November
23 Christ the King calls us
We’ve been studying the last three parables Jesus
told His disciples before he left them to go to the cross. Each of them has to do with being a disciple
when he’s not a man walking next them - when they’re sort of on their own. In other words, when they will be in our
situation - seeking his guidance by praying and remembering his teaching;
rather than simply walking up to him and asking. These parables share a moment of dramatic
climax. The master may have been away -
been absent - but He will be back. Last week the master returned to find out
how his three servants had used the talents he had given them. The week before, the bridegroom returned and
expected his attendants to be prepared to light the way - to do their job. In today’s parable we get a glimpse of that
day of reckoning when we will be held accountable.
Last week in the parable of the talents, the
message was to use whatever talents and abilities God has given you. All that we have belongs to the Lord and we
are His stewards – trustees - who are to use it wisely. The one who was too cautious was severely
criticized - condemned. The Lord expects
us to be daring disciples who are willing to take risks for his sake. If we are following in His way, then we can
take leaps of faith, knowing that even if we don’t succeed he will be there for
us.
There was a pastor who was a daring disciple – at
least when he drove his car. He was
hurrying along, well above the speed limit when he saw those flashing lights in
his rear view mirror. As he handed the
police officer his license, he offered an excuse: “I know I was speeding but I’m out doing the
Lord’s business.”
(That excuse has worked for me.)
The officer simply replied “So am I.”
“I don’t understand.”
Well pastor, it’s like Jesus said in Luke 14:21,
“Go out into the highways and compel them to come in.”
The week before that we looked at a parable that
described some wise and foolish bridesmaids.
They had an important role - escorting the groom with their lighted
lamps in a wedding procession. But when
the time finally came to go into action - to light their lamps - the foolish
had run out of oil –and hence couldn’t do their job. They had been the groom’s friends, but they
let him down, so he wouldn’t let them into the wedding reception - the great
feast.
The message was that we are to be non-drowsy
disciples - alert and wise disciples who are ready to serve when we are called
upon by the Lord. You never know when he
will need you to be a little Christ to someone. When might that call come? Any time. How will it come? Probably in an unexpected
way. In fact, you may even answer the call without knowing you’ve done
it.
In today’s gospel, the scene is the last judgment, when
the Lord reveals whether his followers have been non-drowsy, daring
disciples. Many are surprised when the
Lord and Judge praises them saying.
'Lord, when was it that we saw you
hungry and gave you food? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and
welcomed you, or sick 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.' Matthew
25:37
When did we see you?
They didn’t recognize the call to serve when it
came to them. They didn’t here the
Lord’s voice saying you should visit that person who is sick, or you really
should give food to the hungry. They
just did it without realizing they were doing it for Christ.
Their surprise when praised by the Lord suggests a
lack of self-consciousness on their part - but also an
awareness that their actions were simply the essence of discipleship -
this is what it means to be a follower of Jesus. They did not expect to be rewarded for what
they regarded as their duty and proper service.
The Washington Post ran this story
last year. During the peak of the early morning commuter rush, an unassuming
young man entered a busy downtown subway station in
As the crowds rushed by, the man found a place to
stand out of the way of the foot traffic. He opened the violin case he carried.
He threw into the case a few coins and dollar bills to “prime the pump.” And
then he proceeded to begin playing.
But this was no ordinary street musician. The anonymous
violinist in the train station was Joshua Bell, renowned virtuoso, star of the
symphony circuit. Now, as he stood just
a few feet from clueless commuters hurrying to work,
Did busy commuters suddenly stop in their tracks,
mesmerized by this master violinist, and drift towards the magical music?
Not so much. For the few minutes of
After four minutes one woman hurriedly tossed a dollar
into
Just so Jesus may not be recognized when He
appears. We may be oblivious, obsessed
with our own agendas.
The challenge is seeing Jesus when he stands right
in front of us in the needs of others.
Christ calls us to service through them.
Perhaps we need the eyes of our hearts enlightened that we may discern
His presence.
Once a week members of a church volunteered at a
“soup kitchen” that provided a hot meal to the homeless. As they lined up waiting the volunteers got
everything ready. Someone asked one of
the workers to pray and she prayed: “Lord Jesus, help me to see your face when
you come through the line.”
Christ’s presence is encountered in the world
today, not with flamboyant demonstrations of power, but amid the needy.
Reach out to someone in need and see the face of
Jesus.
Our bulletin cover is a drawing by the late Chris Corbiere. It’s his
interpretation of this gospel for Christ the King Sunday. You can see Jesus’ royal crown, but not the
features of His face. For the face is
that of someone who is hungry or sick - or perhaps a stranger - someone to whom
we can show compassion and be a “little Christ”
If those who are praised in today’s gospel didn’t
recognize Jesus, didn’t hear His voice calling them to serve, then how did they
end up doing the right thing?
They were non drowsy disciples - both alert and
prepared. They knew they were to use
whatever they had in the Lord’s service.
In fact, they were so well trained in the way of the Lord,
that they could respond almost automatically - it was second nature.
My limited military training was long time ago and
I don’t remember much of it. But I do
remember that they emphasized that we had to go over something again and again
so that it became a part of us. Because
when you go into action, you have to be ready to respond in that moment. There won’t be time to check the manual or
even think it through, you’ll have to just do it - the appropriate response has
to come naturally because you’ve practiced it in training.
Just so, the follower of Jesus, with his teaching
implanted in her mind, can respond in the appropriate, Christ-like way without thought
of risk or reward. A
daring, non-drowsy disciple who recognizes the opportunity to serve right in
front of her.
For we can represent Christ in the
world. Together we are the body of Christ - his
hands and feet and voice to those around us.
The power of divine love is shown through Jesus’
disciples - through us. To be a follower of Jesus is to live a life as Jesus
himself lived on earth.
Two simple questions for us:
Do people see Christ in us? Do we
see Christ in them?