21st November, 2010 Christ the King - C
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It seems that there are a lot of ‘home renovation shows around lately.’ Where people take a rundown house or unit or garden and give it a total makeover. They knock out walls and get rid of things and then compare the new amazing renovated item with how it used to look, and it’s totally different. Sometimes you can hardly recognise it…..
Well, in a real sense, God is the master builder and God is always at work transforming and recreating our world and the people in it….. God is the greatest home renovator of the lot… and God is always full of surprises……
On this feast of Christ the King…… I am thinking particularly of the complete makeover God has done to our concept of Kingship, power, authority and victory….. our previous human concepts of these things, are (to put it bluntly) pretty shabby….. not far from the surface, many people have the ingrained belief that power is about dominance and having the upper hand….. it often goes hand in hand with the threat or potential for the use of force….. authority is about who shouts the loudest and asserts their point of view the strongest and longest…. Kingship is about privilege and prestige and distance…… and victory… is about leaving behind the losers and living happily ever after….
So,…… In comes God and, (through the life and example of Jesus), totally transforms and changes the meaning and definition of these things…. it is such a shocking transformation, that, like those house renovations, you can hardly recognise that it’s the same thing…….. and many in this world will never accept or recognise that God’s definition of these things is the right one…..
(As Stuart McKinnon mentions in the primary school newsletter this week, with a nice quote from Benedictine sister Kym Harris: “The feast of Christ the King, …is a celebration of Christ's authority. The way Jesus exercised authority is a good lesson (for not only) parenting,.. (but also for all of us)……
Firstly, He is God-with-us. He came down very close to us. He was not a distant authority but one who has lived in our flesh and known our experience. 'Being there' for others is such an important gift and skill……. Time is the most important gift we can give and it should be given generously. But sometimes it can't. Work, illness and circumstances sometimes hamper our “being there” but we keep searching for creative ways of having a presence to others in need…… whether its….. Letters, cards, phone calls, so we can be “present” when physical presence is not possible.
Secondly, Jesus sets clear principles on behaviour. We all know the 'Golden Rule', that we should be compassionate, forgiving etc. Jesus does not love us and let us do what we like. We need to love like Jesus, setting clear principles in our lives so that we and those around us can be our best selves with behaviour that makes them fully human, fully alive.
Thirdly, Jesus sets the example. What behaviour Jesus wants us to do, he himself did first. Our Lord did in actions, what his words also said….
Finally, Jesus loves us no matter what we do. He may not like or approve of our actions but still he loves. And God loves us as a parent loves us…… not for what we can give or do back; but simply because we are created in God's image...as are all people….
The world cries out for the new renovated definitions of authority, power, victory and kingship…. Which is more about family and relationships, care, protection ….and love…. More than anything else…
Speaking of tv shows and game shows… the worst tv show ever.. was one that I absolutely loathed… I loathed what it represented.. I was appalled at how people behaved.. it was horrible.. thank goodness it didn’t last.. it was called ‘the weakest link.’ It really played to the worst qualities of humanity…. I have to admit.. I watched a few episodes in order to loath it even more… and as well as the losers being told ‘you are the weakest link’,,, and disappearing down a trap door in the floor….. the last two contestants fought against eachother in a guessing game.. and the each opponent could win by lying and tricking the other person into thinking they were going to share the prize.. and then betraying the other… in one instance both people doublecrossed each other so they BOTH went home with nothing… looking very sheepish…..
It might be only a game… but it (in some ways) represents the values of the worst of human scheming and selfishness……. And This is SO.. VERY .. different from the values of Christ.. the King and his Kingdom.. which we joyfully and humbly admit to wanting to participate in… To Jesus… Lord of All the earth.. to him be honour, glory and true power and authority.. forever and ever… amen…
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REFERENCES:
FR. PAUL W. KELLY
Sr Kym Harris, a Benedictine nun from Tanby near Rockhampton. On Celebrating Jesus’ authority. Quoted by APRE Stuart McKinnon in this week’s Primary Newsletter.
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Extra:
Closing Mass – St Mary’s College 2010
IT has been another wonderful year. Congratulations to everyone for all the hard work, study and community activities of this school year.
Every year we have wonderful College and house captains and student leaders, and this year has been no exception….. I would particularly like to congratulate College Captains Anna and Patrick and the house captains and all who have exercised student leadership this year… your leadership and participation in many College and in many community events has been really excellent and inspiring…..
At the start of this year, we were reminded that as a Christian college we are called to be a light of Christ’s love and hope to all we meet…… You have certainly let your light shine this year… and we give thanks for this…
In this mass, we give thanks for the many blessings and achievements of the year… and ask God’s blessing and guidance for all of us… especially our year twelves and all students, staff and family members who are departing our community this year… May you be kept safe, happy and in God’s care…
There is so much to be grateful for…. May we always be people of thanksgiving … remembering and cherishing the things we have received….
As our seniors leave here to follow the exciting and diverse paths of their lives…… we are confident that you take with you an “education for life and in faith”…. To face a complex and ever-changing world…. And you also take with you the gospel values that have been a special and integral part of your school ..education….
How does one sum up a the deep and complicated message of Jesus to us….. well, you can’t get better than the two readings chosen for your mass tonight….. these two sum up everything on which your Christian education has been founded and built upon….
In your life…. If you act justly…. Love tenderly and walk humbly with your God… and if you love God with all your heart and mind and strength… and show that love of God in how you treat those around you and how you treat yourself…. You have got it made….. It’s as easy as that… it’s as challenging as that….
Without love (as St Paul says), we are NOTHING….. and without being a loving person… we achieve nothing… And, the wider secular community will refuse to believe in the message of the good news of Jesus UNLESS they recognize love, compassion, peace, justice, humility, gentleness, care, forgiveness and love…in the lives and actions of his disciples……(That’s us!!!!)
There is so much that is exciting and wonderful about our modern society… / Yet there are some values and trends that are simply not respectful of human dignity; and not consistent with Jesus’ message and values….. May the Holy Spirit be with you…. To continue to help you to discern the difference……../ May you always know that as you go out as participating members of the wider community, your contribution as people who embody these gospel values that we have heard tonight… will make a huge difference…… these values the world is in need of, more than ever……..
The world needs people such as you…..who value justice over a ‘win at any cost’ and ‘every person for themselves’ competitiveness….
Our society is crying out for more people who believe that the world would be a better place if we recognized our common brotherhood and sisterhood with all people….that it makes no sense worshipping God if we don’t show that by respecting people around us….
And you will be great ambassadors to show that gentleness and humility are the true solution…..as opposed to control and violence……
And know that, you are never alone… God goes with you through the joys and struggles of life…. God bless you now and always….
May God, who has already begun this good work in you, bring it to perfection……….
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