I flicked on the Today show on a dark foggy  Tuesday and found out that Prince William is engaged. then one of the networks ran a prime time special on the blessed event. Be still my heart. An early 20th century Pope started this day, Christ the King, to claim the church's place in the world when it saw its secular power slipping away and being challenged on so many fronts, including non-Catholic Christians movements such as our own.The celebration or acclamation of Christ the King is an act of hope and defiance. Against appearances to the contrary, the world is in the hands of God.

 

Colossians speaks of Christ as the head of the universe. The fullness of god dwelled in Jesus.It elevates Jesus of Nazareth to be lifted above all human attributes. This divine king was born not with Herod but in a manger. The one we call Christ the King was under the thumb of religious and secular power to plot his early death. This divine king received acclaim on Palm Sunday but instead of a royal ascension to the throne, he was mocked with the ersatz royal trappings of robe and scepter, most viciously, a crown not of gold but of thorns. I don't think Pilate ever grasps what Jesus is saying, but the bandit, the terrorist on the cross does.Pilate condemns an innocent man to death, but the bandit proclaims his innocence on the hill of the skull. The kingdom's origin not of this world as its origin with the logos of God, but it is in this world. Jesus speaks of his regime, no force, no coercion, no violence. The thief at the cross knew a truth that eluded the religious leaders and Pilate and asks to enter into his kingdom, obviously outside the world.

 

Some of us resist the king phrase as it seems that God works in a more democratic, bottom up way.God works to empower more than control. As Jesus says, I no longer call you disciples (students) but friends. Kings have subjects, but Jesus has co-workers. God inspires more than directs Political life is a high calling; it may have conflict, but it needn't descend to lies, bumper sticker thoughts,propaganda,  and general vulgarity of late Heartbreak of church leadership. We import model form other areas and apply them to the church. Should we? I recall a church that decided that they wanted a dictator as the pastor. They found one. The heartbreak came in they realized that they did not want a dictator, but it was never made clear to the pastor. then he was kicked out for doing what he thought they agreed to.

 

Christ the King Sunday compels us to look at issues of power and control within the lesser powers of our lives here. From what we see of Jesus, he preferred not to control but to love, to help people discover power within themselves. He wanted to  empower others to live better lives. The activity of the Incarnation was about relinquishing power. Jesus's power was not of egotism or selfishness but of selflessness. God works through people. Years ago, people compared Ike  less favorably than the Machiavellian power games of FDR. Fred Greenstein wrote that Ike was not about demonstrating command; he possessed it. He termed the administration a hidden hand presidency, where the work was behind the scenes. Instead of flashy miracles God seems  to work behind the scenes.

 

Prayer connects us to power maybe even sharing with the angels, but it is no flight from work, but engages us to work with God toward

reconciliation. When things seem to fall apart, we recall all things hold together in Christ.To speak of Christ as the head could mean the source or ruling principle of God's way, God's kingdom, God's regime. the  Christ of Colossians looks toward restoration of all things.

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