Collect and Readings for Christ the King Sunday – Jeremiah 23.1-6, Psalm 46,
Colossians 1.11-20, Luke 23.33-43
The Prayer for today
Eternal Father, whose Son Jesus Christ ascended to the throne of heaven that he might rule over all
things as Lord and King: keep the Church in the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace, and bring
the whole created order to worship at his feet; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
In the passage from Jeremiah we have that wonderful image of God, gathering up all the scattered sheep from where they have bolted in terror and confusion and bringing them carefully back to their pasture. Good shepherds are appointed to tend them so that they will not be afraid anymore. The idea of a Shepherd King touches a deep chord in us; there is a rightness of balance, a wholesome combination of authority and practical caring, which rings true and speaks of safety and security. The tradition is already there in David, the shepherd boy made king, and now it is given an even more powerful meaning.
God’s great rescue plan is extraordinarily focused at the crossing of two rough pieces of wood, designed for use in Roman executions. Yet it is as if those two pieces of wood, which form the cross on which the Shepherd King hangs dying extend onwards and outwards across the whole of human experience, the depth of human suffering and the height of human joy. They stretch out to unite our deepest needs with the most complete fulfilment; they draw together all things from all generations and cultures, into that point of reconciliation at the point of complete love.
The cross becomes a throne, where the kingdom of forgiving love is seen in action; costly forgiveness serenaded with insults and sneers. The attendants, finding the innocent Jesus beside them, sharing their hours of deserved agony, are representative of us all. Wherever our wanderings have taken us we need only turn our head to see him there suffering with us. We too can react either in disgust at this terrible vulnerability of God’s love, or we can allow the acceptance and forgiveness to work its healing in us, long before we can understand the full implications.
This week we look back over the unfolded story of God’s redeeming love that we have explored during the last year and the journey brings us firmly back to the cross, which fixes and anchors everything. Being a cross, it also points us to look forward, to a deepening understanding of the Incarnation as we approach Advent and Christmas once again.
Some things to reflect on:
· Why didn’t Jesus come down from the cross?
· If the throne of the King we worship is a cross, how does that challenge our values and expectations of success in life?
God bless and stay safe and well.
Rev’d Fiona Robinson
