He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.

This familiar passage is from the section of scripture we know as the Magnificat (from the opening line, “My soul magnifies the Lord”), a song sung by Mary when she is pregnant with Jesus.

Before it comes to these lines, Mary says, “from now on all generations will call me blessed.”

She then changes verb tense: “he has performed mighty deeds,” “he has scattered…proud,” etc.

With the arrival of Jesus, we enter the confusing period of history we now live in when the Kingdom of God has arrived upon the earth, but the kingdom of darkness is not yet fully banished. The statements of Mary about the lifting up of the lowly and the vanquishing of the powerful are more than just wishful thinking, but less than completely fulfilled.

Even while there is still much to hope for, there is much that has been accomplished that needs to be celebrated.