Good things

Campbell Dye December 15, 2021 0 0

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Luke 1: 53-55 (NRSVA)

53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

There’s something intrinsically satisfying about the idea of God filling the hungry with good things and sending the rich away empty handed. It’s as if, through these words, Mary is praying God’s kingdom into reality. The last are first; the first are last. Justice being done and being seen to be done.

I don’t think it’s a simple as that. Our experience of the world is that Mary’s words didn’t reflect reality then and they certainly don’t reflect reality now. We still have poverty on a monumental scale across the world and the gap between the richest and poorest in our society seems to get wider.  What’s going on? Did Mary lie?

Jesus – amongst his many unmatched qualities – was a realist and a pragmatist. He said the poor would always be with us, showing his total understanding of human nature. Mary’s words, then, speak to something deeper than first appears.

The “good things” Mary refers to is not really the material stuff – she is, I think, talking about the blessing, love, security, certainty, hope, encouragement and all the rest that a deep relationship with Jesus brings. Sometimes (and particularly for the materially wealthy) those things don’t chime with us and the lure of the lucre seems so much more important.

Wealth and prosperity are not a barrier to a meaningful life with Jesus but I do believe that the trappings of earthly success can take our eyes off the ball. We can all too easily be blinded, not only to our own need for God, but to God’s special desire to help the poor and oppressed. Money gives us great opportunity and responsibility to be the agents of change. The desire to be a part of God’s radical action is one of Mary’s “good things”.

PRAYER:

Father God, you long to fill me with good things. Do not send me away empty but fill me with a hunger to serve you. Help me to know how best to use the gifts you have given me, whether spiritual, intellectual or material. In Jesus’ name, AMEN