Upheaval

In these days of economic upheaval, the familiar words of the Magnificat in today’s Gospel (Luke 1:39-56) resonate strongly:

The Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

There are some who see upheavals as an opportunity: some people get torn down, other people get helped, but they themselves try to gain greater advantages for themselves from both.

The Magnificat reminds us that it is God who casts down and lifts up.

Earthly wealth and comfort will be worse than useless if we are not right with God.

Physical poverty and suffering will be worse than tragic if we are not right with God.

In good times and in bad, we need to be prudent; we need to be altruistic; but most of all, rich or poor or in-between, we need to be right with God.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, be merciful to me – a sinner.