Blog of Deacon Stephen O'Riordan

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Christ the King


We know very little of kingship. Our history and experience, as a nation, is one of democratic ideals set forth in the Constitution and lived out in law and government.
We know law and government, good, bad and indifferent. We certainly know politics and politicians having just come through a rather shabby and disheartening election.

We do know something of the kings and queens, of say; England, France or Spain. We might even have read books about everyday day living under their rule, but we haven't experienced that particular reality and in general it doesn't seem natural or right to us as citizens of a democracy.

And kingdoms themselves, let's put this whole kingship-kingdom concept into some perspective.The kingdom of the United States has lasted 240 years, so far. Rome lasted 500 years, Byzantium 1,000 years, The Dynasties of China, some 4 millennia, the kingdom of man some 3.5 million years, the unimaginable kingdom of the Cosmos some 13 Billion years + -

That is a lot of time. But, God’s reign and Christ’s Kingship stretches (from the beginning), Genesis says.  Before time and space, form and matter, and it reaches beyond the horizon of time itself to where only God exists, all in all, forever and ever according to the Book of Revelation.

Today we celebrate Christ the King and his all-encompassing and everlasting kingdom.
We celebrate because for the love of each of us, Jesus, the image of the invisible God, came to be with us as the sign of God's kingdom come.

Jesus showed us that God's reign would turn upside down the old ways. No more lies to those who seek the truth, no harm to those who seek healing, no hate for the other seeking justice, no oppression for those who seek freedom.

Even though Our Lord and king rules in glory and honor, he stills comes graciously to each of us. In the Book of Revelation the Holy Spirit declares the words of the Lord-

"Here I stand, knocking at the door. If anyone hears me calling and opens the door, I will enter his house and have supper with him, and he with me. I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself won the victory and took my seat beside my Father on his throne."

When the King knocks true subjects, without fear, open the door. True subjects, in freedom, choose to follow the Lord; choose to defend the forgotten and marginalized, heal the broken hearted and the sick, save all children of all nations. True subjects, lay down their lives, each in their own manner, to make things new. And when all things are made new, faithful subjects, become victors alongside their king, and are graciously invited to sit at the banquet table of the Lord.

 But sadly, the human condition (under the darkness of sin) tells us another story.
Earthly power is seductive and treacherous and it is not easy to see the truth when the glittering lies are so attractive (or so hateful). In the first reading the Lord reveals to David, through Samuel the prophet, the defining expression of kingship - you shall shepherd my people, which means care for and service my people. To have the smell of sheep about them, Pope Francis would say. The people must follow a king, not out of fear, but because they know and trust the king’s voice. And most importantly the Lord reminds David, the people you rule are not yours, but mine.

Those who crave or cling to power are fools for thinking otherwise. Worse than fools they harm who they should cherish. They exploit for profit those who they should protect.  Too often power is myopic and self-serving. Clinging for dear life, power never looks beyond itself. Never sees the suffering.

But, those who wield power should keep in mind that the true master, the only king, will come unannounced, to judge unfaithful stewards and greedy shepherds and ravenous wolves. Our Lord will see to it all such liars and deceivers fall into the pits of their own making.

 In the second reading St Paul's affirms that our rightful place is as subjects, not of the kingdom of darkness, but of the kingdom of Christ’s light. He says

"Let us give thanks to God who made us fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones of light. For he has delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to kingdom of his beloved Son."

Through Jesus' sacrifice, his death and resurrection we have been delivered from the bondage of all kingdoms, all powers, principalities and dominions, including sin and death.
In the Gospel Jesus triumphs over the final temptation to mis use power.

On the cross they sneered at him, even the dying thief sneered, "If you are king, save yourself".  Of course, the thief added "and us." Not only save yourself, but use your power to destroy your enemies (give us a show).

 Those that sneered wanted Jesus to do what they would do, to act as they expected power to act. They wanted him to be, (a Herod, or a Pilate, or a Cesar), self-serving and prideful.  And remember this, it is what Satan wanted Jesus to be in the desert.

Those that sneered, as did Satan, wanted the ordinary and the ordinary is not God's way.
Oh yes, they wanted an earthly king of an earthly kingdom (and perhaps, it is what we all want). Perhaps, we want what is less because we cannot imagine or are afraid of something greater. And Christ's kingship of God's kingdom is so much greater.

 Because, in the end when the old things have passed away. When all of creation with its kingdoms and dominions have come to meet and be subsumed by the Kingdom of God, still hidden in the heart of the world, we as faithful subjects and victors, will have no fear, for the last kingdom to be brought down, the last king to be vanquished is death itself for Christ the King has put all things under his feet.

 

2 comments: