Kings and Things
Today, in the Christian world, it is Christ the King Sunday. I learned at church this morning that Christ the King Sunday began when the Pope was distraught about the growing number of atheists, especially in Eastern Europe. Christ the King Sunday was supposed to remind people where their loyalties lie.
In out American democracy, it’s a bit difficult to understand loyalty to a king. We have an elected president instead, and many people don’t feel loyal to him, or to the government.
Instead, it may help to think of patriotism as “king.” You may not believe in everything this country does, but you are still part of it, and you still love the freedoms America gives you to do and say things that other countries would never allow. “American” is part of how we define who we are. While this should not be the sole way to define ourselves, it is still there, whether we like it our not. We look to our country (maybe not always to the president or to the government, but to the country on a whole) for protection and guidence.
Jesus works in the same way, offering protection and, most of all, guidence. You don’t have to agree with the church, just like you don’t have to agree with the government, to seek the love of Jesus, in my personal opinion. The church is a tool, but in fact, I believe that Jesus can be a role model even to those who don’t believe in God. I mean, even if you want to see Jesus simply as a human being, you can still see the good deed he did on earth and look to him as a role model. Essentially, this is what a king is–a role model.
Today, on Christ the King Sunday, I am not asking you to lay out your loyalties, as many would have you do. Simply, I am asking you to question your life–who (or what) is King? Who is a role model? From Whom do you seek protection and guidence?
Make good choices in life. If you think following Jesus can help you do that, I hope you’ll give it a try.
Christian, Christ the King Sunday, Christ, Pope, protection, guidence, Jesus, church, God
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