Our gospel reading today gives hope to those of us who are powerful, rich, and proud, as shown through the actions of Elizabeth. Elizabeth had every reason to act powerful, rich, and proud, as the wife of one of the temple priests. She could have responded with disgust to unwed, pregnant Mary, who, by the law at the time, should have been executed by stoning. But the presence of Jesus in Mary's womb, and the influence of the Holy Spirit, allowed Elizabeth to place herself lower than Mary, to act with humility and respect, to her Lord, and to the one who carries him. Through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth found solidarity with lowly Mary, and Elizabeth blessed her.
We also, have had every reason to act powerful, rich, and proud, living where we are. But in humility, Jesus, God's Son, was willing to be born in a manger and to be killed on a cross, and in our baptism into Jesus, we take upon ourselves, his humility. We too, are guided by the Holy Spirit to consider ourselves lower. We act with humility and respect to all those who carry our Lord – which means we act with humility and respect to everyone we encounter...even the person we encounter who cheers when we are taken down...even the person we encounter in the bathroom mirror.
And in humility and respect, we then can become part of God's action in the world – to lift up the truly lowly, and fill the truly hungry with good things. We work from within, to use what's left of our economic strength, generously for our community. And we work from without, to change corrupt systems that are unjust, so that the blessings of God are available to everyone. Especially the blessing of receiving, and knowing, and carrying Jesus.
Gracious God, we thank you for the level of prosperity we still enjoy, even as we repent of any unjust actions which brought it to us. Do not let prosperity lead us to arrogance, and keep our hearts generous, in Jesus name. Amen.