Solemnity of Christ the King, November 20, 2022

The power of Jesus

Luke 23: 35–43

The people stood by and watched; the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Messiah of God.”

Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”

Above him there was an inscription that read, “This is the King of the Jews.”

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.”

The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Music Meditations

• Pleni Sunt Coeli—Phoenix Chorale
• Jesus, Remember Me—Taizé
• How Great Thou Art
• Come Thou Font of Every Blessing—BYU Choir or CBU Choir (together with Holy, Holy, Holy)
• Behold Our God—CBU Music

Opening Prayer

Lord, we lean on your example to show us what real power means. You are king of all that is good, compassionate and just. You died on the cross the way you did to show us how to trust in the Father’s goodness, even in the darkest moments of our lives. You showed us that love is more powerful that hate, that mercy is more powerful than vengeance. You showed us that dignity is not a matter of where and how we suffer, but a matter of the grace and openness to the suffering other others. Help us to understand what real power means.

Companions for the Journey

From a homily preached to CC@S in 2010:

JESUS, REMEMBER ME WHEN YOU COME INTO YOUR KINGDOM

Two processions entered Jerusalem on a spring day in the year 30. It was the beginning of the week of Passover, the most sacred week of the Jewish year. On the West side of the city, the main entrance, so to speak, entered Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Idumea, Judea and Samaria. Imagine a cavalry on horses, foot soldiers, leather armor, helmets, weapons, banners, golden eagles mounted on poles, sun glinting on metal and gold. Imagine the sounds: the marching of feet, the creaking of leather, the clinking of bridles, the beating of drums. Then think of the swirling of dust from the entourage. The eyes of the silent onlookers, some curious, some awed, some resentful.

—Borg, Marcus and Crossan, Dominic: What the Gospels Really Teach About the Last Days

Though unfamiliar to most people today, the imperial procession was well known in the Jewish homeland in the first century. It was the standard practice of the Roman governors of Judea to be in Jerusalem for the major Jewish festivals, not out of respect, but simply to be in the city in case there was trouble from the increased population.

On the other side of town, the east side, there was another processional. There was a modestly clothed man named Jesus riding on a donkey coming down from the Mount of Olives. Jesus was from the peasant village of Nazareth. His followers were also peasants as were most of the people in the country and surrounding the city. It included people who were outcasts and lame, women and Samaritans. He was the son of a laborer, perhaps a carpenter. His message was about another kind of kingdom, the kingdom of God. They stood by him and alongside the entrance. Many people simply spread their cloaks and shawls before him on his path while others quickly plucked branches from some trees to lay before him and still others waved palms. What kind of king is this, what kind of kingdom?

First of all, the Kingdom of God is not a place, or a political structure, but a realm in which only God is adored, a realm in which peace, justice and love are the reigning principles, a realm in which power is shared, not the possession of a few. Were the onlookers that day really looking for a king whose reign would be radically different? Are we?

Since the 13th Sunday, when Luke told us that Jesus “firmly resolved to proceed to Jerusalem”, we have been traveling with Jesus to the Holy City. Along the way, he feeds the hungry, heals the hurting, loves and serves the poor, the broken, the marginalized. And when he enters Jerusalem –a dusty little man on a dusty little borrowed donkey, the fun begins. Beaten, mocked, scourged and hung on a crossbeam like a common criminal, he is not the king anybody was expecting.

It’s a lonely throne and powerless crown for this “King of the Jews.” Ironically, it is one of the criminals executed alongside Jesus who has the faith to ask Jesus to remember him when Jesus enters his kingly power.

Jesus, the king, is showing us another kind of power from the cross. Jesus’ power is not exerted by force, but by inviting us to become one with him. He is offering himself to us in a relationship that is strong, even when it appears weak. In that relationship we share in his power—a power to heal and forgive; a power to be his servants in his ministry of reconciliation. In our relationship with Jesus we become strong, not assuming power and rule over people, but by sharing his life in our relationship with others.

Pilate entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday with soldiers and a chariot and led by force. Jesus entered on a donkey and led by service. One was the executioner and one was executed. One is forgotten in history. One is worshiped and loved and changed the world.

For whatever people want to say about Jesus, the historical reality about Jesus is that he represented not only a new way of believing, but a new way of being. He deliberately countered the aristocratic and pharisaic domination system. Jesus spoke and lived for the oppressed and became the greatest leader by being the greatest servant.

And now it is our turn. When we pray May your kingdom come, we sometimes hope God will change the world around us without our having to change at all. But when we pray may your kingdom come we have to be willing to let our kingdom go. Oh, we can point to historical institutions like governments and even the Church who have abused power and coveted the trappings of monarchy. But that is a cop out. Real change has always begun with individuals. Think Jesus, yes, but think also of Ghandi, of Buddha, of Mother Teresa and many others who changed their priorities and changed the world forever. It starts in our daily choices: Do we seek power and prestige? Is our goal in life to be “somebody” to be important or successful or relevant? Do we seek wealth and control? Or do we seek to put our gifts to work for the good of those who cannot help themselves? Do we seek to work to save a ravaged planet? Do we seek to dominate, intimidate or exclude those closest to us—our family members, friends and co-workers? Do we Judge and disdain others or are we seekers of care and compassion? May your kingdom come. Talk is cheap. Are we truly seekers of God’s kingdom of love and peace or are we mouthing empty phrases?

Two processions entered Jerusalem on that long ago day. The same question, the same alternative, faces those of us who would be faithful to Jesus today. Which procession are we in?

Weekly Memorization

Taken from the gospel for today’s session…

Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom

Living the Good News

What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?

Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:

Reflection Questions

• Christ freely gives forgiveness to those who ask: What holds you back from asking?
  Is there someone from whom you are holding back forgiveness?
• Has Jesus been a shepherd for you in times of turmoil and trouble?
  How can Jesus be a shepherd for a troubled world and deeply disturbed world?
• Like a revisiting of the earlier temptations in the desert at the beginning of his career, Jesus once again hears the seductive hiss of a final temptation—to use his power to free himself from the cross. Have you ever had a particular temptation that would not seem to go away? What was it?
• Have I ever been tempted to use what power I possess for my own personal purposes or needs?
• The grace for Jesus was the thief’s voice on the other side of his cross, reminding him of his mission and his promise to his father to stay faithful to that mission… Has anyone in your life been that steadying voice that recalls you to fidelity to your obligations and promises? How successful have those voices of grace been in returning you to an even keel?
• Powerlessness is horrible—there are things in life we cannot control, and we just HATE that. Has there been anything in your life that has mirrored this powerlessness?
• What is the difference between coercive power and suasive power?
  What is God’s power like?
• Anne Lamott said there are three ways in which we wish we had power, and they are impossible to obtain: the power to change the truth, the power to change the past, and power to change another. Do you agree?
  What DO we have the power to change?
• We find Christ today dying on the cross. What kind of power is that?
  How will he attract people from such a powerless place?
  Luke tells us that, “the people stood there watching….” What is your reaction?
• Do I ever surrender power to those who don’t deserve it?
• The king isn’t ruling from a throne, but from a cross, a place of defeat and abandonment. Do I want to accept his rule in my life?

Meditations

A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:

Read Psalm 147 and consider the questions which follow:

Psalm 147

Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. Extol the Lord, Jerusalem; praise your God, Zion. He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat. He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow. He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws.

A psalm reflects the psalmist’s theology and the psalmist’s idea of how they want the world to work. Sometimes, psalms about God’s power reflect all too closely the ideal of power prevalent at the time—powerful rulers who reward those who curry favor with them, who punish those who disobey the rules. Order is maintained through intimidation and sheer force. It is coercive power. In reading the psalm, how would you describe the psalm writer’s notion of God’s power? Does this comport with your idea of God’s power? Do you think power must include destruction or create fear among others? What about suasive power—the kind of power that draws in others and empowers them, encourages them, and, yes, reminds them when they are messing up? What kind of power did Jesus eschew while he was on the cross? What kind of power did Jesus embrace while he was on the cross? What does the tell you about the proper use of kingly power? Of God’s power?

A Meditation in the Franciscan Style/Action:

Adapted from Justice Notes: “First Impressions”, a service of the Southern Dominican Province

We are a people who admire power. We are quick to react if we think we are being infringed upon in any way. Our country began with a rebellion against a British king’s power. We wanted our national and individual liberties and would accept no king or queen over us. We boast of being the most powerful nation in the world and we have the economic, military and political might to prove it. This feast challenges us to reflect on the power each of us has and how we use it. Are we first world citizens who are economically comfortable, educated, articulate, etc.? There are many ways we have and use power; many ways we have influence over individuals and as members of communities and organizations. Where do you see abuse of power or a power vacuum? The Gospel is not only about our own individual goodness or charity. It is about our responsibility to help change social structures and national policies to make them more compassionate. We must ask the Gospel questions and struggle to change the answers:

• Does our nation feed the hungry? Or do we cut support programs in order to fund an ever increasing military budget?
• Does our nation welcome strangers? Or are our immigration limits and laws making it more and more difficult for those seeking a better life to find one here in our country?
• Does our nation clothe the naked? Or do we support the sweatshops, which make the lives of the poor a misery while making cheap clothing more available for those who already have an abundance?
• Does our nation care for the sick? Or are health care plans and medical care available only to those who can afford it?
• Does our nation visit Christ in prison? Or as the nation with the highest percentage of its population behind bars do we ask why these brothers and sisters of Jesus come mostly from minority groups and extreme poverty?

What can I do?
Read the Gospel from the perspective of the poor.
Be Informed. Get involved in advocating for “The Kingdom of God”.

A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination:

I read Kings 12:1-9. I imagine that I am the young Rehoboam who has just inherited the throne from my father Solomon, a very powerful man. When I am asked to lighten the yoke of slavery and taxation that my father put on the people, why do I respond the way that I do? Insecurity? Fear of my brother Jereboam’s power? The heady feeling of being in control so much? Sheer bad temper? Why do I listen to my contemporaries instead of the elders? Where does my show of power lead me? In what ways am I tempted by my own desire for power and control? Have there ever been times in my life when I have taken advantage of those less powerful, less intelligent, less ambitious or less loveable? I speak to God about these instances. What personal changes would I like God’s help with?

Poetic Reflection:

How does the poem by the late Stanford Professor and poet Denise Levertov reflect on the way we humans have misinterpreted the words in Genesis and believed that the earth was ours to plunder and abuse, as opposed to being a gift we were to preserve and return to God in better condition than we found it?

“Tragic Error”

The earth is the Lord’s, we gabbed, and the fullness thereof– while we looted and pillaged, claiming indemnity: the fullness thereof given over to us, to our use– while we preened ourselves, sure of our power, willful or ignorant, through the centuries. Miswritten, misread, that charge: subdue was the false, the misplaced word in the story. Surely we were to have been earth’s mind, mirror, reflective source. Surely our task was to have been to love the earth, to dress and keep it like Eden’s garden. That would have been our dominion: to be those cells of earth’s body that could perceive and imagine, could bring the planet into the haven it is to be known, (as the eye blesses the hand, perceiving it form and the work it can do).”

—Denise Levertov, from The Evening Train

Poetic Reflection:

This poem, written by Thomas a Kempis in the fifteenth century, shows us the difference between our notions of power and the power God favors:

Oh, love, how deep, how broad, how high, Beyond all thought and fantasy, That God, the Son of God, should take Our mortal form for mortal's sake! He sent no angel to our race, Of higher or of lower place, But wore the robe of human frame, And to this world himself he came. For us baptized, for us he bore His holy fast and hungered sore; For us temptation sharp he knew; For us the tempter overthrew. For us he prayed; for us he taught, For us his daily works he wrought, By words and signs and actions thus Still seeking not himself, but us. For us by wickedness betrayed, For us, in crown of thorns arrayed, He bore the shameful cross and death; For us he gave his dying breath. For us he rose from death again; For us he went on high to reign; For us he sent his Spirit here To guide, to strengthen, and to cheer. All glory to our Lord and God For love so deep, so high, so broad; The Trinity whom we adore Forever and forevermore.

Closing Prayer

Lord, we are selfish, unkind and mean-spirited at times. We have failed so often and often failed spectacularly. But you understand and forgive, extending to us the Father’s care. Aways the father’s care.