King of Kings and Lord of Lords....Alleluia!
This Sunday marks the world wide Christian festival called "Christ the King." At the end of the season of Pentecost, what is it that we say about who this Jesus was and is for us--that he died labelled as the King of the Jews, rose as the Son of God for those who seek him. What kind of King? The kind that dies to give up live so that others can receive the life of God. So goes the Christian narrative...
What a contrast with the world power--to grasp, to gain, to control--even dictate! Pardon the parallel with the actions of the US Senate which went with the nuclear option--to scrap the 200+ year rule of Thomas Jefferson for expediency, to get their way with judges. Ultimately, history will judge who is correct. Were Senators Obama and Biden correct when they decried the Bush Administration for even mentioned it--"I pray God," Biden said, "that when the field of play changes, we will not do the same thing." Well??? Or, now that they have done it--will history look back and say that democracy was saved from partisan poison?
The point is the contrast--the utter and complete, stark, abject CONTRAST with the power of Jesus, not the love of power--but the power of love--which St. Paul said in his timeless 1 Cor 13 passage does not "insist on its way."
Those who wear the crown of Christ are called to give it away in love each day--by not insisting on your way, but giving up your life.
St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians, Chapter 2: 5-11
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
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