Today's Scripture Readings
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 (NRSV)
Thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.
Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide, I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.
I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken.
Psalm 100 (BCP., p.729)
Ephesians 1:15-23 (NRSV)
I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Matthew 25:31-46 (NRSV)
Jesus said, "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, `Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them, `Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, `You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, `Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' Then he will answer them, `Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Blog Reflection
If I had to pick my favorite passage from Matthew's Gospel, this reading would be number 1. There are many stories from Matthew that are inspiring. We have meditated together in this blog using many of them through out this past Liturgical Year. The words of Matthew 25:31-46 are so appropriate for the "crowning" if you will, of the Church Year. We are reminded that when we serve others, we serve Christ who is present in all people.
I have written any number of times, and I think it bears repeating; the Christian Church and our Christian Faith are awesome. If we could remove all of the politics and social problems the Church cannot avoid; what makes the Christian Faith what it is about is absolutely wonderful. Speaking only for myself here, the day I recognized that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that I can serve Him as a child of God was among the happiest moments of my life. It is impossible for me to write down all of the things I love about Christianity.
At the same time, over these many years that I have struggled in no small way with the politics within the Church. I have struggled as much with the ways in which many in the Church are not only the cause of much injustice; but encourages oppression and prejudice in the Name of Christ and/or the Scriptures.
As we celebrate this Feast of Christ the King, we are reminded that our Faith is not all about our doctrines and/or our personal beliefs. As with anything, if all of these are sought for the sake of themselves; the only purpose they serve is another incidental that can be so easily dismissed as meaningless. The readings for this Feast combined with our living Faith are all pointing us to serve Christ in others. Serving Christ in others is most inconvenient. Serving Christ in others means assisting all others without exception or excuse. It requires us to do the hardest thing. We must let go and care for Christ in others for the sake of Christ. This requires a purity of heart that seeks to serve God without wanting anything from God in return. Not even warm fuzzy feelings. To serve Christ in others should open our doors beyond even our own Christian Faith; to see in others, including other religious expressions the face of Christ interceding with His Father on behalf of all humankind. If we make the claim to love God in Christ the King and limit ourselves to our own circle without sharing our time, resources and talents to expanding the Church into a House of Prayer for all persons; we are making our Christian Faith the biggest lie ever told for the past two thousand years. Is it any wonder why many see a Feast such as Christ the King as another Medieval legend?
Last week the news broke that The Washington National Cathedral held a prayer service for Muslims. Since that event, the Bishops office in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington has been inundated with calls complaining about it. The basis of the largest number of the complaints were that the Scripture says that "Thou shalt worship the Lord our God and only Him." I could not support the response of Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde more. I would add that inasmuch as we would like to believe that Christianity is the privileged religion; the fact is there are other faiths through which people find their way to God without being a Christian. Those religions are no less real or valid. Furthermore, because I believe in the Person of Christ the King, I also believe that different religious expressions of belief are not an impediment for God's saving grace to be at work through them.
Christ the King was cared for this week as The Church of England finally gave the go ahead for women to be ordained as Bishops. Sadly, there are still many individuals that would prefer that women and LGBTQ people remain as second class citizens in the Church and society.
Christ the King was welcomed in a wonderful new way when President Obama announced that his administration would be taking executive action concerning the deportation of about a million immigrants. Christ in "the stranger" was served in that action. It is truly shameful that Christianists and those who prefer that our nation have limited citizenship, suggest that what the President did was "unlawful." Interestingly enough, all Christians are immigrants in the United States of America. The Native Americans can educate all of us about that fact, if we would only listen to them.
It is apparent that many would prefer that Christ the King be allowed to starve, than for a Priest to feed the poor in his local area.
Our Lord Jesus Christ who is King now and at the end of time calls on us who have been baptized into His Church to serve Him by attending to the needs of others. Let us remember that by Christ's death and Resurrection, He has already conquered sin, death and suffering. The compassionate mercy of God has already been unleashed through Paschal Mystery. It is the mission and ministry of all of us who have been initiated into the Family of God in Christ; to open up our own hearts, minds and doors to receive and serve Christ the King in all people. If the Church wants to care for and nurture the Body of Christ, we must be ready to care for Christ in all people including but not limited to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer persons. We cannot oppose homophobia and support racism, or sexism, or any religious based prejudice or violence.
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving and make our way into Advent next weekend, let us all recommit ourselves to serve Christ the King by attending to the needs of others in His Name.
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. The Book of Common Prayer, p.236).
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family. The Book of Common Prayer, p.815).
Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us
grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace
with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom,
help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our
communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy
Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Prayer for Social Justice. The Book of Common Prayer, p.260).
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