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"And this is the rule of our own Church": heeding Newman's wisdom regarding 15th August

From Newman's Parochial and Plain Sermons, Volume 2, Sermon 12, 'The Reverence Due to the Virgin Mary'.  Newman here outlines the rationale for the reserve demonstrated in the Kalendar of the classical BCP regarding Marian feasts, restricting these to the Purification and the Annunciation.  This wisdom - a reserve which, as Newman states, is "following the example of Scripture" - should continue to shape Anglican liturgical practice.  Which means that tomorrow, 15th August, should simply be the Saturday following the Ninth Sunday after Trinity.  

... the more we consider who St. Mary was, the more dangerous will such knowledge of her appear to be. Other saints are but influenced or inspired by Christ, and made partakers of Him mystically. But, as to St. Mary, Christ derived His manhood from her, and so had an especial unity of nature with her; and this wondrous relationship between God and man it is perhaps impossible for us to dwell much upon without some perversion of feeling. For, truly, she is raised above the condition of sinful beings, though by nature a sinner; she is brought near to God, yet is but a creature, and seems to lack her fitting place in our limited understandings, neither too high nor too low. We cannot combine, in our thought of her, all we should ascribe with all we should withhold. Hence, following the example of Scripture, we had better only think of her with and for her Son, never separating her from Him, but using her name as a memorial of His great condescension in stooping from heaven, and not "abhorring the Virgin's womb." And this is the rule of our own Church, which has set apart only such Festivals in honour of the Blessed Mary, as may also be Festivals in honour of our Lord; the Purification commemorating His presentation in the Temple, and the Annunciation commemorating His Incarnation. And, with this caution, the thought of her may be made most profitable to our faith; for nothing is so calculated to impress on our minds that Christ is really partaker of our nature, and in all respects man, save sin only, as to associate Him with the thought of her, by whose ministration He became our brother.

Comments

  1. Clint14 August 2020 at 17:50

    I thought Our Lady's conception and nativity got in as Black Letter Days...am I wrong?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. laudable Practice15 August 2020 at 14:41

      No, you are correct. The important point, however, is that Black Letter Days, of course, had no liturgical provision. They were not celebrated as feasts, as Newman states.

      Delete

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