Mary’s Magnificat and the Intersection of Faith and Social Justice

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Mary’s Magnificat and the Intersection of Faith and Social Justice

Herb Montgomery, December 20, 2024

If you’d like to listen to this week’s article in podcast version click on the image below:

Our reading this week is from the gospel of Luke:

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

And Mary said:

  “My soul glorifies the Lord

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has been mindful 

of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

holy is his name.

His mercy extends to those who fear him,

from generation to generation.

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones 

but has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things

but has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful

to Abraham and his descendants forever,

just as he promised our ancestors.” (Luke 1:39-55)

Few stories in the gospels’ narratives of Jesus’ birth demonstrate the intersection of faith and social justice as much as Mary’s Magnificat does. This story from a patriarchal culture is packed with encouragement for us today in our struggle for justice. The story’s central figure is an unwed girl, as yet. Jesus is born to poor parents on the margins of their society, and the announcement of his birth is delivered to the working class shepherds out in the fields at night. While Jesus is still a child, his parents become migrant refugees escaping the violence of their country by fleeing across the border. For those with the awareness to notice these themes, where liberation and social salvation is emerging in this story is inspiring.  

But before any of these events, our reading this week begins with Mary’s proclamation.

Social Locations in the Christmas Narratives

A few phrases jump out at me this year as I take time to contemplate Mary’s words: the “humble state of his servant,” the actions of scattering “those who are proud in their inmost thoughts,” bringing “down rulers from their thrones,” lifting “up the humble,” filling “the hungry with good things,” and sending “the rich away empty.” Lastly, I notice that this is all a “remembering” to be “merciful to Abraham and his descendants” in accordance with a promise to their “ancestors.” This thread of a promise to the ancestors runs all the way to the book of Acts. There, the good news is not defined as something Jesus accomplished through his death. The disciples teach that death and death-dealing had been overturned by life and life-giving: Jesus, the champion of the underprivileged and marginalized, had been brought back to life. These stories connected to ancestral promises that one day injustice, oppression, and violence would be brought to an end is renewed once again: 

“We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.” (Acts 13:32-33)

Let’s start with the phrase the “humble state of his servant.” The social location of the characters in the birth stories of Jesus matters. Pay attention to who is doing what. Those on the edges and undersides of society are the ones to whom God’s social salvation and justice show up. The more socially privileged, powerful, and centered characters are the ones who feel threatened or have the role of obstructing the advent and birth of this one the hopes of a just world.

The “scattered proud” are those who believe their social standing or wealth somehow make them intrinsically worth more than those who have less money, less land, less power, and less standing. “Scattered” means that they are dispersed to various locations rather than grouped all together. It is about breaking the power the group holds over society by its concentration and centralization. They will be scattered. How? Rulers, beginning with the priesthood of the Temple State in Judea and Herod in Galilee all the way up to Caesar in Rome, will be brought down from their thrones. This isn’t the only thing that happens, though. Those scratching out survival in the more humble social locations will be lifted up too. This isn’t about those whose character or personality exhibits humility. It is about those who are living in more humble situations and stations of life. They will be lifted up. This is a precursor to such phrases as mountains being brought low, and valleys being raised, the first being made last and the last being made first. Just to make sure we are getting the point, the next phrases define what is being spoken of: the hungry who will finally be filled and the rich who will be sent away empty. 

This echoes Jesus’ sermon on the plain later in Luke where Jesus states:

 

“Blessed are you who are poor,

for yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are you who hunger now,

for you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who weep now,

for you will laugh.” (Luke 6:20-21)

Followed immediately by:

“But woe to you who are rich,

for you have already received your comfort.

Woe to you who are well fed now,

for you will go hungry.

Woe to you who laugh now,

for you will mourn and weep.

  Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,

for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.” (Luke 6:24-26)

In his book The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus, the late Peter Gomes reminds us:

“When the gospel says, ‘The last will be first, and the first will be last,’ despite the fact that it is counterintuitive to our cultural presuppositions, it is invariably good news to those who are last, and at least problematic news to those who see themselves as first.” (Peter J. Gomes, The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus: What’s So Good About the Good News?, p. 42)

And all of this is in accordance not with the hope of escaping one day to another world or retreating into inner peace. It answers the promise made to the people’s ancestors. At the time of Jesus, the Jewish prophetic hope was not to one day become a disembodied soul in some far distant heaven, but that one day all injustice, violence and oppression in our world would be put right. 

Reversing Injustice, Violence and Oppression

This is echoed in the words of the abolitionist Christmas hymn O, Holy Night:

“Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,

And in His name all oppression shall cease.” 

(Placide Cappeau, translator John S. Dwight)

What I love about the birth narratives of the Jesus story is that these stories aren’t about the birth of the hope that personal, private sins can be forgiven so that one day we can go to heaven. These stores are about the hope of change being born into our world here and now. It was about the possibility of change in how our present world functions, who it privileges, and who it harms. The central figures in these stories were from classes of people the world was not built to benefit, but they saw in the birth of this child hope for a restructuring of that world until it became a world where no one has too much of anything while others don’t have enough and where everyone has enough not simply to survive but also to thrive. These are stories, historical or not, where the efforts of those working for a more compassionate, just, and safe world for everyone in every generation, are being fanned and brought back to life like coals in a fire. These are stories intended to help us connect whatever faith we may have with engagement in the world around us to mitigate or even end harm being done to those less privileged and most vulnerable. 

This year, with the events looming on our own social, political, and economic horizon, I’m pausing to allow these stories to encourage my own commitments to working for justice again. These stories whisper to me: God is with the marginalized and we are with God when we are with them.

Discussion Group Questions

1. Share something that spoke to you from this week’s Podcast episode with your discussion group.

2. How does Advent inspire you to participate in creating justice here and now, rather than than later? Share and discuss with your group.

3. What can you do this week, big or small, to continue setting in motion the work of shaping our world into a safe, compassionate, just home for everyone? 

Thanks for checking in with us, today.

I want to say a special thank you to all of our supporters out there. And if you would like to join them in supporting Renewed Heart Ministries’ work you can do so by going to renewedheartministries.com and clicking donate. 

My latest book Finding Jesus: A Fundamentalist Preacher Discovers the Socio-Political and Economic Teachings of the Gospels is available now on Amazon in paperback, Kindle and also on Audible in audio book format.

As always, you can find Renewed Heart Ministries each week on X (or Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and Meta’s Threads. If you haven’t done so already, please follow us on your chosen social media platforms for our daily posts. 

Thank you for listening to The Social Jesus Podcast. If you enjoyed this podcast please take a moment to like and subscribe and if the podcast platform you’re using offers this option, please leave us a positive review. This helps others find our podcast as well.

You can watch our YouTube show each week called “Just Talking”. Each week, Todd Leonard and I take a moment to talk about the gospel lectionary reading for the upcoming weekend. We’ll be talking about each reading in the context of love, inclusion, and social justice. Our hope is that our talking will be just talking (as in justice) and that during our brief conversations each week you’ll be inspired to also do more than just talking. If you teach from the lectionary each week, or if you’re just looking for some thoughts on the Jesus story from a more progressive perspective within the context of social justice, check it out, you might like it. You can find JustTalking each week on YouTube at youtube.com/@herbandtoddjusttalking. Please Like, Subscribe, hit the Notification button, and leave us a comment.

And if you’d like to reach us here at Renewed Heart Ministries through email, you can reach us at info@renewedheartministries.com.

Right where you are, keep living in love, choosing compassion, taking action, and working toward justice.

I love each of you dearly,

I’ll see you next week.

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New Episode of “Just Talking” Now Online!

Season 2, Episode 41: Luke 1.39-55. Lectionary C, Advent 4

Each week, we’ll be talking about the gospel lectionary reading for the upcoming weekend in the context of love, inclusion, and social justice. Our hope is that our talking will be “just” talking (as in justice) and that during our brief conversations each week we’ll be inspired to do more than just talking.

If you teach from the lectionary each week, or if you’re just looking for some thoughts on the Jesus story from a more progressive perspective within the context of social justice, check it out at:

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New Episode of The Social Jesus Podcast

A podcast where we talk about the intersection of faith and social justice and what a first century, prophet of the poor from Galilee might have to offer us today in our work of love, compassion and justice. 

This week:

Season 1 Episode 36: Mary’s Magnificat and the Intersection of Faith and Social Justice

Luke 1:39-55

“Few stories in the gospels’ narratives of Jesus’ birth demonstrate the intersection of faith and social justice as much as Mary’s Magnificat does. The social locations mentioned here matter. Pay attention to who is doing what. These stories aren’t about those whose character or personality exhibits humility. It is about those who are living in more humble situations and stations of life. They will be lifted up. This is a precursor to such phrases as mountains being brought low, and valleys being raised, the first being made last and the last being made first. And all of this is in accordance not with the hope of escaping one day to another world or retreating into inner peace. It answers the promise made to the ancestors. At the time of Jesus, the Jewish prophetic hope was not to one day become a disembodied soul in some far distant heaven, but that one day all injustice, violence and oppression in our world would be put right, here and now. For those with the awareness to notice these themes, where liberation and social salvation is emerging in these stories is inspiring for our context today.”

Available on all major podcast carriers and at:

https://the-social-jesus-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/marys-magnificat-and-the-intersection-of-faith-and-social-justice

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Finding Jesus: A Fundamentalist Preacher Discovers the Socio-Political & Economic Teachings of the Gospels.

 

by Herb Montgomery

Available now on Amazon!

In Finding Jesus, author Herb Montgomery delves into the profound and often overlooked political dimensions of the gospels. Through meticulous analysis of biblical texts, historical context, and social discourse, this thought-provoking book unveils the gospels’ socio-political, economic teachings as rooted in a profound concern for justice, compassion, and the well-being of the marginalized. The book navigates the intersections between faith and societal justice, presenting a compelling argument for a more socially engaged and transformative Christianity.

Finding Jesus is not just a scholarly exploration; it is a call to action. It challenges readers to reevaluate their understanding of Christianity’s role in public life and to consider how the radical teachings of the gospels can inspire a renewed commitment to justice, equality, and compassion. This book is a must-read for those seeking a deeper understanding of the social implications of Christian faith and a blueprint for building a more just and inclusive society.

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