Week 3: God’s Bread of JusticE

Introduction:

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, sang a lovely song shortly after she conceived Jesus. This song has been part of the Church’s music from the very beginning of Church music. Her words are lovely, and they are also very radical. They describe how God is turning the world upside down with the coming of Jesus. They are a declaration of God’s determination to make right what is not right, to bring justice to our world. Justice can feel like a harsh concept that demands revenge, retribution, and violence. God’s justice, however, is shot through with mercy, grace, restoration, and renewal. God’s justice is the bread given to the world to feed those who hunger for beauty, goodness, and truth.


Mary’s song depicts the different ways that God promises to give us the bread of justice. We are called to share this bread with others. When we serve the bread of justice to the world, we fill the hungry with all good things, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.


Scripture:

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

    Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

    and holy is his name.

His mercy is for those who fear him

    from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;

    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

    and lifted up the lowly;

he has filled the hungry with good things,

    and sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

    in remembrance of his mercy,

according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”      – Luke 1


Invitations:

  • Reflect on this week’s scripture. What words or phrases speak to you? Is there anything here that is uncomfortable for you?
  • Where and when do you see those who are hungry—physically, emotionally, or spiritually? How might you be called to serve them the bread of justice?
  • This week offer a loaf of the “justice bread” somewhere you see a need. This might be a monetary donation to a cause you are passionate about, volunteering your time where there is a need to make others’ lives better, or simply listening to someone who needs to know God’s love.
  • Mary’s sings as though God’s justice has already renewed the world. In a sense, this has all happened in Jesus. Reflect on how you can best live in the tension between God’s promises fulfilled and God’s promises yet to come.

 

Prayer:

Let Mary’s song be your prayer this week.