The Long Arc of Justice

9/21/2025

Luke 1:76-79

"And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Today’s Bible verse, called the Benedictus, is a prophetic song of Zechariah – not the Zechariah of the Old Testament. This song describes the divine hope of our salvation of Jesus Christ. This is not just the hope of social movements or political dreams. It is the gospel hope. The hope rooted not in human strength alone, but in the tender mercy of our God.

Many others over the centuries have spoken powerfully toward peace and mercy, including from the Bible, Isaiah and Jeramiah. But we also know of Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Ghandi, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and most recently Malala Yousafzai, who became an international symbol for girls' education and women's rights after surviving an

assassination attempt by the Taliban in 2012.

But one of the most powerful voices to speak power to justice, peace, and mercy has been Martin Luther King, Jr.  He has been quoted as saying, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”  These words have inspired generations to hold on to hope – not a passive hope, but a determined, enduring hope – that no matter how dark the present may seem, God is working behind the scenes, shaping history, bending that arc, even when we cannot yet see the curve.

In our Bible verse, “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High…,” Zechariah speaks to his newborn son, John – who we know as John the Baptist – and tells him that he will go ahead of the Lord, preparing the way for Him. John’s calling was not to bring the light himself, but to prepare people to receive it.

We learn something important about how Dr. King’s metaphoric arc bends: It bends because someone prepares the way. It bends because someone speaks truth to power. It bends because someone has the courage to persevere, even when the road is rough.

This is what Dr. King did – he walked in the spirit of the prophets, preparing the way for justice by pointing toward a kingdom not built on racial hierarchy or violence, but on the peace of Christ. To be clear, justice is not just legal or retaliatory vengeance. Justice is living in right relationship with God and others according to God's standards of fairness and mercy. True justice is born of God's character – fairness, truth, compassion, and goodness.

Like John, each of us is called to reflect the light, not to be the light. We are invited to make straight the paths, to prepare hearts, to soften hardened places, in society and in ourselves, for the awareness of Christ.

Our Bible verse then says that John will go forth “To give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins….”  We notice that the salvation Zechariah sings about is not military conquest or political dominance, but the forgiveness of sins. This is a deeper justice – a justice that begins within.

Dr. King understood this. He knew that justice, mercy, and goodness are not only about external systems, but also internal transformation. He taught that racism, hatred, and violence are not just political problems; they are spiritual challenges. So, our liberation must include the forgiveness of sins, both personal and collective. Salvation that comes only to conquer oppressors is incomplete. True justice is the salvation that restores broken relationships between God and humanity, and between one another.

We are told that “By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us…” The dawn from on high … what a powerful image.  Zechariah does not say the night will last forever. He does not deny the darkness, but declares that the dawn is coming, a dawn brought by Christ – the “rising sun” who comes with forgiveness, mercy, and guidance into peace.

Jesus, the “rising sun” or “dayspring,” is the very fulfillment of God’s promise, bringing salvation through mercy and forgiveness. His mission is not just to expose sin but to rescue, redeem, and lead into reconciliation – peace with God and among people. This echoes King’s “arc”: the journey is long, the darkness real, but God’s justice, rooted in mercy, triumphs. This is not passive waiting; it calls us to prepare the way for the Lord in our lives, homes, and communities, shining his light through forgiveness and practical justice. In John 8:12 Jesus tells us “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

This is where Dr. King's quote lives: in this holy tension between the long night and the promised dawn. Sometimes that arc feels too long, doesn’t it? We watch as injustice repeats itself. Wars rage. Hatred rears its head again and again. And we wonder, “How long, O Lord?” But here is what the Bible tells us: The dawn is not our invention. The dawn is not a product of political cycles or economic trends. The dawn is from on high. It is a gift. It breaks not because we deserve it, but because of the tender mercy and grace of our God.

Verse 79 of Luke 1 tells us the purpose of the light that dawns upon us: “To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” This is the end toward which the arc bends: Light. Peace. Guidance. Mercy. Not vengeance, not domination, not chaos, but peace. And this peace, the biblical word is ‘shalom,’ is more than the absence of conflict. It is the restoration of all things. It is the healing of what was broken. It is the justice that makes wrong things right – not by force, but by the power of love.

Zechariah’s prophecy is a summons: To accept the knowledge of salvation and forgiveness found only in Christ.  Acts 2:38 implores us - “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  We are summoned to be transformed by divine mercy so that the sunrise of God’s love dispels every shadow. And we are called to walk in the “way of peace,” reconciling with God, with ourselves, and with others. Romans 14:19 teaches, “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”

Like Martin Luther King Jr., we are called to actively bend our lives and world toward justice. We can do this through intentional, sustained actions rooted in faith, courage, and practical effort. The arc does not bend by itself; it requires us to actively bend it through our choices and commitments. Dr. King emphasized that faith and action, not passive optimism, are necessary to move justice forward. To help bend the moral arc individually, we must commit to living justly with personal integrity, reflect God’s mercy, deepen our spiritual roots through prayer and embody Christ’s light in daily life. Every time we good something good and allow the love within us to express, we are shaping the moral arc of the universe, bending it more toward mercy and justice.

The arc of the moral universe is long. Sometimes it feels unbearably long. But the promise of Luke 1:76–79 is that God has already sent His light into the world. John prepared the way, Jesus fulfilled the way, and we are now invited to walk in the way – the path of peace, guided by God’s mercy.

It is my prayer that we allow 2 Thessalonians 3:13 to ring in our hearts: “As for you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing good.” It is my prayer that we trust in the rising sun of Christ, and live as people who believe the moral arc of the universe inevitably bends toward justice – because it bends toward God.