And Mary said:
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
because he has looked with favor
on the humble condition of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations
will call me blessed,
because the Mighty One
has done great things for me,
and his name is holy.
His mercy is from generation to generation
on those who fear him.
He has done a mighty deed with his arm;
he has scattered the proud
because of the thoughts of their hearts;
he has toppled the mighty from their thrones
and exalted the lowly.
He has satisfied the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
Luke 1:46-53 (CSB)

Since sin entered the world, God has been at work to upend unjust systems and to dismantle oppressive beliefs.

In choosing Mary, God turns patriarchy on its head, valuing and centering a woman to bear and birth the Messiah.
In choosing her, God favors the humble, turning His face away from the proud.
In Jesus, the mighty are overthrown, and those without power are exalted.
In Him, the rich aren’t given more privilege. Instead, the hungry are satisfied.

This is the upside down kingdom of God, where the unseen are seen, the unloved are loved, and the dignity of people is restored. As we look forward to the day when Christ will return, may we be about the work God has been doing, and like Mary, may we be bearers of the good news that He is making and will make all things right again.

This is the hope of Advent and the miracle of Christmas.