Mary - God’s Revolutionary
Albert Bogle
December 24, 2018
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Luke 1: 52
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
Mary is too often portrayed as a young woman who found herself in an impossible position and had no choice but to say yes to God’s request to bear the Christ child. But what if God chose Mary because he knew she was a young woman who was prepared to stand up for truth and justice? What if he chose Mary because she believed that a time would come, when God’s revolution would bring about a new world order? In fact a new creation!
The Magnificat is a truly amazing poem, sometime called Mary’s song. This is no nursery rhyme. It is a proclamation making it clear that God is for the poor and the dispossessed. This is parallel with the Jesus Manifesto in Luke Chapter 4. In her poem she describes many of the attributes that speak of God’s political viewpoint. For Mary God is the God of the poor and the under privileged. She suggests that God has no time for the arrogant and haughty. She tells us that God is capable of removing tyrants and self centred rulers from seats power. In this song Mary displays an intimate knowledge of the God she worships.
Mary is no shrinking violet. Instead she is a highly motivated young person, still challenging us today to stand up against injustice and poverty and to seek to bring about a more equitable society. She reminds us of young women all over the world who continue to stand up for the marginalised and oppressed.
We need to be careful that we don’t miss the point of Nativity. God became one of us, to be with us. To influence us, so that the world will be changed. Perhaps we need to change the images of the Nativity by sending more Christmas cards like the one I saw on Twitter, Mary standing head bowed in humble respect to God, but with one arm reaching to heaven fist clenched in a power pose declaring, “Not my will but Yours be done!””
Lord God Almighty
If I could speak to Mary
To understand the first Christmas
I’d say
Mary
Your story is incredible
Your faith inspirational
Your trust unbelievable
Your politics distinctly revolutionary
But I’d have missed the point
Lord,
Christmas is not about Mary’s personality
Or even her humility
It’s about something beyond words
Its about Your incredible love for your creation
Your unspeakable gift
Heaven’s peace child
Your Son
Your injustice solver
Our peacemaker and redeemer
Jesus
Born of Mary
Son of God
Come among us
Absolutely beyond belief
What an amazing blessing
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