December 1, 2022

Seasons: Movement in Justice
Luke 1:51-53, Isaiah 55:10-12

By Rev. Dr. Nathan Hosler

Seasons move and we move through them. I am writing this from the season of autumn in Washington DC—leaves changed and mostly fallen. Looking towards the Church season of Advent. The cyclical nature of season’s change overlaying the religious season. Anticipating changes—both expected and what is yet unknown. Even when we “know” what is going to happen we don’t quite know—or at least don’t quite know everything. We know that in Advent we await the coming of a baby—and we even know the name of that baby and that this baby will be heralded with cries of “Peace on earth!” Harvest comes again and there are peppers and potatoes and apples to be picked by people the sustenance of the peoples. The movement repeats. However, there is an anticipation, an excitement about the possible. What will the Divine do in our midst? How might we be invited into participation in the struggles and celebrations of justice. The young Mary, upon hearing the news, proclaimed the joyful overthrow of the powerful and the oppressor. Yet, clearly, this has not (yet) become a fully experienced reality.

“[The Mighty One] has shown strength with (their) arm;
(they have) scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 (They have) brought down the powerful from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly;
53 (They have) filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.

Though the movement through season—church and land—is predictable, this is neither static nor quite the same. In addition to joyful changes and glad expectation, there are the changes caused by human- caused harms. Climate change leads to disruptions which force people to flee. Wars displace and economic policies made faraway, push families and communities to uproot and move. This movement one of possibility but also fear.

Mary and Joseph, soon to be mama and papa of Jesus, are made to move and be counted by the occupying empire so that they can be controlled—their resources extracted. The movement of the baby,
into the world through pain, brings joy. Birthing justice, inviting us to be midwives of justice—to systems that care for land and people. For an economics of healthy soil and protections for farmworkers.

As we move toward, into, and through this season, may our anticipation lead to joy—lead to justice.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
For you shall go out in joy
and be led back in peace;

the mountains and the hills before you
    shall burst into song,
    and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Isaiah 55:10-12

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Rev. Dr. Nathan Hosler is the director of the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy based in Washington, DC and is a pastor at the Washington City Church of the Brethren congregation on Capitol Hill. He serves on the boards of the National Farm Worker Ministry, National Council of Churches, Creation Justice Ministries, and Heifer International. He holds a BA in Biblical Language, MA in International Relations, and a PhD in Theological Studies (Theological Ethics), and a Professional Certificate in Macroeconomics.