Brief synopsis of the readings: Our first reading from the 2nd book of Samuel shows David being acclaimed king by all the tribes of Israel after Saul’s death. In Luke’s Gospel Jesus was on the cross, dying between two criminals. Some in the crowd jeered at him asking why he didn’t save himself if he was the Messiah. Above his head on the cross (where the crucified person’s crime was written) it said: “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals joined in on the abuse but the other one acknowledged his guilt, recognized Jesus’ innocence, and asked that Jesus remember him. Jesus responded: “Indeed I promise you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Today we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, the last Sunday in the liturgical year. Next week we begin the season of Advent as we approach Christmas. Of course if you’ve been in any stores or seen any advertisement you’re aware that Christmas has been in the works since Labor Day.
But back to today. While we freely speak of the Kingdom of God we have, at best, a complicated concept of kings. It was much simpler in early times: whoever was most powerful of any group was seen as the king. If we look at the history of the Israelites, though, it gets a little more complicated. When they were first liberated slaves running away from Egypt they all saw Moses as their leader and probably never gave thought to leadership in the long run. And when Moses died, God chose Joshua, but where from there? Eventually the Israelites asked for a king and God reluctantly granted them one. Through the prophet Samuel God expressed concern that loyalty to an earthly king would move the people away from God.
Our first reading seems simple enough: Saul is dead and David will succeed him. When most Jews and Christians think of the kingships of Saul, David and Solomon they get a sense of nostalgia and see these reigns as the high point of their history, particularly David. But these weren’t all good times. Saul committed suicide in battle, David fathered a child with Bath Sheeba (wife of Uriah) and Solomon ruled so poorly that the kingdom divided on his death. Solomon was the last earthly king of a united Israel.
Here in the United States we trace our existence to being poorly led by an earthly king: George III of England. He is generally seen in this country as a man who ruled only for himself and those he cared about and this led to a call, and then a war, to be independent. The title “king” is associated with the word “tyrant.” And we were right. Crowning someone king and giving that person absolute power nearly inevitably causes the person to “believe his own press.” The idea of a king serving his people soon becomes a pleasant memory.
And it becomes a type of cop out for those he rules. If we serve a king we essentially hand over not only authority but also responsibility. We’re not at fault or responsible for anything that happens because our job is to simply follow orders. This was made obvious after World War II when Hitler’s underlings attempted to claim innocence as they were only “following orders. This became known as the Nuremberg Defense.
Sometimes we don’t cede authority over laws so much as authority over even the simplest of our decisions. In the 1980s and 1990s we crowned Michael Jackson the “King of Pop” and purchased music on his direction. Here in San Diego a man named George Stahlman opened a bail bonds storefront in the 1940s and proclaimed himself “King Stahlman” as the best way to get out of jail. We have social media influencers who acquire great wealth by telling us what to wear, where to eat and who to like.
But if we look toward a king who doesn’t profit from us or out decisions, where do we turn? Obviously we find the answer in the Gospel reading but it’s not as clear at first blush. Even though the sign above Jesus said “King of the Jews” it was meant to mock him. We Christians use crosses and crucifixes so often they can become ubiquitous. But at the time of Jesus crucifixion was a horrible way to die. It was reserved not only for those the Romans wanted to kill but also when the Romans wanted to teach a lesson. At that point in his life Jesus looked less like a king than anyone. Even the guy next to him mocked him.
But we know the rest of the story about how he rose from the dead and he is indeed our king. But how do we follow him? Speaking only for himself he’s never spoken directly to me, at least with his voice. This is where most preachers end this homily by saying “Just follow Jesus.” But I find that unsatisfying. Exactly how do we do it?
Well, I maintain that we’re doing it all the time even if we’re not aware. By reading his words, and the words of those who followed him, we gain a picture, a direction, a path. A few years ago the moniker “WWJD?” was everywhere. It stood for “What Would Jesus Do?” This takes a lifetime of prayer, discernment, openmindedness, and listening to others but that’s what we do.
Years ago, when I was applying for entrance into the seminary to study for the priesthood I filled out a lengthy application. They wanted to know why I felt called to priesthood. They wanted to hear from me, but they also wanted to hear from others. They requested information from my pastor, my spiritual director, people who had worked with me in different ministries. They wanted to ensure my discernment was valid.
We become subjects to Christ the King not because he issues edicts or announces his presence on social media. We become subjects of Christ the King when we acquire his values, when we strive to envision our lives in his footsteps. We do it whenever we feed the hungry. When we welcome the stranger. When we reach out to the lonely and isolated.
When we promise our presence to someone at the worst moment of his life, like the man on the cross.