Feast of Christ the King
Gospel
Jn 18:33b-37
Pilate said to Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
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Homily
I remember some years ago hearing a person who was experiencing injustice in her employment exclaim: “God is my father, not my godfather.” As I wondered what the person meant I began to realize that the person was expressing a truth which we tend to forget; i.e. the fundamental equality of all human beings; that all of us are sons and daughters of God and our treatment of each other must reflect this.
As I wrestled with the readings for this feast that incident came to mind. Pilate asks Jesus “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. “
Jesus lays down the limit and scope of his kingship and very subtly invites Herod to evaluate his notion of leadership. For Herod as indeed for many leaders even today, leadership is about power which once attained is never to be relinquished. To remain in power such leaders will engage in all sorts of machinations in which truth and honesty are not the principal elements. In his dialogue with Herod, Jesus is very clear. As a leader he is not interested in power. No one has more power than he does; “…If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.” As a leader Jesus is interested in building a society in which truth is the over riding concern. “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
What then is the truth to which Jesus refers in this dialogue with Pilate? Many of us believe that truth deals principally with communication. Truth however is much broader than simple communication. Truth is more fundamentally in relationships; first of all in the relationship with God and secondarily in the relationship with others. Truth is thus a way of life in which one recognizes oneself as a son or daughter of God and relates to God as a son or daughter and then recognizes others as sons and daughters of God also and therefore as brothers and sisters and relates to them as such. Truth then, as a way of life, is about right relationships, the type of relationships which Jesus taught and modeled. Persons “who belong to the truth” listen to Jesus, they accept his teaching and put it into practice.
Jesus, leader that he was, was always concerned about right relationships and leaders after the heart of Jesus must be concerned about the relationships which exist among those whom they lead. Leaders after the heart of Jesus are principally reconcilers. They do not divide in order to remain in power. They do not look after some and forget the others. Leaders after the heart of Jesus work to ensure that all have the wherewithal to live truly human lives as befits their dignity as sons and daughters of God. This is the ideal to which the great leaders of the last century have aspired. It is that ideal which motivated Martin Luther King so vividly expressed in his “I have a dream” speech. It is that ideal which motivated Nelson Mandela in his determination to build a South Africa in which all, blacks and whites, could find a true home. It is that ideal which motivated Mons. Romero in El Salvador and Mother Teresa in Calcutta. It is that ideal which must characterize those who aspire to leadership. Leaders of this mettle usher in more and more God’s kingdom of Truth and life; justice, Peace and love.
Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God, your son Jesus by his teaching, life and death has taught us what true leaders are reconcilers, not concerned about power and privilege but concerned about the plight of their people and concerned about building the civilization of love. Raise up in our midst at every level of society, true leaders who will lead your people in great adventure of building the civilization of love so that harmony may reign in your land and throughout all of creation. We ask this through the intercession of Mary, our Mother and your Son Jesus. Amen
