Christ the King Sunday – OT C – Sermon thoughts

Christ the King Sunday – OT C – Sermon thoughts
King – who is a king?
We definitely have some ideas who can be a king.
But from today’s readings we get some biblical pictures about a King.
In the first reading we hear about David – a real king.
He was not a man without his weakness.
But he was popular because he loved his people much.
Perhaps, the most popular King of the Jews of all time.
But can be a king, a “self-rescuer”?
Or want / can the people accept such a king? In fact, not …
I do not think a king who battles for his own protection and let his people down, is not a good King. He will not be a beloved and accepted one.
A king has to fight, and may be until the end of his life.
And when he does that for his people, this is a great king.
But in the Gospel we hear that many laugh at and mock Jesus.
They demand from him to “save himself…”:
yes, they repeat it three times.
Jesus remains silent to their mockery.
But the life and post crucifixion proves definitely that Jesus is the best king.
He fought for life, not for his own or earthly, but for eternal life.
To this end he takes suffering and sacrifices.
He was a special king…
He possessed no weapons:
his weapon was love.
A strange king, who spent his time with sinners and excluded;
He shared his life as bread.
His goal was to provide life: Not a life that of the world.
But a life, that proceeds from God the Father, the designer of life.
Therefore, Jesus promises the “paradise”” for the thief on the cross.
He used this word with the original thought…
A Paradise, where divine life meets the human as in the beginning.
Jesus will restore this lost God-Men relationship.
As a special King…
Jesus is a question for our contemporary faith:
If he is our king?
He is not a ruler with power. He used no violence.
He wants to unite and lead us, as the shepherd …
He is Lord of your heart ..
A strange king … the unique King of Hearts…
Let us keep our hearts open and ready for him..
also our families, our church communities …
May his love be with us …
May his life be in us …
His peace be with us … Amen!
-
Thomas Kalathil