Higher than
the Cherubim
O higher
than the cherubim
more glorious than the seraphim,
lead their praises: alleluia!
Thou bearer of the eternal word,
most gracious, magnify the Lord: alleluia!
These
words are from the second verse of the hymn "Ye Watchers
and Ye Holy Ones," which we have just sung. But to whom
do they refer? Christ is higher than the cherubim and more
glorious than the seraphim, but the epithets which follow
cannot refer to him. He is not the bearer of the eternal word;
he is the eternal word. The bearer of the eternal word can
only be his mother Mary, although she is not mentioned by
name.
"Most
gracious" recalls the angel's greeting, "Hail, full
of grace" (Luke 1:28), and the invitation to "magnify
the Lord" recalls Mary's canticle, the Magnificat (Luke
1:46-55). I think it is safe to say that most people who sing
these words are quite unaware that they refer to Mary. Indeed,
most Anglicans, Anglo-Catholics excepted, are quire unconscious
of Mary until the Christmas season comes around.
Today's
liturgy for the Fourth Sunday in Advent focuses on Mary, at
least in the Book of Alternative Services. Her exaltation
above the cherubim and seraphim points to the goddess-like
status she enjoys in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions,
a status she shares with the figure of heavenly Wisdom found
in the Old Testament.
The
gospel for today is more down to earth: it narrates Mary's
visit to her cousin Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-56). The angel had
just told Mary that she would bear a son through the overshadowing
of the spirit (vv.31.35). Then as a sign of this miraculous
birth, the angel announced Elizabeth's conception of a son
in her old age (v.36), which was only slightly less miraculous
than Mary's virginal conception (cf. v.37).
This revelation prompts Mary to go from Nazareth to the house
of Elizabeth's husband Zechariah in Jerusalem (vv.39-40),
where Zechariah functioned as a priest in the temple (vv.5.8).
When Mary greets Elizabeth, the latter feels the babe in her
womb, John the Baptist, leap for joy (vv.41.44) and proclaims
the blessedness of both Mary and the child in her womb (v.42).
The
expectation of these two pregnant women epitomizes the expectation
of this last Sunday in Advent, as we light the last, rose-colored
Advent candle. Mary's canticle, the Magnificat, picks up Elizabeth's
words and prophesies that all generations will call Mary blessed
(v.48), words which we Anglicans may hear with some embarrassment.
Mary,
the handmaiden of the Lord (v.38), will experience the trials
and humiliation of those of low degree (v.52). When Jesus
is born, Joseph, Mary's husband, resolves to divorce her (Matthew
2:18-19), since he knows that the child is not his, and is
only dissuaded from this course of action by an angel, who
appears to him in a dream (vv.20-24).
Simeon
prophesies to Mary that her soul will be pierced with a sword
(Luke 2:35), a reference to the unspeakable grief she will
feel at her son's crucifixion. Yet in spite of everything,
God is faithful to his promises (v.72) and remembers his mercy
(v.54) .
If
we, like Mary, truly hunger for the coming of the divine child,
then we, like Mary will be filled with good things from the
hand of the Lord (v.53) on the coming feast of Christmas.
