Today is the Last Sunday after
Pentecost, traditionally known as Christ the King Sunday. Although,
as far as traditions go, this is a relatively new one. The Feast was
originally instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 and celebrated on the
Sunday before All Saints Day. In 1970 it was moved to the Last
Sunday of Ordinary Time by Pope Paul VI, where it remains today.
Pius XI established this Feast day in
response to the growing nationalism and secularism that he saw in the
world. While nationalism had been around for awhile, the tide was
rising in this area and people were beginning to be much more focused
on the ideals of who truly belonged. It was seen in its extreme form
in Germany with the creation and rise to power of the Nazi party in
the early '20's.
In this post-war world of rising
conflict, violence and resentment (which would ultimately lead to
another world war), Pope Pius XI said it was Christ who had dominion
over all creatures, and that his dominion is not gained through
violence but by his very essence. Christ truly was King of all.
I'm not so sure we've ever recovered
from the uber-nationalism of that time. In its most basic form, we
hear cries of, “My country, right or wrong,” “Love it or leave
it,” and, in some cases, “Go back to where you came from.”
These statements are most often used by
the dominant group and those in power. They are an attempt to
control minorities and those on the margins through unquestioned
loyalty, and they advocate removing, eliminating and cleansing the
nation of those people whom the powerful find undesirable. And while
we certainly haven't descended to the level of the Nazis, we live in
a world where the powerful try to silence and control the powerless
for fear of losing their privileged place in society.
That power comes in many forms. Most
often it's wielded politically and socially by white males. But it
can have other manifestations – such as when the Tallahassee police
allegedly told the victim of a sexual assault not to pursue charges
against the star quarterback because “it's a big football town and
your life would become miserable.” Power allows all the right
people to ignore the powerless and simply brush them aside.
This sounds a lot like what Jeremiah
was addressing. The powerful are scattering the flock, driving them
away, not attending to their needs. Those in power are supposed to
use their power and position to bring together and care for those who
fall under their power. But this wasn't, and isn't, happening.
Through Jeremiah, God says he will
raise up shepherds who will do this work of gathering and caring, and
he will also raise up a king who will be wise and execute justice and
righteousness in the land. This king will be like no king we have
ever seen before.
“Are you the king of the Jews?”
“My kingdom is not from this world.”
A king like no king we have ever seen
before.
In today's gospel we hear Luke's
version of the crucifixion. It seems an odd passage to hear on
Christ the King Sunday. But this is the story of a king like no king
we have ever seen before. He could have used his power to save
himself. He could have used his power to come down from the cross
and defeat those who persecuted him. He could have used his power to
rally the troops, crush Rome, drive them away and scatter them. But
this is not that king.
This king doesn't crush; this king
heals. This king doesn't drive away; this king welcomes. This king
doesn't scatter; this king gathers. This king transforms the
destructive force of power used to control and scatter into
life-giving power that frees and gathers.
The prayer of St. Chrysostom reads in
part, “When two or three are gathered in his name, you will be in
the midst of them.” This king gathers. The people who are
gathered by him, or who gather together in his name, are a part of
his kingdom.
The gathering of the twelve disciples
represents the kingdom. The people who gathered to be healed by him
represent the kingdom. The gathering of the 5000 and 4000 represents
the kingdom. The gathering of the people on what came to be known as
Palm Sunday represents the kingdom. The people who gathered at the
foot of the cross represent the kingdom. The gathering of the
criminal represents the kingdom. This gathering here today
represents the kingdom.
Part of the Mystery of God is that
people are gathered, not scattered; people are healed, not crushed;
and that the kingdom is not attained or held together through
dominating violence but through surrendering to God's life-giving
spirit.
This surrender allows us to see God in
all. It allows us to not fear the equality of others. It allows us
to relinquish our hold on a power that isn't ours and that we often
misuse. And in this surrender, we see the King of kings and Lord of
lords.
This is the king of whom Jeremiah
spoke.
This is the king for whom Pope Pius XI
created a Feast day.
This is the king who was crucified for
our sake.
This is the king who gathers all to
him.
This is Christ the King.
Amen.
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