Christ the King
John 18:33-37 (NRSV)
The kingdom of Christ
Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?" Pilate replied, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."
Reflection
I could hear her voice in the distance. It was such an exciting day for me. Saturdays were always a fun day. I always love going to Murphy's Store. There were several floors to explore, from clothing, to tools and stuff like Daddy used, to my favorite department of toys. First I had to come down several flights of stairs. That elevator gave me the creeps. The elevator had a funny smell to it and the big people in it would always try to start a conversation or just assume that I was lost and try to find Mom for me.
Through a room full of furniture and beds as far as my eyes could see and then down another flight of stairs, I went. Finally I arrived on the ground floor where all of the candy and peanuts were. But, I had one more flight of stairs to go, towards the basement where all of the toys were. Just as I started getting into looking at all of those toys, I heard Mom's voice in the distance. I wasn't ready to go home yet! I was just started. As I heard Mom's voice close in, I wandered up and down the aisles away from her voice, peeking at more of the toys and imagining what fun I could have with all of them.
Finally Mom caught me. She stopped calling for me and just appeared out of nowhere. Boy, was she mad at me! She scolded me and told me that she knew I could hear her voice. But I was entranced by the toys. I had better things to do than follow her voice back to her. I was pretending about every toy I saw.
That's when Mom told me that Dad had cut his finger pretty bad in the shop and needed to go to the hospital to have it looked at. You see, we only had one car. Mom had been caught by the clerk in the clothing department with a phone call from Dad. We needed to go right away.
So off we sped to the hospital with Dad. Dad had actually cut his finger off! He placed it in a bag of ice and the doctor at the hospital was able to save Dad's finger somehow. I just kept thinking of that movie Frankenstein the whole time at the hospital and wondered if the doctor knew how to put someone together like that.
On the way home, I got a lecture. I was told how important it was to listen for voices and respond. I was told that there were times that I needed to listen to the voices of certain people and come to them. As I thought it over, I knew that I was wrong. I knew that I had been caught up in my own pretending and fun that I was running from Mom's voice. I apologized and promised Mom and Dad that I would come to the call of their voices. I realized that I could always depend on them for anything and everything.
That Sunday in church, the only thing I remember was a few words that Jesus had said one time years ago.
Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."
Sounded pretty familiar to me.
Prayer
Jesus, sometimes I hear your voice, but I'm so wrapped up in my own world, my own selfishness, my own way that I don't listen. Sometimes I even hide in the Garden from the call of your voice. Forgive me. As I hear your voice, I know the truth you have. I know the truth of love and life you have freely given to me. As I listen to your voice and follow you, may the love you have shown to me radiate through me into all the world that your voice may be heard everywhere... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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