One of the most quintessentially Christian messages is related to the reversal of fortunes, to the exultation of the poor and the demotion of the rich and powerful. The story of Mary and her annunciation embodies the great reversal, which is as tangible and concrete as it is spiritual in nature. In Luke especially, the reversal provides meaningful instruction in how to prepare for God’s judgment. Luke describes the story of Mary and Elizabeth, especially with the “choice of Mary” as an “example of God’s preference for those who do not enjoy abundant prosperity,” (p. 463). However, these passages can be broadly misunderstood and misinterpreted. Luke is not suggesting necessarily that God actively scorns the wealthy. God’s mercy is boundless and infinite. What these passages about fortune reversals imply is that “in an unjust world, the form this universal love takes differs according to circumstance,” (p. 266). The wealthy and powerful need to undergo the transformational process of humility, just as the poor and disenfranchised need to experience the hope and glory of God. Mary’s story exemplifies the uplifting of the poor and powerless to a place of supreme exaltation. The story offers hope to the hopeless, which is why it is especially important for preaching and sermons.
In Luke’s theology, the point of the reversal is complex and multifaceted. The story of Mary’s annunciation and the reversals of fortune teach endless and timeless truths that can be worked into sermons related to numerous subjects, without isolating any members of the community. For the lowly to be exalted, it is not necessary to demean the powerful but only to show that power does not need to come at the expense of others. Moreover, the Old Testament virtue of righteousness inhabits the reversal of fortunes. Righteousness is not the province of either rich or poor; righteousness comes from total and absolute faith in God and compliance with God’s covenant. Given Mary’s exultation, humility is critical for righteousness. Mary defines herself as being “lowly,” and “not a metaphor for spiritual humility but based on her actual social position,” (p. 265). Lowly social positions, positions of oppression, pain, persecution, and despair will be reversed to empower those who are righteous and humble in the eyes of the Lord. Reversal of fortune is critical for fulfilling God’s promise to His people.
The story of Mary also reveals the power of paradox. Luke juxtaposes Mary’s low social, economic, and status position with her newfound exultation as the partner of God and mother of God. Wilderness ironically becomes a place of “love and intimacy.” In a time with rampant income disparity and abuses of power, the message inherent in Luke’s gospel and the story of Mary is indispensible. “He has exalted the lowly,” (Luke 1:52). When speaking to a diverse congregation that may be comprised of both wealthy and poor, powerful and weak, it is critical to frame the message of Mary as being universally redemptive. Granted, the message of Mary is especially important to members of the congregation who directly relate to her as being “young, female, a member of a people subjected to economic exploitation by powerful ruling groups,” (p. 266). Anyone who occupies the “semantic domain of the poor” can receive God’s love, realizing that the power of God is infinitely more important than any power that can be experienced on the human domain. Mary might have been “inconsequential” in the society in which she lived prior to her calling by Gabriel, but she became one of the most important members of her own milieu—not to mention the legacy she left for humanity (p. 266). The reversals urge each and every parishioner to contemplate ways they can participate in the active reversals of fortune in genuine Catholic spirit: tithing, aiding the weak or needy, and helping those in need. These passages show how greed and abuses of power eventually lead to turmoil and despair, for God will ultimately favor those who are humble, meek, and earnest in spirit.
References
Diane Bergant
Luke
Timothy Johnson
Elizabeth Johnson
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