God has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
God has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
—Luke 1.52-53
This is no lullaby.
God doesn’t just lift the lowly.
God lowers the mighty.
This is no rising tide lifting all boats.
It’s typhoon, a redistribution of wealth.
This lovely child Mary bears,
this little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes,
will tear apart our hierarchies,
assault our structures of injustice
and upend the world.
This is the divine insurrectionist in the manger.
He will not comply: he will reign.
He will not be amenable to our economics,
our prisons and poverties,
or tolerant of our barbaric systems and slaveries.
Whether we like it or not
the Holy One will impose the Reign of Heaven upon us,
where there is no wealth or poverty,
no privilege, no caste.
To those with power, place and possession
the letting go will be robbery.
(And your own place will crumble, your confidence
in the world’s fairness though it favor you;
from that throne you will be taken.)
They will react against equality.
Evil will defend itself from justice with violence.
They will crucify.
Still, Gabriel was right.
The gentle child will prevail.
Let this lovely vision comfort you
and strip you of all the fear and anger
with which you resist it.
Rejoice in God your Savior,
for the Realm of Heaven is near.