The Coming of the New into an Old World

After reading "The Rich and the Rest of Us" by Cornel West and Tavis Smiley (a fantastic, quick read that I would recommend to anyone interested in the reality of poverty as of 2012), we've had a lot of discussions about privilege with our site director and amongst ourselves as housemates.  Along with the election season that has recently passed and the materialistic hubbub of Christmas season in America, it seems that our more substantive discussions about privilege are only just beginning.

Luke's rendition of Mary's song of praise, the poetic Magnificat, is always pertinent in discussions of privilege and Christianity.  From Luke 1:


And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for you have looked with favor on the lowliness of your servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is God’s name.
Your mercy is for those who fear you from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm; 
you have scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
You have brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
you have filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. 
You have helped your servant Israel, in remembrance of your mercy,
according to the promise you made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and Sarah and to their descendants forever.

In sifting through resources and gathering materials to lead worship this 4th Sunday of Advent (Magnificat Sunday), I happened upon the following poem by Mennonite poet Sheri Hostetler.

"He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent away empty." Luke 1:53

Mary, you're not always meek and mild.  Some days
you come roaring out of the rent heavens
and turn over tables.  Tables fat with food,
fat with gold,
fat with our poinsettias and sparkly glass ornaments.
You've broken our garlands,
pulled the plug on the lights.
You say: "The coming of the new into an old world
isn't always pretty."

http://www.mennonitewriting.org/journal/3/3/writing-poetry-worship/

Here at the close of the calendar year I find myself contemplating how the new may be coming into an old world.  New ways of articulating myself into an old world of familiarity.  New ways of hearing people with different points of view into an old world of assumptions.  It isn't always pretty.  But even a perfectionist like myself can sometimes glimpse past the discomfort to see a deeper beauty waiting to be found in the mess.

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