilled. It is hard to
argue that the God of Jacob who supposedly sent his son to us through Mary 2000
years ago is made up when His promises are still being fulfilled in tangible,
visible, recordable history today. This article goes on to talk about the
influence that Mary has had all over the world over the past and in the
present. It is hard to say that this woman is meant to distract when she by her
own words is constantly pointing us to the living God. He is real and she by
her mere presence points to Him and His character.
Mary reveals to indistinguishable truths about God. First,
God is real and He is a powerhouse. Second, this powerhouse of a living God is
personal. He made a promised to a no name girl and He kept it. It was through
that promise that He sent us the God man, all powerful but in the muck and the
mud of humanity. He cares about the details of your life, He loves you and He
is faithful. We can see this in history. Even Whoopie Goldberg, probably not on
purpose, blessed Mary by the filming of Sister Act. God used Hollywood to honor
His lady and they didn’t even realize it.
God. Is. Cool.
All generation call her blessed indeed and our blessed
Mother will forever point us to a living and relevant God who wants to be in
the details of your life. You can choose to ignore him but you cannot choose to
block Him out of existence, He continues to prove Himself.
Happy Assumption Friends!
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