Father Gary’s Sermon

Christ the King Sunday, Year C

Inspired from Luke 23:35-43

Proclaimed on November 21, 2004

There is a story told about the famous Marx brothers. In the early part of their career, when their income was meager, the “Greenbaum” banking firm heavily financed the family home. Payments were often difficult to come by. During these early years their mother would often stand in the wings of the stage. Often her zany sons would stray from the script. When they did their mother would yell out to them, “Greenbaum! Remember Greenbaum!”

The story in our Gospel lesson is about another stage performance. However, the primary player was one who always maintained his focus. The scene is the hill of Calvary outside the walls of Jerusalem, called Golgotha. In a sort of irony it represented the Heavenly throne room. The throne was a crude cross. Above it was sign, identifying the King. The king is Jesus. For many he was the king who had failed. Below him the aristocracy derided him. The military present mocked him. To add insult to injury, two criminals were placed on either side of Jesus. One very sarcastically yelled out more taunts to Jesus. The other man, however, already knew of Jesus. He was aware that Jesus was being unjustly killed. Furthermore, he experienced in Jesus a very special presence. He called down the other man for his impertinence. Then he turned to Jesus begging for mercy. In turn, Jesus promised him a merciful and gracious reward. Throughout this entire scene Jesus maintained his focus. It was almost as though he heard the voice of his Father off to the side of the stage saying, “The Kingdom! Remember the Kingdom!”

Today, we too enter this drama. This is Christ the King Sunday. It is a fitting way to end the church year. However, for Americans this day is one that is also difficult to comprehend. We live in a democracy. Our history is one in which we fought a revolution against the English monarchy. After the revolution, when we were establishing a new government, it was decided that we did not want to replace one King George with another one.

Even so, we baffle the British with our enthusiastic fascination with their monarchy. The marriage of Prince Charles to Diane brought huge television ratings. Even larger ratings came with the burial of Princess Diana a few years ago. Our news coverage also regularly contains items of gossip about what is supposedly going on in the palace. It is as though we have an unconscious need for some sort of monarchy in our lives. Indeed, even after all of these centuries the British have been unable to exist without it. On at least two occasions they unsuccessfully tried, only to find themselves exchanging the king for another sort of despot. It is only natural to assume, therefore, that people do have some sort of a need for a monarch. What they object is the abuse that can often accompany it.

It is in this sense, then, that celebrating Christ the King Sunday is really not that much of a stretch. With Jesus we have a king. He is a king in the most positive sense. As revealed in our Gospel reading today, he is not abusive. Rather he woes those who would follow him. He does not demand anything. Yet, he asks for everything! Why? Because Jesus is King, indeed. He divine. Everything is his in actuality. He created and rightfully claims his creation as his own. He gives it to us to care for. In this action we become his stewards. It is important to note, therefore, that stewardship is not just something that happens for one month during the year when the parish asks for pledge to meet the expenses for the coming year. Rather stewardship is what we do with all that we have all the time!

Therefore, today let us consider Jesus Christ as our King! How then shall we respond to him? To begin with let us realize that we are very much like the Marx brothers in the early years of their careers. We are free to make up our own scripts as we play our roles. However, like them, we also have need for one like their mother yelling for us to keep our focus. For us this is the Spirit saying, “The Kingdom! Remember the Kingdom!”