THIS WILL BE A SIGN FOR YOU

THIS WILL BE A SIGN FOR YOU

(A biblical refection on CHRISTMAS MASS – Sunday, 25 December 2016) 

Gospel Reading: Luke 2:1-14

First Reading: Isaiah 9:1-6; Psalms: Psalm 96:1-3,11-13; Second Reading: Titus 2:11-14 

The Scripture Text

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born Son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased!” (Luke 2:1-14 RSV) 

In the countryside close to Bethlehem, on the first Christmas night, St. Luke tells us, there were shepherds watching over their flocks, when an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone round them. At first fearful and bewildered, the shepherds were reassured by the angel. “Be not afraid”, he said to them, “this will be a sign for you; you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger”.

“This will be a sign for you.” In the Old Testament there were many such signs which were regarded as visible evidence of the presence and purpose of God. For example, in the greatest of these, when Moses received the Tables of the Law from God on Mount Sinai, we find the traditional signs of that time denoting the presence of God, peals of thunder, lightning, flashes of fire, the ground shaking. The reaction of the people was one of fear and awe, and they said to Moses, “Do not let God speak to us, or we shall die.” Yet, while Moses was speaking to God on their behalf on the mountain, their faith grew weak, to the extent that they fell into idolatry and worshipped a golden calf.

Four hundred years later, on the same mountain, we have another sign, a further self-revelation by God, this time to be another sign, a further self-revelation by God, this time to the great prophet Elijah, who stood in a cave while the Lord passed by. Then, we are told, there came a mighty wind, followed by an earthquake and by fire, but God was not in any of these; He was no longer associated with the forces of nature. But after the fire there came the “whisper of a gentle breeze”, or taking the Hebrew literally, “a still small voice”, and when Elijah heard this he covered his face, because he felt himself in the presence of God, and no one, it was believed, could gaze upon the face of the Almighty God and live. Elijah regarded God as a Spirit who was beyond human comprehension. Yet again, while all this was taking place, the people of Israel were in a state of revolt against God, and lapsed into idolatry.

Let us in the light of these two signs try and understand the sign granted to the shepherds of Bethlehem, that of the baby in the manger. For it is here, we can say with certainty, that we have the greatest self-communication of all time by God to the human race. There is nothing of the fire or lightning of Mount Sinai, but the glory of the Lord. There is no dreadful rumbling of earthquake or thunder, but a heavenly host praising God and proclaiming peace to the world. And although there is the still small voice which somehow recalls that which was heard by the prophet Elijah, it is rather the first earthly sound made by a new-born child. But in complete contrast to the other two signs, this new sign of the baby in the manger, is not one to instill terror into the hearts of those privileged to gaze upon Him.

Later on in His public life, Christ in a reference to the Cross was to say, “I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself” (John 12:32). And in the humility of His birth, in the gathering of some lowly shepherds drawn to His manger, He was from His first moments on earth already preaching the lesson of self-abondonment that He would preached in so complete a way during His last moments on Calvary. What one among us is not touched by the helplessness of a new born babe. The infant lying in the manger, on the threshold of life, is a sign to melt the heart, to draw all people, as would the crucified on the Cross with the last agonizing breath of His life.

But the tragedy is that this sign, like the other two, would be met largely with unconcern, misunderstanding and disbelief. Christ would be rejected by the leaders of Israel, the Pharisees, Scribes, Priests, and the majority of its people, because He did not correspond to their expectations of what the Messiah should be. We should do travel down that road, nor turn our backs on the actions of the Holy Spirit by trying to hold on to our own concepts of God. 

Prayer: O Holy Spirit, open our minds and let our hearts be melted by the consideration of God assuming a tiny, fail human form, and being laid in a manger. May our faith in Christ then reborn this Christmas day, because only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of those things which at present remain hidden from our view. Amen.

Jakarta, 24 December 2016  

A Christian Pilgrim

 

PSALM 33:2-3 [Today’s Mass Psalm Reading: Psalm 33:2-3.11-12.20-21

Jakarta, 21 December 2016

A Christian Pilgrim

 

PSALM 71:3

Jakarta, 19 December 2016

A Christian Pilgrim 

 

JESUS CHRIST IS EMMANUEL

JESUS CHRIST IS EMMANUEL

(A biblical refection on the FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT [Year A] – 18 December 2016) 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 1:18-24

First Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14; Psalms: Psalm 24:1-6; Second Reading: Romans 1:1-7 

The Scripture Text

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her  away quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife. (Matthew 1:18-24 RSV)  

In the second reading today, which is the introduction to the “Letter to the Romans”, St. Paul describes himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ who has been called to be an apostle, and specially chosen to preach the Good News that God promised long ago through His prophets”. We might consider the question, where in the scriptures can we find this promise of God? To do this we should bear in mind that there are two ways in which we can get to the meaning of a passage in scripture. There is, first of all, the literal sense, or what message the author wanted to convey when writing it. And then, there is the message which the Holy Spirit wants to convey to us as we read the passage.

The first reading today from the prophet Isaiah, which is known as the “Emmanuel prophecy”, is one of the most famous passages in all the Old Testament that illustrate the two senses in which scripture may be understood. Taken literally, it shows Isaiah urging King Ahaz to have faith in God, that the royal line of David will survive, because the newly wedded queen will give birth to a son, a promise fulfilled in the future King Hezekiah. But if taken in the hidden sense, as St. Paul obviously does, as well as St. Matthew in the Gospel reading, this passage from earliest times had a message also from the Holy Spirit. It can be seen as a solemn promise from God that a Redeemer will be born of a virgin, and that His name will be Emmanuel, meaning “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14).

The challenge of all three readings is that of a call to faith. In each a chosen individual is being asked to make an act of faith. King Ahaz was called upon to have trust in God, and not try God’s patience. St. Paul became aware, again by faith, that his mission was to preach the word to the gentiles, and this, by the way, only after many years’ reflection on the message imparted to him after being struck down while on the road to Damascus. Finally, St. Joseph, as we see in today’s Gospel reading, was the first living person after Mary, who was asked to make an act of faith in Christ. He was called upon to believe that the child Mary was carrying was of divine origin – a most difficult thing for him to do, since it seemed to run counter to his marital rights. Indeed the mystery of a virgin birth must have been a far greater stumbling block for him than for us who have become so familiar with it. We have come to accept that God works in mysterious ways that confound human wisdom, ways demanding reflection and faith. Perhaps Joseph was helped by reflecting on God’s promise to Abraham, one most unlikely to be fulfilled, that he would be the father of a great people, even though he was an old man, and his wife Sarah had been sterile from her youth. Yet fulfilled it was.

Perhaps we too should ask ourselves, what particular act of faith is God asking of me at this time. Part of the answer is to be found in the New Testament where is states that what makes a person acceptable to God is not obedience to the Law, but faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 2:16). This faith is not merely intellectual assent; it is an entrusting of ourselves to Christ, uniting ourselves with Christ. For we believe that, at the first Christmas, not only did the Blessed Trinity come down to us in visible form in God the Son made man, but that in and through the Son made man it has been made possible for us to be drawn into the glorious intimacy of the most holy Trinity.

For us Christmas should be a time of joy, not  so much because Christ became one with us, as that He made it possible for us to become one with Him. Yet the whole significance of St. Luke’s account of the birth of Christ is that the people of Israel did not receive the “expected One” when He arrived. We get hints of this from the utterances of the two great prophets of the Old Testament, Jeremiah and Isaiah, who live hundreds of years prior to the birth of Christ. He was treated like an alien by His own people, like a traveler, as Jeremiah puts it, who has stopped but for a night. Again, according to Isaiah, the ox knows its owner, and the ass its master’s manger, but Israel rejected its Messiah; there was no room for Him at the inn. Do we close our hearts to Christ? Let us listen to St. Paul’s last words to his converts at Corinth, “Examine yourselves to make sure you are in the faith, test yourselves. Do you acknowledge that Jesus Christ is really in you? If not you have failed the test” (2 Corinthians 13:5). We can put Christ back into Christmas by putting Him first into ourselves.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are Emmanuel, meaning God with us. I adore You and bless Your Holy name, dear Lord Jesus, and now I surrender my life to You. I humbly ask that You come and dwell within me forever, so that I may give You glory. Amen.

Cilandak, 17 December 2016 

A Christian Pilgrim

 

“But the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT is … ” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Jakarta, 12 December 2016

A Christian Pilgrim

 

GOD WAS AT WORK IN THE ACTIONS OF JESUS

GOD WAS AT WORK IN THE ACTIONS OF JESUS

 (A biblical refection on the THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT [Year A] – 11 December 2016) 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:2-11 

First Reading: Isaiah 35:1-6,10; Psalms: Psalm 146:7-10; Second Reading: James 5:7-10 

The Scripture Text

Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You He who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is he who takes no offense at Me.” 

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? Why then did you go out? To see a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who wear soft raiment are in king’s houses. Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written. ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.’ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than he.” (Matthew 11:2-11 RSV) 

From what does Christ save us? He saves us firstly from sin, and secondly from death. But most of us can admit that we tend to be offhand and casual about sin, and rather dubious about salvation from death, the inevitable end of every living thing.

However, about sin, if we look about us, we can see the very definite results of sin in the community, in society. It can lead to divisions and strife, to violence against innocent victims, to extortion and robbery. Where there is selfishness and the relentless pursuit of one’s own interests and desires without regard for the rights of others, there is sin.

In complete contrast the example of Christ, and even more so the merits gained by Christ, who was completely at one with the will of God the Father and the promptings of the Holy Spirit, Christ who gave of Himself for others, who was the one for others, even to be extent of laying down His very life for them, all these can bring about a change in those who sincerely invite Christ into their lives, a change which can counteract the evil tendencies which are the results of sin. And if we ask how Christ has conquered death the answer is that by His resurrection He has removed the fear of death from those who have faith in Him, for He has given a solemn promise that, if we but believe, we also shall rise from the dead as He did. Instead of feeling doomed to extinction, we can say in the words of scripture: “O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).

Furthermore, on His final night on earth, Jesus left us, as His last testimony, the Holy Eucharist which is celebrated everyday as a sign and guarantee that this will come to pass. Before that event Jesus said, “… he who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:54). If our faith in the promises of Jesus wavers, we are reassured by His answer to the query of John the Baptist in today’s Gospel, “Are You He who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3).

Obviously John also was going through a crisis of faith, for before his imprisonment he had said of Jesus, “… I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34). Jesus’ reply to the disciples of John, who had put the question, was to go back and tell John, not what Jesus was saying, but rather what He was doing. John, with his knowledge of the Old Testament, would then understand that in the healing of the sick, the lame, the blind, was clearly revealed the sign which the prophet Isaiah declared would denote the coming of the promised Messiah. God was at work in the actions of Jesus.

But the significance of the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, goes deeper than any physical cure. In Christ those who are blind to the truth about themselves and God have their eyes opened, in Christ those who falter in their pursuit of what is honorable and just and pure have their steps strengthened, in Christ those who were deaf to the voice of God and conscience begin to listen, in Christ those who were dead and powerless in the grip of sin are restored to newness and richness of life, in Christ the poorest are endowed with the riches of God. This is the season when we are called to live in the thought of Jesus as He once came, and as He will come again for each one of us. It is the time to desire His second coming from our affectionate and grateful remembrance of His coming on that first Christmas (Cardinal Newman).

Prayer: Lord Jesus, bless all who hunger and thirst for You. Fill them with joyful hope in the eternal prize that awaits each of us in You. I love You, Lord, and patiently await that glorious day when I will see You face-to-face. Amen.

Jakarta, 10 December 2016 

A Christian Pilgrim 

 

JESUS IS MORE OF EVERYTHING THAT IS GOOD

JESUS IS MORE OF EVERYTHING THAT IS GOOD

(A biblical refection on the SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT [Year A] – 4 December 2016) 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 3:1-12 

First Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalms: Psalm 72:1-2,7-8,12-13,17; Second Reading: Romans 15:4-9 

The Scripture Text

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of Lord, make His paths straight.” Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair, and a leather girdle around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit that befits repentance, and do not pressure to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father; for I tell, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the granary, but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:1-12 RSV). 

In the tradition of the Church, St. John the Baptist has always figured prominently within the liturgy of Advent. He has also been afforded a place of honor among all the saints. Many magnificent churches have been name in his honor. And yet John the Baptist is not Jesus. It might even be observed that John is a foil for Jesus, which is to say that he tends by contrast to set off Jesus to advantage.

The Gospel gives the impression that John was a very serious man, a person without a sense of humor, a really no-nonsense type. He has been caricatured by the Bible pounding, hell and brimstone preacher who exist more completely in movies and literature than in real life. John had a vital message to proclaim, but I doubt very much if you had heard him preach that you would be eager to meet him personally or to invite him over to your home for dinner.

John openly proclaimed that the One to follow him was more powerful that he was. Indeed, Jesus is not only more powerful than John; He is more of everything that is good. We have no way of knowing for certain how much John understood about Jesus. It does not seem that he was aware of the uniqueness of Jesus, who united divinity and humanity in Himself. John prepared the way for Jesus but the reality was much greater than John expected.

And such is God’s way, to surprise us with something much better than we could have hoped for. We can be confident about the future, about better things to come, because in looking to the past we can see how God has been at work. The circumstances behind the first reading today were that King Ahaz, a very weak and unfaithful ruler, had brought the country to such a ruinous state that it was like the stump of what had once been a flourishing tree. The prophet Isaiah promised that God would make a shoot sprout from the stump to begin a new, luxurious growth. This shoot was to be an ideal king of the house of David, upon whom would come the Spirit of the Lord so that the Kingdom could be renewed. Isaiah foresaw a human king, but the Church has a deeper understanding. Reading the passage of Isaiah in the light of fuller revelation, the Church sees the promise fulfilled in the person of Christ the King who proclaimed the Kingdom of Heaven. And that is God’s way: His fulfilment is always greater than His promise.

Perhaps at times we become a little dubious about awaiting a better future, especially an eternal one. The reason is that in our human lives we very often experience the opposite of God’s way. People who make promises frequently do not keep them. Advertisements and commercials exaggerate the quality of their products. When something is being given away, there is usually some catch. We must not let our unhappy human experiences dictate our outlook on God and His promises.

During the first part of Advent (through December 16), the Church focuses our attention on the second coming of Christ at the end of time when He will bring His Kingdom to perfection. This part of Advent, like life itself, stands somewhere between the two comings of Christ, the first being His humble birth and the second being His glorious return. No one in the Old Testament era suspected that the Messiah would be divine, the very Son of God. As the first coming of Christ far outshone anything the people had hoped for, so His second coming will far outshine anything we can imagine.

In every Mass, we pray that God the Father may deliver us from all anxiety “as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ”. Our expectation should be a joyful one, filled with confidence in God’s goodness. And our anxiety about the future should be replaced with a trust that God always does more than merely keep His promises. For people of faith better things are yet to come.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, come! I give You the freedom to purge the chaff from my life. Fill my heart with wisdom, strength, and all your gifts, so that I might endure separation from sin and be made a fit vessel of the Father’s love. Amen.

Jakarta, 3 December 2016 

A Christian Pilgrim

 

PERSEVERING IN THE WORD OF JESUS

PERSEVERING IN THE WORD OF JESUS

(A biblical refection on the FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT [Year A] – 27 November 2016)

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 24:37-44 

First Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalms: Psalm 122:1-2,4-9; Second Reading: Romans 13:11-14 

The Scripture Text

As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is  left. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew 24:37-44 RSV)

Today, the first Sunday of Advent, marks the beginning of a period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Christ, our Savior, at Christmas. All the readings in the Mass advise us most urgently to make ourselves ready, to be on the alert, to turn aside from our sinful ways, and give more time to God in our lives. “Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord”, Isaiah says in the first reading. Let us not live lives of darkness and of sin, Saint Paul admonishes his listeners; but let us put on the armor of God’s grace, and appear in the light, meaning that our consciences should have nothing to hide at any time, but rather be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit directing them. “Be vigilant, stay awake”, the Gospel warns, at any moment you may be called upon to make an eternal choice, and that as unexpectedly as the people who were swallowed up by the Flood, in the time of Noah.

Outwardly, people may appear the same, like the men working in the fields or the women grinding at the millstone, but inwardly they have responded differently to the graces of God has given them. Thus they are in varying states of preparedness for what is to come, with the result that while some will be taken into God’s Kingdom, others will be left or rejected. This is true of every single individual, for as we pass through life we are all being faced with a choice between two ways, either that of slavery to evil tendencies in our lives, which we call sin, or, on the other hand, that of grace, which is allowing Jesus Christ be our guide and exemplar in all that we do.

It is only when we sincerely try to model our lives on that of Christ that our spirits will experience real freedom. Jesus Himself said to the Jews, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:31-32). Persevering in the word of Jesus demands that we listen to it, as it comes to us from out the scriptures and from within our consciences; also that we think about it and study its requirements, and that we put into action what we have learned.

The true disciple of Christ asks the question, “What am I setting before myself as the main purpose of my life?” My career, the acquisition of material possessions, the pursuit of pleasure, or the service of God and my neighbor? The truth of Jesus will teach us what things are really important and what are not. Furthermore, discipleship of Christ brings its own rewards. It brings freedom from fear, fear about oneself, fear about one’s ability to cope with life, fear about contradiction and opposition from others, fear about death and the uncertainty of life thereafter. Saint John wrote, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love” (1 John 4:18).

If we end up having no love or reverence towards God, no respect or consideration or pity towards others, then we will have reached the stage of choosing to be lost, as Jesus, in His prayer at the Last Supper, said of Judas. “Holy Father, keep them in Thy name, which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, even as We are one. While I was with them, I kept them in Thy name, which Thou hast given Me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:11-12). This is what should really frighten us, that the choice of our own destiny for all eternity rests entirely with ourselves.

If the Son of Man comes unexpectedly and finds us wanting, then we, who were part of the divine plans and designs from the moment of creation, we who were born to love, to be united with our Creator for ever in heaven, we will depart this world, and find ourselves unloving, frustrated by our rejection of love, utterly incapable of any response to the love of God who will still love us. To prevent such a tragedy, it is necessary for us from time to time to take a critical look at ourselves, at the kind of lives we are leading, the response we are making to God’s grace. We should take note of our patterns of behavior, but far more importantly our sets of values, what we regard as important in life.

Advent is a time when we ought to do precisely this. “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,” the first reading tells us, “to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us His ways, and that we may walk in His paths” (Isaiah 2:3). The second reading (Romans 13:11-14) is of special significance in that it finally brought about the conversion of Saint Augustine after he has opened the New Testament at random at that very passage, and please God it will help us to look into our own lives and, if needs be, change them too.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to devote Advent to preparing for Your coming into the world. Help me to immerse myself in Your love through the sacraments, prayer, Scripture, and repentance. Let the darkness of my sins give way to Your irresistible light. Thank You, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Jakarta, 25 November 2016  

A Christian Pilgrim 

 

CHRIST IS OUR KING

CHRIST IS OUR KING

(Biblical reflection on the 34^th and Last Sunday of the Year [C] – November 20, 2016) 

Gospel Reading: Luke 23:35-43 

First Reading: 2Samuel 5:1-3; Psalms: Psalm 122:1-2,4-5; Second Reading: Colossians 1:12-20 

Scripture Text:

And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide His garments. And the people stood by, watching; but the rulers scoffed at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He is the Christ of God, His Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up and offering Him vinegar, and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” There was also an inscription over Him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” But the other rebuked Him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this Man had done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come in your kingly power.” And He said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise,” (Luke 23:35-43 RSV)

In our time of democracies kings and queens are often not highly regarded. They seem to be a waste of money and against our feeling of equality. And yet, there are countries which like it very much, such as Thailand, Japan, England and Holland. Thus there must be something about kings and queens that have appeals to people of  those countries.

Pope Pius XI who introduced the Feast of Christ the King during the many revolutions and overthrow of governments after World War I wanted to give us the awareness: there is stability in spite for all the changes, and there is somebody who cares for us, after all: Christ the King.

Among the Jews there were also enough people who preferred a loose confederacy to a monarchy. But whenever those who liked a king got nostalgic, it was because of David, the greatest and best of all the kings, so good that one could picture the Messiah only as another King David. What made David so similar to Jesus Christ?

David was a man of the people and for the people, and he was close to the people. He could have said what Jesus said: “I know my own and my own know me” (John 10:14). David had been a shepherd before he became a king, he had defended his sheep against lions as he could point out to Saul before his fight with Goliath (1Samuel 17:34-35). As David was close to his sheep he was close to his people and understood them well being their shepherd. The application to Jesus in John 10, where He calls Himself the true shepherd, is too obvious. He is King because He cares for us, lays His life down for us, knows us inside out. David was lovable, honest, sincere, simple, humble, even in his sins.  Christ is even more lovable, simple and humble, although He did not sin.

The Letter to the Colossians is unsurpassed in picturing Christ the King:

(1) His Kingdom is “universal” since all nations share in it. What was so far the privilege of the Jews becomes inheritance for all (Colossians 1:12). There are no privileges for some people only.

(2) In this Kingdom is “light” since we know where we are going, we are groping in the dark. In this kingdom is “freedom”. We are not slaves of our own fears, sins and helplessness. In this Kingdom we receive “forgiveness” from our condemnation and we are transferred into the realm of “power of God” and the devil cannot prevail against us.

(3) Christ the King is the “image of God” and “firstborn of all creatures”. Jews were not allowed to make pictures of YHWH; in order that they would not worship the pictures and statues of God. Christ is the image, the picture, the photo of the Father. And since man is created after God’s image, seeing Christ we also know what we should be. Everything was created in Christ. He is the “model”. How perfect must He be that it needs trillions of people to express His perfection somehow, but never perfectly. Everybody is a different edition, a different concretization of Christ. And Christ keeps everything in being.

(4) From his experience near Damascus (Acts 9:4), Paul realized:  persecuting Christians is the same as persecuting Christ Himself. And the truth he explained by developing the comparison of Christ the head and we the body. Our union with Christ is as intimate as the head is united with the body of a person. We are all one in the Church. Christ the King is the “head” (Colossians 1:18).

(5) Christ is not only the firstborn of all creatures, He is also the “firstborn of the dead”. He has risen and since He is the head, our own resurrection has already begun to take place in Him (1 Corinthians 15:20).

(6) The “fullness of God”, His wisdom, His presence and His divinity resides in Christ who shares this with the Church, and this affects even the whole universe. There is no other intermediary necessary.

(7) Finally Christ has “reconciled” and still reconciles us to the Father by dying for us on the cross. It is not we who reconcile ourselves to God, but it is God who reconciles us to Him.

The Gospel reading (Luke 23:35-43) adds some more other details to the picture of Christ the King: (1) Jesus does not use His power to satisfy His own needs, e.g. changing stones into bread (Luke 4:3-4), or descending from the cross to convince His enemies, on the spot, that they are wrong. But He becomes King by suffering innocently and silently. (2) Jesus is not taking revenge, but He forgives the enemies (Luke 23:34) and gives a repentant thief eternal life on the spot (Luke 23:43).

Now, what is “our attitude” toward Christ the King? On and under the cross there were some curious spectators, the people of the street. They only looked on but were at least honest enough to beat their breast when they saw how a king suffered and died (Luke 23:48). But most, the Pharisees, the soldiers, those who wrote the inscription, and the one thief mercilessly mocked Jesus and hated Him.

There was only one who defended Him and loved Him, the other thief (Luke 23:40), And for his courageous request: “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingly power” (Luke 23:42) he received the forgiveness of sin and eternal life: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). We can only hope and pray that the Lord will say the same to us when we die. But this will only be, if we confessed Him before men. 

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, we adore You as our King! We are indeed thankful that You protect us, care for us, and hear us when we call to You. Grant us Your goodness and mercy all the days of our lives. May we dwell with You in Your Kingdom forever! Amen.

Jakarta, 19 November 2016 

A Christian Pilgrim 

 

THE WORD OF GOD IS QUICK, …… (HEBREWS 4:12)

Jakarta, 18 November 2016

A Christian Pilgrim