Unrealized Expectations

Gospel: Luke 1: 46-56

Mary's Magnificat encapsulates all the longings and expectations of Israel regarding the coming Messiah.  The humbling of the powerful, the defense of the powerless, the overturning of the rich, the providing for the poor, the end of war and the reign of peace - all these Mary lifts up in this prayer, all these were the longings of a people expressed in their prophets and wisdom literature for generations.  Now we are on the threshold of that promise in the coming of Jesus.

Yet, when we look around we find the wars continue unabated.  The rich continue unabated in their exploitation of the poor, and the powerful ceaselessly abuse the weak and marginalized.   If the Messiah has come, why have the promises attached to that coming not been realized? We quickly turn the state of the world into an esoteric theological problem, and we hastily assert that these promises will come at the second coming, in a vain attempt to save face.

The face we seek to save is our own.  We created a religion and institution rather than actually follow Jesus as he asked.  We invented vicarious rituals around Jesus rather than heed his call to do the works of mercy to others.  Had we actually followed the Messiah in his example, these promises would indeed be realized on earth, for the promises are not magic.  The promises are realized in a person who embodies them and who calls us to embody them as well in our deeds on earth.  May that embodiment be our aim in the remainder of Advent and throughout our lives.