Today's Scripture Readings
Jeremiah 23:1-6 (NRSV)
Psalm 46 (BCP., p.649)
Colossians 1:11-20 (NRSV)
Luke 23:33-43 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
If there was an irony to end the Liturgical Year C, this would be it. The majestic celebration of Christ the King is about Jesus at the end of time. The consummation of all time, seasons, earth and Heaven is believed to find it's conclusion in Christ. The Alpha and Omega. The Beginning and the End. As Anglicized as this Feast is, and though many may find it to be outdated and perhaps unnecessary, there is an important contemporary and social context to this Sunday.
The reading from the Hebrew Scriptures tells us of a king who would take care of those who have been mistreated by former shepherds. The Prophet Jeremiah is conveying God's words that God's people being mistreated by others is of great concern. The People Jeremiah is prophesying to are a farming community. They have lands that they look after, and their country was being managed by rulers who were not caring for the oppressed and marginalized. God promises a king who would truly look after God's people with compassion and justice. Did they get that king?
The New Testament Reading and the Gospel tie together our focus on Christ as King. The irony I wrote about earlier, will be made here. The irony is that on this Christ the King Sunday our focus is not on the majesty and splendor of the Reign of Christ as others might suggest. Through the mystery of the Cross, the rule of Christ is mercy and Justice. The Cross is Christ's throne by which He rules as God's Son. As many of the Presidents, Prime Ministers, Governors of our world attempt to lead the rest of us by violence, oppression, injustice and prejudice, God's answer of how to govern the earth is through mercy, justice and forgiveness of our sins. God's reply to the needs of God's people is to love us all without distinction.
In the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, Christ the King gives of Himself as the victor, redeemer and Savior of all humankind. The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and the celebration of Holy Communion, allows that mercy, justice and forgiveness to become the way in which we interact with one another as Christ's Body, the Church. How very interesting that the Gospel Reading for the First Vespers of Christ the King this year is Matthew 18:25-35 the parable of the unforgiving servant. Jesus tells Peter to forgive not seven times, but seventy seven times. Forgive and forgive again. The Eucharist reminds us that Christ our King has forgiven us, so we are to forgive each other.
As we understand that Christ's rule is justice and mercy, and the Cross is His throne, what in the world are Christians doing? Why do Christians continue to suggest religious exceptionalism and support prejudice towards women, LGBTQ people, immigrants, individuals of different races, religions, physical, psychological and personal challenges? Why do we as Christians tolerate Christianists claiming a religion of dominionism?
Perhaps on this Christ the King Sunday we might think about how we promote justice, mercy and the forgiveness of sins by the Cross of Jesus. How might we hold our leaders in the Church and society accountable for improving them to be inclusive and respectful of other? How do we hold ourselves accountable?
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, may we pray that the Church and society will become a more abundant Reign of Christ so that He is made real because we too work for justice, mercy and believe in the forgiveness of our sins through His name and His Cross.
Amen.
Prayers
Jeremiah 23:1-6 (NRSV)
Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the LORD. Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the LORD.
The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: "The LORD is our righteousness."
Psalm 46 (BCP., p.649)
May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-- all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
Luke 23:33-43 (NRSV)
When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide his clothing. The people stood by, watching Jesus on the cross; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."
One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Blog Reflection
If there was an irony to end the Liturgical Year C, this would be it. The majestic celebration of Christ the King is about Jesus at the end of time. The consummation of all time, seasons, earth and Heaven is believed to find it's conclusion in Christ. The Alpha and Omega. The Beginning and the End. As Anglicized as this Feast is, and though many may find it to be outdated and perhaps unnecessary, there is an important contemporary and social context to this Sunday.
The reading from the Hebrew Scriptures tells us of a king who would take care of those who have been mistreated by former shepherds. The Prophet Jeremiah is conveying God's words that God's people being mistreated by others is of great concern. The People Jeremiah is prophesying to are a farming community. They have lands that they look after, and their country was being managed by rulers who were not caring for the oppressed and marginalized. God promises a king who would truly look after God's people with compassion and justice. Did they get that king?
The New Testament Reading and the Gospel tie together our focus on Christ as King. The irony I wrote about earlier, will be made here. The irony is that on this Christ the King Sunday our focus is not on the majesty and splendor of the Reign of Christ as others might suggest. Through the mystery of the Cross, the rule of Christ is mercy and Justice. The Cross is Christ's throne by which He rules as God's Son. As many of the Presidents, Prime Ministers, Governors of our world attempt to lead the rest of us by violence, oppression, injustice and prejudice, God's answer of how to govern the earth is through mercy, justice and forgiveness of our sins. God's reply to the needs of God's people is to love us all without distinction.
In the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, Christ the King gives of Himself as the victor, redeemer and Savior of all humankind. The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and the celebration of Holy Communion, allows that mercy, justice and forgiveness to become the way in which we interact with one another as Christ's Body, the Church. How very interesting that the Gospel Reading for the First Vespers of Christ the King this year is Matthew 18:25-35 the parable of the unforgiving servant. Jesus tells Peter to forgive not seven times, but seventy seven times. Forgive and forgive again. The Eucharist reminds us that Christ our King has forgiven us, so we are to forgive each other.
As we understand that Christ's rule is justice and mercy, and the Cross is His throne, what in the world are Christians doing? Why do Christians continue to suggest religious exceptionalism and support prejudice towards women, LGBTQ people, immigrants, individuals of different races, religions, physical, psychological and personal challenges? Why do we as Christians tolerate Christianists claiming a religion of dominionism?
Perhaps on this Christ the King Sunday we might think about how we promote justice, mercy and the forgiveness of sins by the Cross of Jesus. How might we hold our leaders in the Church and society accountable for improving them to be inclusive and respectful of other? How do we hold ourselves accountable?
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, may we pray that the Church and society will become a more abundant Reign of Christ so that He is made real because we too work for justice, mercy and believe in the forgiveness of our sins through His name and His Cross.
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. (Proper 29, Book of Common Prayer, p. 236).
Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all that you have
done for us. We thank you for the splendor of the whole
creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life,
and for the mystery of love.
We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for
the loving care which surrounds us on every side.
We thank you for setting us at tasks which demand our best
efforts, and for leading us to accomplishments which satisfy
and delight us.
We thank you also for those disappointments and failures
that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone.
Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ; for the
truth of his Word and the example of his life; for his steadfast
obedience, by which he overcame temptation; for his dying,
through which he overcame death; and for his rising to life
again, in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom.
Grant us the gift of your Spirit, that we may know him and
make him known; and through him, at all times and in all
places, may give thanks to you in all things. Amen. (A General Thanksgiving, Book of Common Prayer, p.836).
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