Luke 1:51-53
His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.
As Mary praises God that she is going to give birth to his Son, she takes us right to the heart of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus didn’t come merely to rearrange things. He came to turn the world upside down.
If we are to take Jesus seriously, we have to look at our society with new eyes. God is not merely disappointed with arrogance, abuse of power and injustice. God wants them to be toppled. Sadly, it is all too easy for us to fit in with our society and, in the interests of a quiet life, not to challenge injustice.
The story of the German Church in the 1930s is a terrifying illustration of this. Hitler sought to bring the Church under his exclusive control, and the overwhelming majority accepted this. They were, understandably, fearful of resisting him and so allowed themselves to be pressed into the Nazi mould. Only the Confessing Church, led by people like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, were brave enough to stand up and be counted. For many of them, including Bonhoeffer, it cost them their lives.
This is a dramatic example, but much of what happens in our society today is also contrary to God’s will. Our world is shaped by money, sex and power - and very often the cries of the poor, elderly and weak are overlooked. If we are to sing Mary’s song, we need to use it as well, as the lens through which we examine our society. I would encourage you to grab a newspaper and imagine how different our world might be if we turned Mary’s song into practice.
Question – What injustice are you most aware of in our society, and what are you doing to oppose it?
Prayer –Father, I praise you that you love people so much that you want to turn our world upside down. Fill me with your Spirit so that every day I will work hard to bring your kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. Amen