Do We Regard the Omni of Omnipresence?

Last Sunday after  Pentecost: Christ the King Cycle A  proper 29 November 26, 2023
Ezek. 34:11-16, 20-24     Ps.100   
Eph. 1:15-23      Matt. 25:31-46
 
Lectionary Link

We Christians are good at theological theory, but are often not so good at actual practice of Christ-like behaviors.

In our theology, we say God is omnipresent, God is everywhere.  And in our Christology, we say, like St. Paul, Christ is all and in all.  But in our practice, we tend to be more like the proverbial Charlie Brown when he said, "I love mankind; it's people I can't stand."

We have favorite places where we like to find God and Christ.  Many of those places are safe places, which don't demand much from us, and we treat those places as places with seemingly are so privileged that in our practice they seem to exhaust the presence of God and Christ.

And what would those favorite safe places be?  The Bible, the Sacraments, and all things churchy.

We gladly proclaim, "the Word of the Lord," after reading all manner of Scripture readings.  We gladly find the presence of Christ in bread and wine and the sacramental rites.  And if we keep our participation in Word and Sacrament isolated from expanded meanings of Word and Sacrament, we can safely convince ourselves that we are doing God's will and we can feel justified in and by our religious ritual behaviors.

But we cannot selectively limit how and where we want to know the divine presence, the Christly presence.

The parable of Jesus read for today, is also in the Bible and is regarded to be God's word.  This parable is given to us to incentivize us to look beyond our favorite places for knowing, seeing and reverencing the divine.  And where does the parable of Jesus tell us where to find and serve the great Son of Man?

In the thirsty, the hungry, the ones without adequate clothing, and the strangers.  My, my, is this not some communist plot to redistribute the resources to people who did not really earn them?  Should we not build higher walls so that strangers cannot get to us?  The homeless on our streets: do they not represent an embarrassment?  Are they not people with such failed life practice that they can't take care of themselves?  Strangers, hungry people, thirsty people, homeless people seem to threaten us and in our false sense of American individualism, we often blame them for their failure at individual efforts to get their lives together and take care of themselves and their families.

The parable of Jesus does not tell us why people are thirsty, hungry, unclothed, or strangers; the parable simply tells us that they were in these conditions.  We often want to spend time blaming people for being in the conditions that they are as a reason for us to say they don't deserve food, drink, clothing, housing, and a welcome.

Do we want to be the "goats" in the parable of Jesus who go into eternal punishment?  Sounds rather severe.  The language is very strong language but it is the language to incentivize us not to limit the presence of Christ within our favorite biblical passages or within our liturgies.

Today, the Risen Christ is saying to us, "if you are coming for my presence in the preaching of the word and in the bread and the wine, then you also must go forth and find my real presence in the stranger, the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, and those without adequate clothing."

Let us be rebuked and incentivized today by this parable of Jesus to see Christ as All and in all, especially within the poor, the needy, the strangers and the neglected.  Amen.

Sunday School, November 26, 2023 Christ the King A proper 29

 Sunday School, November 26, 2023 Christ the King A proper 29

Last Sunday after Pentecost: Christ the King A proper 29
Lesson
What tricks do your mom and dad do to get you to do something that is necessary but not always fun to do, like cleaning your bedroom?
They might offer you an allowance or what if they said, “We’ve hidden a surprise in your room which you can find if you clean your room.”
This might help you to clean your room because you can find a surprise in doing something that is necessary but maybe not fun for you to do.
Jesus told a story about a king who reviewed some behaviors of his subject.  And he said some had treated him well and some did not.  The people were surprised when the king said that he had treated him well or badly because they did not remember ever seeing him.  The King said that when they treated the poor, hungry and prisoners well, they treated him well too.  And when they neglected the poor, hungry, and prisoners then they were also neglected him.  Sometime we only are nice to people we think are important and we may neglect people who do not seem to be important.  In the early church it was said that we cannot say we love God if we don’t love our brothers and sisters.  God’s presence is hidden within people so that we treat each other well.  Remember God is hidden in each person so that as we treat others well we are also treating God well.  This is a reminder to us to treat everyone well.


Sermon:
Once upon a time there was a great king and whenever he went amongst his subjects, they would always bow and curtsy and pay him great respect.  And they would do anything for him that he asked.  He had great armies and so people were also frightened by his power.
 One day the king thought, “I wonder if the people only like and obey me because I am the king.  What would happen if I didn’t look like a king?   
 So one day he took off his crown and his royal clothes.  He messed up his hair and dirtied his face and he put on the tattered clothes of a beggar.  And he sneaked out of the castle onto the streets of the city.  And he started to beg for food and for money.  His nobility and friends didn’t recognize him on the streets.   They just rode passed him…some told him to get off the streets.  After begging for two days he was very hungry and tired.  And he thought about his experiment.  “People only like me and help me because I am a powerful king.”  He was about to go back to the palace,  but he was interrupted by a man, a poor farmer, who was carrying a garden hoe.  He was coming home from working in the fields.  The farmer invited him to his home and there he shared his family supper with the beggar king.
 The King returned to the palace and the next day he brought the farmer and his family to the palace, and gave him a really good job taking care of the palace gardens.  The poor farmer was surprised by his good luck?  And when he was called before the king, he asked the king, “Why did you choose me to be your gardener?  How did you know me?”  The king said, “Do you remember the poor beggar that you invited for supper?  That was really I.  Everyone else looked at my poor clothes and ignored me, but you fed me?    Why did you feed me?”  The farmer said, “Because you looked hungry and in need.”
 Just like the king hid himself as a beggar, so too God hides God’s own presence  in the world in the lives of people who need help.  God does this as a test for us to see if we will pass the test.  And if we are kind, we pass  the test.
 This week is thanksgiving.  Let us remember to be kind to those who are in need, because the presence of God is found in those who are in need.  Amen.  

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist. 

November 26, 2023: The Last Sunday after Pentecost, Christ the King

Gathering Songs:  Hosanna; Hosanna; The King of Love; The King of Glory Comes
Liturgist: ​Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
People:​And Blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever.  Amen.
Liturgist:  Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.
And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.
Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.
Song: Hosanna (Renew! # 71)
1. Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!  Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!  Lord we lift your name—with hearts full of praise; Be exalted, oh Lord my God Hosanna in the highest!
2. Glory, Glory, Glory in the highest!  Glory, Glory, Glory to the King of kings!  Lord we lift your name—with hearts full of praise; Be exalted, oh Lord my God Glory to the King of kings!
Liturgist:​The Lord be with you.
People:​And also with you.
Liturgist:  Let us pray
Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.
First Litany of Praise: Alleluia (chanted)
O God, you are Great!  Alleluia
O God, you have made us! Alleluia
O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia
O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia
O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia
O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia
O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia
A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians
God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Liturgist: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 100
Be joyful in the LORD, all you lands; * serve the LORD with gladness and come before his presence with a song. 
Know this: The LORD himself is God; * he himself has made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. 
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise; * give thanks to him and call upon his Name. 
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; * and his faithfulness endures from age to age. 
Anniversaries:   
Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)
Liturgist:
For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!
For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!
For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!
For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!
For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!
For work and for play. Thanks be to God!
For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!
For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!
For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.
  Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:​The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew
People:​Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said, "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, `Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them, `Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, `You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, `Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' Then he will answer them, `Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Liturgist:​The Gospel of the Lord.
People:​Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Sermon – Father Phil 

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and 

    resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is 

    welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy. (chanted)

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world.Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

Liturgist: ​The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

People:  ​And also with you.

Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering.

Offertory Music:  Hosanna! Hosanna!  (Christian Children’s Songbook # 102)

Hosanna!  Hosanna! The little children sing.  Hosanna! Hosanna!  For Christ, our Lord, is King.  “Prepare the way,” the children sing, Hosanna to our Lord and King!  Hosanna!  Hosanna! The little children sing.  (repeat)

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 

Prologue to the Eucharist

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of heaven.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

Baptism is a celebration of our birth into the family of God.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.  Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory. 

Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

(All may gather around the altar)

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;

You have made us in your image

And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:

Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.

And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph

And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. Bless and sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we can we love God and our neighbor.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing, 

Our Father: (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)

Our Father who art in heaven:  Hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.

Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.

Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.

And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.

Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant: ​Alleluia.  Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People: ​Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Words of Administration

Communion Song: The King of Love, (Renew! # 106)

1. The King of love my shepherd is, whose goodness keeps me ever.  I want for nothing!  I am God’s and God is mine for ever.

2. Where streams of living water flow my happy soul God leads now, and where the greenest pastures grow with food celestial feeds now.

3. Though often foolishly I strayed, still in true love God sought me; and told me to be unafraid, and home again God brought me.

4. In time of death I’ll have no fear with you, dear Lord, beside me; your rod and staff my comfort still, your cross before to guide me.

5. You spread a table in my sight the bread of life bestowing; With promise of eternal light My cup is overflowing!

6. Though all of my remaining days, Then guide me, leave me never, Good Shepherd, my I sing your praise within your house forever.

Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;

We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.

And His Presence has been known to us.

We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers

   and sisters in Christ.

Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the

    bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,

As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Closing Song: The King of Glory, (Renew! # 267)

Refrain: The King of Glory comes, the nation rejoices.  Open the gates before him, lift up your voices.

1-Who is the King of glory how shall we call him?  He is Emmanuel, the promised of ages.  Refrain

2-In all of Galilee, in city or village, he goes among the people curing their illness. Refrain

3-Sing then of David’s son, our Savior and brother; in all of Galilee was never another.  Refrain

Dismissal    

Liturgist:    Let us go forth in the Name of Christ. 

People:      Thanks be to God!  

Ministering to the Suffering Servant Messiah before Meeting Christ the King as Our Judge

Last Sunday after  Pentecost: Christ the King Cycle A  proper 29 November 22, 2020
Ezek. 34:11-16, 20-24     Ps.100   
Eph. 1:15-23      Matt. 25:31-46

Lectionary Link

A "Beatles Mass"

The word apocalypse means to uncover.  And when something needs to be uncovered, we might ask what is to be uncovered?

Apocalyptic Christianity consists of people who seem to be obsessed with the end of the world and the return of Jesus as a conquering King.  They can be so obsessed with this that they neglect a genuine care for the people and the environment of the earth right now.  Why take care of earth, if we hope, think and act as though the world is going to end tomorrow?

On this Last Sunday after Pentecost, also called the feast of Christ the King, the Gospel lesson, a parable, gives us some wisdom insights about what the current apocalypse means in our lives right now.

During the time of Jesus, Palestine was awash with speculation about the King who was called another Messiah.  The model for this further Messiah, often center upon someone who would be like King David, who as a military, warrior king was able to maintain the borders of Israel and keep it safe from invaders.

When the followers of Jesus, by virtue of the post-resurrection appearances of the Risen Christ, proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah, other rabbinical school within Judaism could not embrace Jesus as appearing in this world to be a King like David, so Jesus could not be their Messiah.  They could not understand how a Messiah could ever be put on the Cross.

If you have ever seen a Christ the King cross, it includes the risen Christ with a crown who is still placed upon a cross.  And what does this mean?  St. Paul said that he gloried in the Cross of Christ.  The Gospel of John quote for Jesus is: "If I am lifted up with draw all people unto me."  One must indeed admit that Jesus is a rather ironic King.

The ironic king and messiah, Jesus, fulfilled the role of being the suffering servant Messiah.  And in the history of the church, when church and state united in triumphant Christendom, the fact remains that the current reign of Christ is still the reign of the suffering servant messiah.  And it would be safe to say that we who live in the results of Empire Christianity, often miss this reign of the suffering servant messiah.

The Gospel parable for today indicates to us that we still live in the reign of the suffering servant messiah.  Do you want to see the king and messiah?  Then you have to know where to look.  And we as communicants might rush to our definition of a sacrament: An outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible grace.  Yes, Jesus, with faith I know a real presence in the bread and the wine, in unction, in baptism, in marriage, in confession and absolution, in ordination ministry.  Yes, I can see these outward and visible signs.

But what does Christ the king say?  Christ the King says, "I am incognito in the stranger, the prisoner, the poor and the hungry.  Uncover my presence there. "  If you want to be an apocalyptic Christian, uncovered the continuing suffering servant messiah who is found in the stranger, the poor, the prisoner and the hungry.  "But your majesty those are not on the official list of the seven sacraments where we prefer to know the real presence of Christ."

And Christ the King says, "You cannot exhaust my presence in the sacraments or in the Scriptures.  I have hid my continuing suffering servant self in the stranger, the poor, the prisoner and the hungry, because I want you to respond to the obvious meaning of loving your neighbor as your self; it means finding me in all persons."

On this Christ the King Sunday, we are invited to the Apocalypse, the uncovering of the suffering servant Messiah in the poor, the stranger, the prisoner and the hungry.  Why would we want to rush to face the judgment of God until we have ministered to all of the people in the world who need ministry to be able to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?  Why would we want to face judgment, until we can say, we have dealt with the well-being of everyone in world?

This parable invites us as individuals to deal with finding Christ the king in the suffering people as we minister,  even though we as individuals it seems that we can only do small band aid work.  We also need to join with our social selves to do systemic care and justice on a grand scale so that all can have enough and have godly dignity.  We need to convert the corporate powers to do systemic care on a large scale.

My Gospel advice today is this:  Let's not be too quick to want Christ the King as a final judge.  As long as we have so many people who are without adequate care, why would we want to hasten judgment on our role in this failure.

The Gospel advice for us is to honor our baptismal vow: Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself, especially in the stranger, the poor, the prisoner and the hungry?  And what do we answer?  I will with God's help.  Amen.

How Is Christ, King?

Last Sunday after  Pentecost: Christ the King Cycle A  proper 29 November 23, 2014

Ezek. 34:11-16, 20-24     Ps.100       

Eph. 1:15-23      Matt. 25:31-46

Lectionary Link

There were two friends who ran into each other while pumping gas and they decided they wanted to catch up on all the family news.  So Henry ask John if he wanted to meet him down the road at Starbucks for some coffee and John said yes.  Henry took off and arrived at Starbucks for John and he waited and waited and after about half an hour John finally showed up.  Henry ask, "What took you so long?"  John said, "Did you see that stalled car on the road?"  Henry said, "Yes, but it was a Mercedes and I figured the guy was just going to call Triple A."  John said, "But he was waving for someone to stop and so I did.  Well, it turns out he had forgotten his cell phone and so he used mine to call Triple A.  He thanked me and told me to go on but he ask me if I liked baseball and I said that I didn't follow any sports teams.  Well, he took a box with a baseball in it and signed it and gave it to me.  And I decided that I should take a selfie with him, so I did.  Henry said, “Are you sure it wasn’t just some Joe Blow signing a baseball?”    Henry opened the box and saw the signature of Madison Bumgarner on the baseball and his teeth dropped out of head.  He said, "Are you sure this is not a fake?  Let me see the selfie."  So John got out his iphone picture and sure enough, it was Madison Bumgarner.  Henry said, "Just imagine that I drove right past this guy in need and I didn't stop to help him and he is a hero of mine, and you hate sports and you stopped and got to meet the hero of the World Series.  How ironic is that?  If I had known who it was, I would have stopped and helped."

  Now I just made this parable up to give us a modern sense of the parable of Jesus.   I believe that the experience of the Son of Man being present within the poor and the vulnerable and the presence of the Risen Christ being known in all people is to arrive at the height of human spiritual development in the experience of compassion or empathy.

  It is literally impossible to walk in someone shoes, no two people have a coincidence of experience,  and so how do we move from wanting kindness and favor for ourselves to being able to imagine, well, “I guess other people want to have the experience of kindness and favor too.”

   This parable of Jesus reveals to us how the capacity may be non-existent in some and commonplace in others.  We are fortunate in life if we have been mentored by people who have taught us empathy and compassion.  It really is an incredible gift to have the energy of imagination go out of oneself and with sensitivity enter the life of another which in turn allows one to nuance a comforting response to another person and not even know it.

  People who have learned empathy most often don't know it.  If they knew they had empathy it would be like acting or a performance.  “Hey, look everyone, see how much empathy I have!  See how much compassion I have!”   And if empathy and compassion were but like a theatre role it would be empty.

  The parable of Jesus about the judgment of the Son of Man acknowledging the people who had compassion and empathy indicated that such people were kind of amazed.  "When did I do that to you?  And the Son of Man replied, because I was hidden in the poor, the hungry and prisoner and so when you did it to them you did it to me."  That is the absolute grace of empathy; in empathy people get treated as being valued,  loved and worthy of care.

  In the biblical story, the ultimate king was King David.  He was a shepherd King.  He rose from humble beginnings and had a way to treat people to make him a successful King.  In fact, he was so successful that he set the bar too high for the kings of Israel.  And so the Hebrew Scripture writers made him into a future mythical figure who was the great person who could restore peace and order in the world.  The entire notion of the messiah grew out of idealizing King David after most of his successors were terrible failures and when Israel lost their freedom of independence.  Surely, a new anointed one, someone in lineage of David would arise again.  If Israel was like any country, it would have cycles of success and downturns; surely there is a great day of success with a Davidic Messiah in our future.  Surely, we will have another shepherd king who like all shepherds will be able to separate the sheep and the goats, those who understood God's purposes.

  The Son of Man, an apocalyptic figure, a Davidic messiah, the Risen Christ and a returning Christ all get morphed into one future idealized leader and judge in the aspirations of those early followers of Jesus.

  The life experience of the early followers of Jesus was not that of successful citizens in a new kingdom with a Davidic hero.  The early followers of Jesus depended upon the extraordinary gift of empathy and compassion for their survival and this became expressive of their fellowship with each other.

  In the parable Jesus there reference to the separation of sheep and goats.  I think it also implies that we can be both sheep and goats, because in wisdom parable one needs to understand that they are are like dreams and comprise the structures of human behaviors.  We can be people who practice empathy and compassion even when we don't think anything about it.  But what is also true is that we can participate unknowingly in the banality of neglect and even cruelty.  People are neglectful of each other and cruel to each other and don't recognize it because when everyone is doing it, each individual seems to be absolved of any wrong.

  In the aftermath of the Adolph Eichmann trial, the philosopher Hannah Arendt tried to answer why and how Nazi Germany could happen in a country with lots of Lutheran and Catholic Christians.  She used the phrase, "the banality of evil."  Evil and cruelty became banal, commonplace and unchallenged because there was a significant power and knowledge base in society to allow people passively to comply to the "everyone is doing it" syndrome.  And so evil became unacknowledged and unchallenged from within their society.  A Nazi "Christian" could say, "when were we cruel?"  And the Son of Man could say, "When you did to your neighbors, who happened to be Jewish, you did it to me."  People may be those who practice an unnoticed and regular empathy at times but in other ways be agents of an unexamined banality of evil.  Just think about the history of the subjugation of women, the long history of slavery, the religious persecutions and inquisitions, the discrimination against the impaired and against the gay and lesbian persons in the world.

  The Son of Man stands to us as both judge and king and as one who has only one criterium; empathy expressed in compassion.  How can you say you love God whom you can't see if you don't love your brothers and sisters whom you can see?

  Today, we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King.  And Christ is not King like any earthly king that we know of.  Why?  Because Christ has the power to empty divinity of any appearance of divinity and hide the divine self within the lives of ordinary people and say to us, " Now come and find me and come and worship and honor me by serving Christ the King in each other." 

  And if we can do this, we have achieved the very highlight of being human in the best possible way, by achieving empathy and compassion.

  Today the Son of Man recognizes us for when we have practiced empathy and didn't know it.  But the Son of Man also wants to interdict our patterns of not recognizing the kingly presence of Christ in some people whom we neglect or demean with knowing it.

  May Christ the King as the Son of Man bring us to judgment today as we learn to be affirmed in the empathy we have achieved but also be rebuked and exposed in the areas of blindness when we have failed to see Christ within the lives of others.

  Christ is like no earthly King; Christ is the incognito King who is best known when we practice empathy and compassion.  Let us thank Christ the King for this high calling to empathy and compassion.  It is the impossible work of God's Spirit within us.  And so we say, “Holy Spirit, do this impossible work within us.”  Amen.