A King in a Democratic Age
Today, in liturgically minded churches, is Christ the King Sunday. The whole idea of a "king" in a world where we seek to spread "democracy" seems like a throwback to an older age. But it is a reminder that the rule of God is NOT a democracy. (Nor is it a theocracy which is also run by human control.) It is a Kingdom. It is the reign of a completely soveriegn power- a power far greater than any of us or even all of us together.

Turn your ear
To Heaven and hear
The noise inside
The sound of angels awe
The sound of angels songs
And all this for a King
We could join and sing
'All for Christ our King!'

How constant
How divine
This song of ours will rise
Oh, how constant
How divine
This love of ours will rise
Will rise...
'All for Christ our King!'
--David Crowder Band

But this sovereign reign, this king is not as we would think. This king is Jesus. As we hear him over and over telling us what the Kingdom of God is all about, we discover that it is an upside down kingdom where the least and the lost become the most and the found; where there is a preferential option for the poor; where the servant is the one who knows the mind and will of the King.

Every three years in the cycle of the assigned lessons we come to the assigned passage from Matthew's Gospel. It is nothing short of remarkable to hear. It is nothing short of revolutionary in the ways of the world. It is heresy to a world based on power and control. The door to the kingdom is opened to Jesus' people who are described in this way:

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
--Matthew 25

Even when they didn't know they were doing it. They did it because it needed to be done.

The goats who are sent away in surprise didn't know what was going on either. They didn't do it because they had no idea they were supposed to.

Father John Foley, S.J. from St. Louis then offers us the following challenge.

If we keep on that way, if we insist on being goats, we should not be surprised at the end of time when God says, "You never did pass on to others the care I gave to you. You did not let me into your life. If you had, your gratitude would have led you to others! I would love to shepherd you even now, but all I can do is affirm the choice you have made with your life. You have chosen to live without me, your God, and I will respect your choice."

We have to ask ourselves which side we are on right now, before it is too late.
--Fr. John Foley, S.J. of St. Louis University Center for Liturgy.

What a vision, to follow THIS King!

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'ns Son!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.