November 21, 2010 – Christ the King

2 Sam 5:1-3 Col 1:12-20 Lk 23:35-43

The feast of Christ the King may be a difficult one for U.S. Americans to understand, much less desire to celebrate. As a nation we fought a revolution in order to separate from an English king. We established a union based on elected officials whose tenure can be terminated when we are dissatisfied with our representatives. Yet the Church places before us the celebration of Jesus’ kingship. Our readings offer us images of how the reign of Jesus is markedly different from leadership that we may have experienced in our lifetime.

The first reading today directs our attention to the days of King David in Israel. When Israel was besieged by an enemy, David led the troops in a successful routing of the enemy. David was the King whose love for God was demonstrated over and over again and he sought justice for his people repeatedly. His kingship was referred to as “shepherding” Israel. He was a favorite King whose rule was used as the yardstick for excellence for all other kings who followed him.

Jesus was born into King David’s family as the long awaited king who was to follow David. Naturally, expectations about his kingship developed over hundreds of years before Jesus was born. When Jesus arrived on the scene, some hoped that he was the longed for messiah who would free them from the tyranny of Rome. Some expected him to lead an assault against Roman authority and reestablish Israel’s self-rule. Those who expected this kind of kingship were sorely disappointed.

Today’s gospel reading is a very different image of majesty. Jesus is hanging on the cross and refuses to use his power for self-aggrandizement or personal freedom. He was scoffed and derided as he hung dying on the cross and he did not respond in kind to his attackers. Rather, he used his precious energy to reveal the depth and height of God’s love for us. He chose nonviolent love as his defense against evil. In the reading from Luke, today, his words for a self-acknowledged murderer and thief were, “Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” It seems that only the one whom knew he deserved to die had the humility and the insight to approach Jesus as the longed-for messiah. The final gift that Jesus could give is graciously given without any strings attached, without condition and given most generously. Jesus’ final act on earth was mercy and the promise of paradise.

This is a kind of king who we need never fear will abuse his authority. This is a king who, even with all his divine justice and power, used his authority to give life and pardon. This image of Christ the king is so unlike the rulers of Luke’s day. Pontius Pilate was a man known in history books as severe, blood thirsty and power hungry. King Herod Agrippa was the little king from Galilee who was best known for being an adulterer, but who was also known to be a collaborator with Rome in order to hang onto his limited role in government. The Emperor in Rome was known to be unjust and murderous. Against this background we find Jesus, the king who emptied himself of all rights and privilege in order to love and show God to the people of Israel.

Extraordinary! In a world full of people seeking power, position and wealth, this king came in poverty, obscurity and the power of love. As Christians we see in Jesus the model of servant leadership, full of love for those whom he came to serve. So, we know that we, too, are to serve the needs of others in humility, love and even obscurity if it will help others.

We might envy those who seem to have fame and power imagining that we would use our power better than the poor leaders that we have encountered in life. But, the old adage, “absolute power corrupts absolutely” is a fair warning to Christians to follow Jesus in the role of servant leadership. Our role is to love people and love our planet with the love that God has for them. When we are able to view the least creature with the love that God has for it then we know that our service to the helpless and the impoverished is infinitely more valuable than holding any power over them.

As we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King we have an opportunity to examine how well we use our own power. Everyone has power and has power in many dimensions of life. The greatest power that we have is the power to love. Once we master love, then all other powers fall into secondary places, ready to serve Love. May this final week of the liturgical year be time for us to examine how well we love and serve the least, so that we may more closely follow Jesus, the Way of Love.