A Different Kind of King
This Sunday is Christ the King Sunday. It is the last Sunday of the church year, reminding us that at the end, Jesus will reign as King.
In the Gospel lesson from Matthew we hear the parable of the sheep and the goats. (Click here to read it.) The parable is typically heard as a reminder to feed the hungry, visit prisoners, etc. That is a worthy reminder and certainly in line with Christian ethics. However, I don’t believe that is the main point Jesus is trying to make.
I believe the real meaning is to be found in Jesus’ words, “just as you did it (or did not do it) to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
We have a King who is not apart from us but who fully and completely identifies with us! This is not the way a human “king” operates, but it is how our King operates!
If we remembered that, we would be a lot more like the sheep of the parable. In fact, I’d guess seeing Jesus in the eyes of each person we encounter would completely transform our relationships.
Our King is not just trying to tell us what to do, but to identify with us as deeply as possible and to transform the way we relate to both Him and one another.
Where might your relationships bee different if you worked at seeing Jesus behind the eyes of each person, even the difficult ones?
This column appeared in the Nov. 26, 2023 edition of St. John’s eNews. Click here for the complete issue.
If you are reading this at a different time, you may click here for the current eNews.
