Today is the last Sunday in the church year. WE have journeyed with the people of God as they waited for the coming of Messiah, we have travelled to Bethlehem to see a babe in a manger, we have Sat with the disciples as they were taught by our Lord, we have mourned his crucifixion, celebrated the resurrection and been encouraged by the Holy Spirit since Pentecost as we have remembered Jesus teachings. Now, today, we celebrate the feast of Christ the King.
Throughout the last year we have also celebrated the Golden Jubillee of Elizabeth II. There are monarchs and there are monarchs… and then there is Jesus. George III of England, America’s enemy in the Revolutionary War, felt terrible about the loss of the colonies. It was said, in fact, that for the rest of his life, he could not say the word “independence” without tripping over it. He was an odd duck in many ways, but he had good insights. When the fighting in America stopped, King George and all his royal cronies in Europe were sure that George Washington would have himself crowned “Emperor of the New World.” That’s what they would have done. When he was told, on the contrary, that Washington planned to surrender his military commission and return to farming at Mt. Vernon, George III said, “Well, if he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.” There is power in giving up power, in emptying oneself. Jesus knew it, Pilate didn’t.
Blessings
Reverend Shan