"God Has Lifted Up the Lowly"
Justice for the Downtrodden

Fourth Sunday in Advent, Year C

Year C

Justice for All
Embracing the Excluded
Confronting Poverty
Racism
Interfaith
HIV/AIDS
War & Conflicts
Gender Equality

Housing
Materialism
Hunger
Mental Health
Fair Wages
Native Americans
Gun Violence
Ecojustice

 

 

 



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Weekly Texts

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LUKE 1:47-55

And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for [God] has looked with favor on the lowliness of [God’s] 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. [God’s] mercy is for those who fear [God] from generation to generation. [God] has shown strength with his arm; [God] has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. [God] has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; [God] has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. [God] has helped [God’s] servant Israel, in remembrance of [God’s] mercy, according to the promise [God] made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.

ADDITIONAL TEXTS

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them with food and clothing.  You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.  You shall fear the Lord your God; [God] alone you shall worship; to [God] you shall hold fast, and by [God’s] name you shall swear.
Deuteronomy 10:17-20

For the word of the Lord is upright, and all [the Lord’s] work is done in faithfulness.  [The Lord] loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.
Psalm 33:4-5

Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith for ever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry.  The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.  The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.  The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.  The Lord will reign for ever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.  Praise the Lord!
Psalm 146:5-10

As for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause.  [God] does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number.  [God] gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields; [God] sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.  [God] frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.  [God] takes the wise in their own craftiness; and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.  They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope at noonday as in the night.  But [God] saves the needy from the sword of their mouth, from the hand of the mighty.  So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.
Job 5:8-16

But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others.  Woe to you Pharisees! For you love to have the seat of honor in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the market-places.
Luke 11:42-43

OTHER LECTIONARY TEXTS
Micah 5:2-5a
Psalm 80:1-7
Hebrews 10:5-10

Texts are from the NRSV.

 
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