Between Two Kingdoms

Acadia NP trail marker

"Then Pilate entered the headquarters again,

summoned Jesus, and asked him,

“Are you the King of the Jews?”

John 18:33

In 1925, Pope Pius XI established a new liturgical tradition, the Feast of Christ the King.

The Pope felt that the followers of Christ were being lured away by the growing secularism of the world. They were choosing to live in the “kingdom” of the world rather than in the reign of God.

This scripture (available here) for the new liturgical tradition is the scene of Pilate before Jesus.

The scene is tense as Pilate tries navigating between understanding his empire and Jesus's kingdom.

Look at two contrasts:

On one hand: Pilate’s authority comes from the will of Caesar and is always tenuous.

On the other: Jesus’ authority comes from doing the will of God, and is eternal.

On one hand: Pilate’s rule brings terror, even in the midst of calm.

On the other: Jesus’ rule brings peace, even in the midst of terror.

We live in a culture intensely divided by politics, social status, race, gender, and religion probably becoming more intensified.

This seems like a good time for a checkup to see which kingdom has a greater influence on us.

John Wesley's asks:

Am I doing all the good I can,
by all the means I can,
in all the ways I can,
in all the places I can,
at all the times I can,
to all the people I can,
as long as ever I can.

Or as Prof Lucy Hogan from Wesley Seminary asks:

How do I live in the realm of God following the faithful servant?
How do I reach out to the least and the lost?
How do I seek to serve rather than be served?

As we navigate between the commercial kingdom of Christmas Shopping and Jesus' Realm of Peace, which one is having the greater influence?

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