Christ the King – 26th November 2017

I arrived at the hairdressers a bit early for an appointment just recently and had time for  a coffee and a read of some magazines and I came across an article, the likes of which appear every so often, speculating on a successor for queen Elizabeth 11. Should it be Charles, by right of his birth, or should it be the, seemingly more popular, 2nd in line William? Time will tell and in Australia, possibly the only difference the decision will make in Australia is that there may be more or less of a push towards Australia becoming a republic. Still it seems speculation (in some circles) is rife. Which one (together with wife and family) has the more appeal? Which one is able to connect with the everyday man or woman on the street?

And this brings me to the readings and celebrations in our worship this week.

This is the last week of the Christian Year, as next week we move into Advent. This is also Reign of Christ or Christ the King Sunday. The image of Christ on the throne of his glory and coming with all his angels and all nations gathered before him is a powerful image. But our gospel reading is about seeing and serving Christ in the ordinary, needy people around us.

It is a good time to look back on the past year and think of all the times Christ was present among us – in the face of the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick person or the one in prison. Just as the disciples wondered, “What will  it be like when Christ returns again and the Reign of Christ on earth is a reality?” so we too wonder what it will be like.

Have you seen Christ in friend and stranger?
How does your community show God’s love to the friend and the stranger?

Perhaps our Prayer for this week might be “God, in those we meet, and those we teach, may we feel your presence and greet them as we would you. Amen.”