[Magdalen] Christ, the King

[Lynn Ronkainen]

Keep in mind that this church feast day/holy day came into being fairly soon 
after Constantine co-opted the nascent and still going to their deaths in 
the name of Christ, rag tag bunch of people who were undermining the Roman 
authority, and in one government decree literally changed the form and 
future of  the sect of 'Jesus followers'....

L

website: www.ichthysdesigns.com

When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I have not a 
single bit of talent left and could say, "I used everything You gave me." 
attributed to Erma Bombeck

Thomas Merton writes, "People may spend their whole lives climbing the 
ladder of success only to find, once they reach the top, that the ladder is 
leaning against the wrong wall."

"What you seek is seeking you." - Rumi

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From: "Sally Davies" <sally.davies at gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2014 6:23 AM
To: "magdalen" <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
Subject: [Magdalen] Christ, the King

> Just read Val Fizzell's meditation on Christ the King and the parable of
> the sheep and goats.
>
> Something new struck me...Val mentioned that when a King ascended the
> throne (including recent history in Britain) he would take a new name to
> signify power and authority e.g. "George VI" instead of "Albert".
>
> So Jesus is given a name, greater and more powerful than any other, before
> which every knee will bow - the typical triumphalist picture so familiar 
> to
> most of us especially those with Evangelical backgrounds. He is Lord and
> King.
>
> But wait a minute...when is Jesus given his Royal name? According to
> Scripture, before he was born, when Mary is told by the angel, "You shall
> call his name, Jesus" (Luke) - or in Matthew's version, as Joseph is told
> to give Mary's child this name, "for he shall save his people".
>
> So when is he named, King? Not when he comes on the clouds, with angels, 
> or
> is seen by everyone as seated on the Throne of Heaven, but as he comes to
> Mary's womb - without fanfare, but for the mysterious joy of angels and 
> the
> ecstatic prophecy of a teenage girl. Or at the latest, on the occasion of
> his birth in a humble setting.
>
> Food for thought about our many projections of "Christ the King" based on
> notions of earthly power and lordship!
>
> Sally D