Reflections of Our First Protest March

On Saturday morning, Sally and I traveled with a ragtag bunch of left-winged Israeli peace activists to protest the siege of Gaza.  So I guess, for that day anyway, Sally and I were, officially, left-winged peace activists.  We are not Israeli, of course, but there weren’t enough of us who were not Israeli to matter.  Most of the 500 or so who came out on this cold, rainy day were either Israeli Jewish or Israeli Arab – meaning that they were citizens of Israel who were ethnically either Jewish or Arab.  And they were there together.

The two groups most represented in this group were old ladies and college-age young women.  And they got along just fine. In fact, it was fun to watch these two groups interact.  Some of the older Israeli Jewish women, and there were a bunch of them, would walk along side the younger women and share their umbrellas – the younger women forgot to bring an umbrella.  The older women have been coming to these events for years.  They knew what to bring – sunshine or rain, you always bring an umbrella.

I thought of old Elizabeth and young Mary, and it was a warm thought on a cold day.  When God wanted to protest the violent world of Roman occupation, God started with an old woman and a young maid.  Interesting, isn’t it?  Think about it with me for a day or two, okay?  Just think about it.  That is all I’m asking.  Think about labels, and the people who use them, as well as the people they are used on.  I’ve been thinking about labels for some time now, because I am constantly being labeled as one thing or another.  I fear that some label me because they don’t want to listen to me.  And of course, I do the same to others as well, and I fear, for the same reason.

Would Elizabeth and Mary be labeled “liberal?”  Don’t be too quick to answer, either way, okay?  Read Mary’s song again (Luke 1:46-56).  And please note that Mary sang this powerfully rebellious song after her visit with Elizabeth, not after the mighty Gabriel visited her.  And please note as well that the young Mary sang this song in Jerusalem, not in tiny Nazareth, out of which could come nothing good.  She sang her song of praise to God, labeling God as the “Mighty One,” and she sang this ancient credo while she was in singing distance of the seat of power in Jerusalem.  And Mary is with Elizabeth when she sings her song of protest against “the proud,” “the powerful,” and “the rich.”  In fact, Elizabeth might be standing right there along side of Mary as Mary sings of the “mercy” of God, who remembers those who “fear him,” as well as the “strength” of God to “scatter the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.”

I heard Mary’s song being sung on Saturday.  Heard it a dozen times.  Heard old women singing it.  Heard young women singing it too.  Saw young and old standing together and singing Mary’s song.  Heard some male voices too.  I even joined in now and then.  Let’s not talk about “liberal” or “conservative” when we talk about people.  Let’s talk instead about people willing to come out on a cold, rainy day to sing radical little songs about revolution and change.  Let’s think together about who listens to their songs, and who doesn’t.  Who pays attention to what motivates these folks to sing their songs?  And who quickly and simply write them off as left-winged peace activists who are out of touch with mainstream wisdom?  And why?  See, "why" is the important question here.  Why write them off so quickly and simply?  Why?

Maybe old Elizabeth was the only one listening to young Mary’s song on that cold Judean night.  But maybe, just maybe, God was listening as well.  I’ll guarantee you this, when Mary softly sang this song into the ear of the child Jesus, he was listening.