Power and Joy Luke 1:46-56

Advent 3:  Luke 1:46-56   

  photo by Ralph Milton

I have a friend who was raised in apartheid South Africa.  She had British and Afrikaans heritage but was raised in the white English community.  As a young wife and mother she immigrated to Canada.  In Canada she learned more about the reality of South Africa than she ever did living there.  Her life was restricted to the ‘whites only’ part of the country limiting her geography and her culture.  Although it was much better to be in the ‘whites only’ part of the country, and not the ‘blacks only’ part, the white culture came with a large portion of patriarchy.  In Canada she realized that apartheid had limited her worldview, restricted her choices, taken away her opportunities.  I feel conflicted writing these words knowing that the lives of the blacks in South Africa were immeasurably more limited, restricted and taken away both physically and psychologically.  However, I think is it important that we realize that the lowly cannot be lifted up unless the powerful are brought down.  There is a balance of power so if more people are going to participate in decisions affecting their lives, if more people are going to have political power, then the few in power now need to have less of it.  There is a limit to the earth’s resources so if more people are going to be less poor, some of us have to become less rich.  We can rejoice in knowing that when we make justice happen, when the poor are lifted up and the powerful are brought down, everyone, everyone is more joyful and more blessed.