By The Rev. Bernard W. Poppe, RectorFrom the Book of Daniel we heard, "...one that was ancient of days took his throne; his clothes were white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames..." From Revelation we hear, "I am the alpha and the omega,' says the Lord God, who is, and who was and who is to come, the Almighty'"
These dramatic descriptions are familiar ones that are used in ancient scriptures through medieval paintings like Michelangelo's Sistine chapel, to images today. It's become a formulaic description of the Creator God. It continues the mystery language of the Apocalyptic writer who reaches for an image of ultimate majesty and power as the forces of good and evil combat one another using both heaven and earth as the battle field.
I can't help but also think of the contemporary image taken from the movie series called The Matrix. In this series the protagonist Neo finally meets God prior to another ultimate conflict of good and evil. This time God is an older African American woman in a bit of a frumpy house dress with an oversized shoulder bag, seated not on a throne, but a park bench. A very different picture, to be sure, than that painted by both Daniel and John, but no less authoritative or less powerful. I'm certainly not equating this movie series with scripture, especially given the ratings it got, but it does help to point out something very important; namely, the image of God painted by humans is merely a vehicle to understand the vastness of God and the power of God.
How do you literally put a face on the source of all life and creation? How can we contain the infinite in words or pictures? It's impossible and yet as Christians we believe that the word of God became flesh in the person of Jesus. We convey our limited understanding of God into a still imperfect but easier concept of a human embodying the nature of God as well as the nature of humans.
This day in the Liturgical Calendar is called Christ the King. It is the last Sunday in the church year and is the culmination of all the preceding Sundays marking the life events of Christ and the teachings. It's the conclusion of the year in story form. Next week begins a new year with the first Sunday of Advent. And the telling begins anew.
But the beginning of a new year can wait for now. In this moment we celebrate Christ the King. Our Gospel lesson recalls the conversation between Pontius Pilate and Jesus regarding his Kingship. In the context of the Gospel Pilate wants to be convinced. He wants to find a reason to free Jesus and through this discourse it's clear that Pilate is fascinated with Jesus, speaking to him not as a prisoner but as an equal. Pilate knew there was more to this man than the charges brought against him, but allowed others to intervene and cut the discovery short. Pilate's refusal to pursue his desire to know more about Jesus, to engage him in further conversation, to be convinced and understand more about his kingship led to a crucifixion, an attempt at silencing the absurd yet compelling claims of kingship.
The ability to grasp the concept of Jesus' kingship, like the ability to grasp the image of God is much like the ability to grasp water or air. It seems impossible. And yet, I think the Gospel writer as well as the others, spend so much time with Pilate because the reader also becomes in a way Pilate, in a position of judgment over the claims that others make over this person. Who is he? Criminal or King? It seems to be the question reverberating throughout the Gospels, from the Pharisees and Priests who see a law breaker, to his childhood neighbors who see a presumptuous upstart, to those healed by him, taught by him and fed by him. All through the Gospels there are those who would kill him and those who would crown him. And yet each making their decision based on their needs and their expectations.
Like Pilate we too have heard these stories and we have more to add through the years of Christian history. Like Pilate we too must judge. Do we crucify or follow? Like Pilate we can figure out that there are consequences to either choice. This day is a reminder that the actions made once and for all so long ago are also actions that we make every day.
The relationship between Pilate and Jesus is all the more important for us when we accept that Pilate thought he was in control of the situation. He thought his decision would take care of the matter. And of course it did not.
God's dominion over the universe and all of creation isn't mediated through humanity, regardless of their authority. God's power grace and goodness flows whether we choose to believe it or not, or, accept it or not. The word of God made flesh in Jesus was felt by those who knew him and His spirit is still felt today regardless of who believes it or not.
We have many images of God created through scripture and story, painting and movie. We have images of God know to ourselves alone or perhaps shared with another. All are valid as they open us up to the wonder that is God's being. All of us confront the person of Jesus and try to understand what the Son of God means, the King of Glory, the Prince of Peace or any of the titles conferred on him by humanity in an attempt to grasp his reality.
There is satisfaction in knowing that whatever we decide God is still God and Jesus is still Jesus, and Christ is King. We cannot plumb the depths of that statement but we can in our need and in our time embrace it. Amen.
© 2006 St. George's Episcopal Church, Maplewood, NJ
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