As Elizabeth and Mary greet one another, we feel the stirring of a revolution. The prophet Micah promises a savior during one of Israel’s most chaotic times. Mary, the great prophet, sings of God’s radical and gracious justice. And the writer of Hebrews reminds us that we live in grace.
Our Advent journey has been filled with the voices of prophets and comes to a close with the words of the prophet Mary, a young, pregnant, unmarried, peasant girl who sings with confidence the praises of a mighty God. She declares justice for the marginalized. She exclaims that the lowly will be lifted up and that the hungry will be fed while the rich are sent away empty. Unlike most women in her circumstances, Mary is not powerless. Indeed, God empowers her to carry God’s love into the world. God continues to speak through prophets today. Into a world marked by chaos, pandemic, violence, division, and unrest, God will bring forth love, hope, and possibility. Who are the prophets in your community? What surprising messages do they bring? How are you being called to carry those messages into the community? What song of justice and peace will you sing?
Personal Reflection:
We may think of prophets mostly as older men who offer messages of “doom and gloom,” but this is not the case. In the beginning of Luke’s gospel, we encounter several prophets who do not at all fit the mould, reminding us that we are all called to be prophets, and that the prophetic message we are called to proclaim is one of joy. Both Elizabeth and Mary declare some of the wonders of what God is doing in their world. As we read their story, we are reminded of what God is doing in our world.
Pause and reflect on some of the joys of this season. Where do you see god at work in the world? What’s your role in birthing something new this Advent/Christmas? How are you being called to declare the wonders of what God is doing in the world?
Prayer:
Loving God, as we listen to Mary’s song of praise and justice, help us imagine another world is possible. Amen