When a brave, faithful, visionary band of Twelve (nice apostolic number) met together in 1955 to found this parish, they called it Holy Cross. A wonderful name, a wonderful dedication, it would have been close to perfect, but there was a name, just a little bit better, one that was perfect. On August 10, 1955, Bishop Kinsolving himself asked the 12 founders of this parish to change the name from Holy Cross to Saint Mary. And they did. I believe our Lady guided that decision. For The Holy Cross, reverent and sanctified as that is, speaks of sacrifice, speaks of the agony and shame of the Cross, the hurt and pain and death of the Cross, the cost of the Cross. It speaks powerfully, without equal, about our redemption, and the sacrifice of Christ, and the price he paid to save us and take away our sins. But the Cross, the Holy Cross, his Cross, speaks only of sacrifice. The name St. Mary also speaks of sacrifice, St. Mary herself also indicates the cost of being a follower of Christ. Just as the image of the Cross, so the image of the sorrowful Virgin Mother holding her crucified Son, the famous Pieta, reminds us that it is never easy to be faithful. Nevertheless, St. Mary just as powerfully and wonderfully speaks of the joy of being a Christian - not just the sacrifice. She testifies to the happiness, and not just the suffering, the sweet contented faith that accepts, and rejoices, and magnifies the Lord. Even in the midst of things that cannot be understood, St. Mary speaks of the goodness as well as the hurt. On an August day, the name of that blessed woman was suggested by the Bishop as our name, and the saint herself to be our special Patron, to watch over this parish church with her special love, and to support and guide us with her special prayers on our behalf to her beloved Son, who died on a cross, a Holy Cross, to forgive us all our sins and bring us to newness of life. And to this day we are supported in that new life by the Mass, by the prayers of the faithful, by the witness of this congregation, by the ministry and love of each other, above all, supported and sustained and led on and protected by the intercessions of the blessed Virgin Mary. If you want to know what God has done for you, come to Church on Easter morning. If then you want to know what you yourself can do, today is for you. If you want to see the full glory of the redemption Jesus bestowed on you by his birth in Bethlehem, come to church on Christmas. And if you think, as well you might, if you wonder as well you should: "What then?" Then you have today, the Nativity of St. Mary, the Birthday of the Virgin Mary, All generations have called her blessed as we also in our time and devotion unfailing call her - the Blessed Virgin Mary. She was blessed in keeping God's word, she was blessed in her fidelity and faith, she was blessed in her constancy and love, but above all, of course, she was blessed in the Son, blessed by and through her son. Just so, in a way that, while it is less redemptive, is just as joyful, we too are blessed in our children - our own children, and our parish's children. Those we raised, and those who, in this place, we seek to educate, to teach, to support in their lives in Christ and in the Church, and in this parish. Children we hope to teach about St. Mary, and about the Holy Cross, and about the salvation her Son, dying on that Cross brings to them, and to all of us. Most of the power and beauty of the Church and our worship centers on God, rightly so, and what he has done for us. But from time to time there are also moments to look at the reflected glories, the lesser fireworks, when we consider how we might respond, how God's wonderful gift changes us, how it affects us, how we think and act and behave in consequence of God's grace. Today is one of those days. Blessed beyond measure, full of grace, "Mary" is how you are intended to respond. If we inquire of God, as we probably do: "What do you want, what would you like?" He will say, as he has said: "Mary. I want you to be like Mary. Make her you aim. Take her as your example." Let us commit to that, to each other as Mary would, to pray and serve as she did, but also to remember to love these children who we bring up in the knowledge and love of the Lord, just as she raised and nurtured and loved God's own Son. She is the example above all examples, the inspiration that comes first and foremost to our hearts and minds. Mary, born a faithful Jew became the first and best Christian. And she has been revered and honored ever since. The Roman Catholic Church may seem to make more of an obvious thing about veneration for the Virgin, but Episcopalians, such as us, take her just as seriously, accord her just as much love, feel just as much devotion. All the while, however, clear in our hearts minds that Mary is not divine. Mary is human. You can be like Mary. If you want to be, and if you try. I don't think we can say if we had fewer responsibilities in this life we could relax and be more like Mary. No one has more responsibilities than Mary. Personally, I can't picture raising any child, I would be terrified at the thought, but for those of you who did, and remember your little darlings at their best and worst - imagine that child was Jesus. Good parents differ on the big questions of how to scold and correct and discipline, properly, respectfully and decently. But what is the child in question is the Incarnation of God Almighty, the infant Second Person of the Trinity. Raising any child is greater than my most intimidating responsibilities, and raising that child would be greater than any of your worries and responsibilities. Nor can we say: "If God loved us more and gave us the grace he gave Mary we could be like her." Despite legend and adornment, there is nothing in Scripture, nothing in the Church, nothing in our understand of God that lets us assume he apportions grace in smaller and greater measures, that he wants some people to be better able than others, that he equips some people to be finer, dearer, kinder. We don't all end up equally resplendent in all virtues and graces, but it is not because God has stacked the deck against some and for others. We can be like Mary. God is not blocking us or limiting us. He gives all his children the wherewithal to be like Mary, he gives all his children the example of Mary, he gives all his children the encouragement of Mary, and she gives all his children the help and assistance of her prayers on our behalf, We can do it. What she did was remarkable, but not impossible. What God did in and through and by her was astounding unparalleled, and never to be repeated. But what she did was not beyond what really can be done, actually done, by us. She was faithful, she was believing, she was gracious, she was courageous, she was constant, she was patient, she was hopeful, she was steadfast. She was joyful, she was compassionate, she was merciful. That is what God is calling us to, that is what he wants of us. I don't know how successful we are going to be, but being just a little bit more like Mary would remake our lives transform the Church and renew the face of the earth. Being just a little more like Mary than we are. The full splendor of St. Mary the Virgin Mother of God, full of grace, is probably beyond us. Human though she was, her life and faith and fidelity are probably beyond us. And so we offer her singular devotion and honor and respect. But we can be a little more like her than we are. And even that would bring our lives and our Church and our world infinitely closer to perfection, a little farther along on our way to being full of grace. We can say to God, as Mary did, "Be it unto me according to your Word" Above all we can, and must, and ever will say: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."