Last Sunday After Pentecost: Christ the King: An Inclusive Reign

Today's Scripture Readings

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 (NRSV)

As I watched,

thrones were set in place,

and an Ancient One took his throne,

his clothing was white as snow,

and the hair of his head like pure wool;

his throne was fiery flames,

and its wheels were burning fire.

A stream of fire issued

and flowed out from his presence.

A thousand thousands served him,

and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.

The court sat in judgment,

and the books were opened.

As I watched in the night visions,

I saw one like a human being

coming with the clouds of heaven.

And he came to the Ancient One

and was presented before him.

To him was given dominion

and glory and kingship,

that all peoples, nations, and languages

should serve him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion

that shall not pass away,

and his kingship is one

that shall never be destroyed.

Psalm 94 (BCP,. p.722)


Revelation 1: 4b-8 (NRSV)

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Look! He is coming with the clouds;

every eye will see him,

even those who pierced him;

and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.

So it is to be. Amen.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

John 18:33-37

Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?" Pilate replied, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

Blog Reflection

Here we are at the end of another Liturgical Year, celebrating the feast of Christ the King.   Also known and preferred by many as the Reign of Christ.  The triumphant and holy celebration of Jesus Christ as King is only 87 years old.   In 1925 Pope Pius XI added it to the Roman Catholic church calendar as a way of expressing some hope after World War I.  It was a recognition of Christ as having been victorious over sin and death, and had an opportunity to reign in the world's politics after a brutal and deadly conflict.   One does not have to look very long after 1925 to see that not only did Christ not rule in the hearts and lives religious and political leaders then, but we still have a long way to go as we prepare to bid good bye to 2012.

In the book of the Prophet Daniel, the image is that of a glorious reign of the Ancient One who is mighty and coming to bring justice with  his mighty arm.  The Ancient One who brought Israel from Egypt into the promised land, and gave them the commandments through Moses.  Christians have looked back upon the writings from the Hebrew Scriptures to honor the culture and religion of the Jewish people.   And we would like to think that in this Year of 2012, we no longer have antisemitism, but we know very well that there is.  God's people were wanting that mighty sign of God coming in glory to deliver them from captivity and bring them the salvation of their nation.  

Christians can and still do believe that Jesus was the fulfillment of the prophesies in Hebrew Scriptures.  Our task in this second decade of the new millennium is to accept what the Scriptures mean for us, while respecting what they mean for others who have followed a different faith journey from ours.  The Reign of God is inclusive. 

Jumping into our Gospel, what might the significance be of Pilate having the conversation with Jesus in the Praetorium?   The Praetorium was the center of political power in the world.   It was from the Praetorium that Pilate governed Jerusalem on behalf of the Roman Emperor Tiberius Caesar Augustus.  In this account from John, Pilate is questioning the authority of Jesus as a king.  The answers Jesus gives Pilate presents the stark contrast between what Pilate understands a kingdom to be, vs. what is the Kingdom of God that Jesus speaks of.   While Pilate wants to know about the earthly kingdom that Jesus might think he rules, the Kingdom that Jesus speaks of is not found in this world.  If that Kingdom were there, he might not have been in captivity without some kind of fight from of his followers to prevent his imprisonment.  God's reign is not one of political maneuvering, one of war or conquest.   The Reign of God is one of peace, justice, love and mercy.  Qualities that are present in the world, because of God's ownership of what God created.  The Reign of God of which Jesus speaks is already here, but not yet.

Jesus said that he was born for one purpose to testify to the truth and that all who belong to truth, hear his voice.   What "truth" might Jesus be talking about?

Immediately we are tempted to jump back to John 14: 6: "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me."   While this is certainly true for us Christians, it also has the tendency to suggest that our religion is one of supercessionism.  Meaning that all other religions and practices outside of Christianity are in and of themselves null and void, unless they become Christian.   It can also be from here that many Christianists continue their assault on LGBT people, Native Americans, women and many others who define "truth" a bit differently than how John 14:6 might be read.

Michael and Lori Hardin in their internet Commentary on the readings called Preaching Peace had this to say about what truth for some can mean.

The fact is, at the base and center of philosophy (Derrida), religion (Barth) and literature (Girard) lies a victim, an innocent victim. We have been in complete and utter denial about this. We refuse to believe that we would sacrifice innocents. We continue to insist we only bring justice to those who deserve it. We further separate ourselves from scapegoating by turning over this task to the police or the military and the courts and prison systems. We don’t have anything to do with ‘violence.’ Our hands are clean.

As an example we cite American Christian awareness of issues that surround the Holocaust. Because America fought in World War II against Germany, it is conveniently assumed that whatever the German Christians did and thought had nothing to do with Christianity here in America. But it does, for the anti-semitism that found such virulent expression in Nazi Germany had many of its roots in the United States with Henry Ford (click here for an eye-opening paper on Ford.), and they have found expression around the world for the past 1,900 years (with specific reference to anti-Semitism in Christianity, not to mention the ancient world). You cannot follow Jesus and be anti-Semitic at the same time; Jesus was a Jew. But there are those who insist that their ‘theology’ bears little resemblance to that of the German Christians, when in fact, it does. It is all loaded with Post Constantinian and post Augustinian dualism and participation in the victimage mechanism.

So, the question is, if our human ideologies stem from victimage and are masked by lies, how can we then know the truth? It is quite simple: the truth does not retaliate or defend itself. ‘My kingdom is not of this world, if it were my disciples would fight to prevent my arrest.’ They tried, but Jesus prohibited them from using violence on his behalf. Had he done so, it would have destroyed his entire mission to reveal the truth: that God is love and love is non-retributive, non-retaliatory and non-violent.

In other words, if something or someone claims to be truth and has violent presuppositions or acts in a violent (= coercive) manner, then it is not truth. Truth may be attacked but it cannot be harmed. It is not ‘of this world’, that is, structured by negative mimesis. This is precisely how the gospels can speak of truth and why the Fourth Gospel calls Jesus, ‘the true and living way.’

Pilate may have discerned this seeing that John says his fear escalated with each encounter he had with Jesus. But, his job (and his life) was more important than a ragamuffin Jew from Galilee, so eventually the fear of retaliation from his mimetic boss (Caesar) was greater than his fear of a king who would not defend himself.

And so it is with us. We remain silent in the face of victimization because we chose to protect our source of security, our jobs, our incomes, our lifestyles. Perhaps the real question is, in the face of retaliation and retribution are you on the side of Jesus or not?

Finally we observe that inasmuch as today is Christ the King Sunday, please note that it is ‘Christ the King under arrest and being interrogated Sunday.’ It is Christ the King being held hostage Sunday. It is Christ the royal political prisoner Sunday. It is Christ the King soon to be beaten and crucified Sunday. It is Christ the innocent King/Victim Sunday. It is not Christ the powerful King Sunday. It is not Christ the mighty warrior Sunday. It is not Christ the King as Lawgiver and dispenser of punishment Sunday. It is Christ, whose kingdom is not of this world, the King Sunday.

As we celebrate Christ the King Sunday, Jesus is once again in danger or being killed just for being LGBT in the African country of Uganda.   They are again considering their monstrous and destructive bill to imprison LGBT people or possibly put them to death by hanging.  The sad truth still remains that people using the Name of Jesus Christ from America have some responsibility for what is happening there.  The Gospel is again being hijacked to suggest that marginalization, oppression and death is the answer to dealing with prejudice and the refusal to honor Christ in others who are different from themselves.   They cannot envision that the Reign of Christ is inclusive.

Rev. Susan Russell wrote:

"Christ the King has been co-opted by those who understand the Reign of Christ to be not about the Lordship of Love but about obedience to orthodoxy. The king whose throne was a cross and whose dying words were “My God, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing” has been replaced with a judge whose message is “My God will not forgive you unless you are doing it my way.” It is time for us to find our voices and reclaim the historic faith we have inherited: to pro-claim the Good News of the Gospel of Grace whenever and wherever we can; to challenge those who preach the Jesus of Judgment by our serving instead the King of Love."

One of the things we as Benedictines understand is that obedience to Christ is not so much about fear and judgement.   Though at times it may appear as much in the Rule, especially when you read things like this.

"This message of mine is for you, then, if you are ready to give up your own will, once and for all, and armed with the strong and noble weapons of obedience to do battle for the true King, Christ the Lord." (Prologue, v. 3.  RB 1980, p.157).

Obedience for Benedictines is about responding in love to what Christ calls us to do through the Superior.  This model is there to remind us that Christ is the loving and compassionate Savior who desires nothing more than to lead us to that Kingdom that is here, but not yet.  A Reign where we are open to Christ as he is present in every person.  Especially those who are oppressed by injustice and inequality.  St. Benedict brings this to mind as he says in Chapter 4 on the Tools of Good Works: "Go to help the troubled and console the sorrowing" (vs. 18,19, RB 1980,  p. 183).   Obedience to truth is more than Jesus, it is honoring him present in others and being willing to serve him there.

As we prepare to celebrate Advent and the new Liturgical Year one week from today, we would do well to ask ourselves what the Reign of Christ looks like for us?   How do we understand the Reign of Christ as an inclusive Kingdom?   How is that Reign present to us in the here and now?   How are we responding to Christ the King coming to us in our neighbor?

These questions are not a matter of just what is objectively true.  They are a matter of our faith and trust in God. To believe that God challenges us to let go of our self-security a bit. So that Christ will make the Kingdom a much greater reality for us and in us. So that it will become clearer to us and others, that Christ is our King. 

Amen.


Prayers

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all
things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of
lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided
and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together
under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  (Book of Common Prayer, p. 236).


Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this
land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as
their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to
eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those
who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law
and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of
us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Oppressed, Book of Common Prayer, p. 826).


Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so
move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the
people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our
divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for Social Justice, Book of Common Prayer, p. 823).