I’m impressed not only with the activist vision of Mary in the Magnificat but also of the same kind of vision in Zechariah’s Benedictus vision. Here are his words from Luke 1:

67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

 68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us– 72 to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

I’ve tried to highlight the highlights. Essentially, Zechariah’s vision of what God will do when he establishes his reign (in conjunction with his son, John) is one of national liberation in order to worship God in holiness and justice. It is to establish peace.

The advent activist is one who works for these things: liberation from oppressing powers, liberation unto worship of God, liberation unto holiness, liberation unto justice, and liberation unto peace.