In "Oliver!", Harry Secombe as Lionel Bart’s Mr Pickwick promised
“If I ruled the world, every day would be the first day of spring…..”
Whether it’s true or not, as an armchair critic myself of people in power, I have convinced myself that I could make a better job than those elected to do so.
“If only I was Prime Minister…”There are so many people like me who are positive that they could make a better job of it than someone I could mention!
“If only I was the President of the United States” instead of someone else stepping back into the White House shortly.
“If only I was the boss at my place of work….”
“If only I was The Chair of the City Council”
“If only I was the Headteacher of this School”,
“If only I was to be chosen as Archbishop of Canterbury….”
Dream on, Collins, and remember, JESUS WAS NEVER A BISHOP! He wasn’t even a Parish Priest! Rector – no, but he had a sort of PCC, His disciples, with whom He chose to work in pursuit of the aims and objectives of the Kingdom of God.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD God built the Kingdom upon humble and small beginnings: from the manger in Bethlehem, in the carpenter’s shop of Nazareth; in the waters of the mediocre River Jordan, in the fisheries of the insignificant Sea of Galilee,
in the unimportant and troublesome Palestinian lands… It was Christ’s Kingdom, where He ruled
from the throne of Calvary,
crowned King with a Crown of Thorns.
He was attended by twelve unlettered disciples, mainly from Galilee, who became His ambassadors
to the great forums of Rome
and throughout the-then whole world.
Jesus was firmly not of the Roman Empire, but certainly in it. The Authority of the Roman Empire was to be seen everywhere: not least of all in Galilee, and around the Decapolis,
the ten towns of the Roman north of Judaea. The Roman Legions were in strong evidence in even the remotest parts; and there was propaganda abroad that the Romans were doing barbarians a favour by subjecting them to Roman rule. The Emperor’s Image was stamped on every coin; The Emperor’s statue would be found alongside that of Jupiter and other gods of the Roman pantheism. The Emperor was depicted as a warrior and a general, engaged in global conquest and military dictatorship. At other times, he wore the toga of a Roman gentleman, as if being seen in the law-courts, making sacrifice at the temple, or receiving guests at a grand reception. In this guise, he was the paternalistic 'father of his country', the benevolent statesman, the great protector.
The message was clear: thanks to the leadership of the Roman Emperor,
citizens could all go safely about their business and prosper.
“Pax Romanum” they called it.
JESUS IN COURT Today we meet Christ our King in Pilate’s Courtroom.
Pilate knew Jesus was innocent but felt trapped, pandering to the approval of the crowd over justice. “Are you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asks…..
Jesus says to Pilate - “My Kingship is not of this (Roman) world” In the drama of that courtroom scene, Jesus submitted Himself to the rules of The Kingdom of God rather than taking the easier path of going along with the this-worldly option to save His own life, whatever the cost to truth. TRUTH What is Truth?” questions the bemused incredulous Pilate. For Jesus Truth is a Kingdom value, and it was Truth there and then that Jesus stood by. As Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely.” In the face of His accusers he didn’t retaliate. This was Jesus putting His Kingdom values into practice.
Other Kingdom rules as set out in the Sermon on the Mount…
- Lifting the spirits of the poor
-Comforting those who mourn
-Practicing humility
-thirsting for righteousness,
-Being merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers.
If Christ truly is my King
then these are the values by which I should live.
Jesus chose His Disciples to be AMBASSADORS of the Kingdom.
St Paul, in his 2nd Letter to Corinth chapter 5 says to all of us
who belong to Christ’s Kingdom –
“We are ambassadors for Christ,
God making his appeal through us”.
He goes on to say in Chapter 6 that Ambassadors for the Kingdom
commend themselves:-
by great endurance in afflictions, hardships, calamities;
by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit,
genuine love; truthful speech……
as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;
as poor, yet making many rich;
as having nothing, yet possessing everything.”
Are these my values? What is it that rules my life?
Is it my own agenda, my own manifesto, or God’s?
Is it power, status, or servanthood?
On this the brink of Advent, it is the perfect time for us to review life as it has been over the past year, and to make new Christian year resolutions, knowing that the grace of God will assist us as we strive to live better Christian lives.
HOMEWORK FOR THIS WEEK:
- What is it that rules my life?
- From where does my motivation come?
- How can I give Christ my King better service?
A Prayer of Pope Francis for the extension of God’s Kingdom through us
Awaken within us, Christ our King,
our calling to be a living witness of your love in the world today. Open our eyes, so that we may see
that no one is beyond the reach of love.
Open our hearts so that we reach out in love to all those in need. And open our minds, so we understand
that the love you have for us is:
a love that protects, a love that hopes, a love that trusts,
and a love that will never fail, no matter what.
And may we be witnesses of this love,
so that we too can help transform our world
to be a reflection of the Kingdom of God today.
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