Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost/ St. Mary, Mother of Our Lord
August 15, 2010
“The Hall of Faith Adds Mary” (Hebrews 11:1 – 12:3; Luke 1:26-55)
The Hall of Fame, in any sport, is the place for honoring and showcasing outstanding individuals from the history of that sport. The person is honored in an induction ceremony, with all the other members of the Hall present. That player’s plaque is added to the wall, and people can read and see what a standout that person was. This year, for instance, the Baseball Hall of Fame added two new members familiar to many of us here: Whitey Herzog, the great manager from the St. Louis Cardinals, and Andre Dawson, the great outfielder from my Chicago Cubs.
Did you know there is a “Hall of Fame” in the Bible? There is. We just heard the roll call of honorees in our Epistle for today, which is a continuation of last week’s reading. Hebrews 11 is the chapter known as the “Hall of Fame of Faith,” or just the “Hall of Faith,” for short. In Hebrews 11 we hear the names of outstanding individuals from the history of God’s people, whose faith enabled them to do great things for the Lord.
Well, today there’s a new inductee into the Hall of Faith. You see, today, August 15, is the day on the church year calendar to honor St. Mary, Mother of Our Lord. And so today we make our pilgrimage to the Cooperstown of Scripture, as “The Hall of Faith Adds Mary.”
St. Matthew Lutheran Church 