| Readings for November 20, 2011
The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Christ the King
When I was in grade school attending Catholic School, this Sunday was always confusing for me. Christ the King, what did that mean? I wasn't sure. Living in a democracy, the image of king is not a positive one. The two images that would come to my mind were Britain's King George III and France's King Louie XVI. Neither monarch was a very positive image for a young student. Fast forward a couple of decades, OK maybe a few more than a couple, to a newly ordained permanent deacon. When I am assisting at Sunday Mass I usually sit next to the presider. From this chair I have a view of the beautiful rose window above the choir loft and over the East Avenue entrance to the church. It is an amazing view of our rose window.
Christ the King is at the center of the window surrounded by panels of stained glass roses. Every time I look up at that window the colors of the roses change depending upon the light coming through the window. Sometimes the red is just brilliant; other times the blue and sometimes the brown are. I hadn't noticed before that there is brown in the window as well. The colors subtly change each time I look at the window.
For me the window with Christ the King at the center has become a metaphor for my faith. Christ is the image of kingly power in our lives. Christ is the constant, always at the center of my life and faith yet depending on where I am at and what is happening in my life, my faith can be at a different place and intensity. This Sunday's readings are a reminder that our faith is about the basics. Did we see and try to meet the basic needs of those around us? When did our light shine brightly and when was it a little dim?
In today's readings about the end time we are reminded that those who will be punished will be punished because they failed to see Christ the King in others. Judgment will be based on whether or not we treat the lowly and those in need as if we see Christ the King in them.
The rose window is also hope filled. The liturgical calendar is usually depicted in a circle just like our rose window. There is no beginning and no end, just a continuous circle. As we reflect upon the liturgical year that ends this Sunday we are given two opportunities; first to reflect upon the last year and see if we have seen Christ the King in people and hope that as the new liturgical year begins next Sunday we have an opportunity for a new start. Will we take advantage of this opportunity?
Roger Vandervest is a Deacon at Ascension and works as a hospital chaplain.
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