I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, says the Lord God. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice. ... Ezekiel 34:15-16
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. ... Luke 1:50-53
During this Christmas season, I have chosen to highlight with two passages, one from the Old Testament and one from the New, what many refer to as God's preferential treatment of the poor, weak, disadvantaged, or powerless. It is a theme Donald Kraybill uses in his book The Upside Down Kingdom. He has chapters with such paradoxical titles as: Free Slaves, Luxurious Poverty, Lovable Enemies, and Successful Failures. It is a theme, which runs throughout the ministry of Jesus, reminding us again and again that what seems right according to the ways of the world are often backwards or upside down in the Kingdom of God.
The "law of the jungle" or the "survival of the fittest" do not apply here. It is quite severe to say, "I will destroy the strong". The reason in this particular case was condemnation for the past shepherd's of Israel neglect of widows, orphans, the poor, the sick, and the displaced. God was saying through the prophet that the strong, the leaders, those with power had a responsibility to the less fortunate members of society. In the same way, God spoke through Mary the mother of Jesus to reiterate that the poor, the hungry, and the powerless would not be forgotten. Those who trust in their own power, wealth, and status will be brought crashing back down to earth. It is this message God communicated to us in the birth of Jesus -- not in a royal palace, not heralded by banquets, not celebrated among the oligarchs of society, but in a spot normally reserved for just the livestock, with no onlookers but shepherds. Shepherds, at that time, were considered unclean people -- performers of one of the lowest occupations. It is a message Christ repeated many times during his ministry: the first shall be last and the last first. It is also a theme we should remember most especially in the modern era, where, as the song goes, "them that gots are them that gets."
God said, "I will shepherd the flock with justice". It will not always be that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. As in the story Jesus told speaking as Abraham, "Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony." (Luke 16:25) Jesus the Messiah taught us through his humility, obedience, and self-emptying even unto death that the Way of the Kingdom is far different from behaving how the world expects. "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philip 2:9-11)
Therefore, in this Christmas season, let us continue to walk in the Way shown to us by the one who came as an innocent child, born with nothing but the favor of God our Father.
Lord, help us to remember how truly rich we are so that we will have mercy on those who are in need, that we will side with those who are oppressed, and that when we wish to boast, as your apostle Paul said, we will boast only in you. Amen
Contributed by David M.
Published Sunday December 26, 2004
Week 5 of Liturgical Year A