Psalms 25; Isaiah 5: 8-12, 18-23; Luke 21: 20-28
Listen to the author read their meditation and prayer:
Charles Lane Cowen, Advent Meditation
On this day in 1955, Rosa Parks was charged with disorderly conduct for refusing to give up her seat to white commuters on a Montgomery city bus. 
Approximately 40,000 African American commuters began a boycott, and after almost a year of legal battles, the Supreme Court ruled that the racial segregation of buses was unconstitutional. While racism and injustice were not obliterated that day, because of Ms. Parks the world around her was turned upside down, and a path toward justice was opened. Noting injustice in his own time, Isaiah indicts those “who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness.” To us, looking back to 1955 or reading the words of Isaiah, it seems obvious that justice is being ignored. What injustices we are ignoring today?
Our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, is fond of saying that Jesus came to turn the world upside down, which is, of course, right-side up. Rosa Parks took the accepted social norms and turned them on their head. Isaiah took the notion that the wealthy should feast and gather more wealth and turned that on its head. Jesus took the notion that death will vanquish all and turned that on its head. How will we live into Jesus’ movement away from death and injustice into life and love?
God of Justice, Life, and Love. Give us the strength to speak against injustice and the wisdom to spread your love. Amen.
Charles Lane Cowen
Diocese of Rhode Island
Master of Divinity, Class of 2018
SEMINARY OF THE SOUTHWEST
Charles Lane Cowen is a postulant for Holy Orders from Newport, Rhode Island. He spent over a decade as a professional actor, director, and puppeteer in regional theatres around the country before coming to seminary. He loves Shakespeare, biblical studies, and wildflowers.
