Richborough Festival 2006

Above him was the inscription ‘This is the King of the Jews’ Luke 23

In a famous Interview in the Evening Standard in 1966 John Lennon declared that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ. There was little reaction to his statement in England, Christians elsewhere began a massive campaign to destroy Beatles' albums and other paraphernalia. Lennon apologized for the remark later, the then Archbishop of Boston admitted that he was probably right, but many still refused to forgive him. He also said, ‘I don't know which will go first rock and roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary.’

Whatever his views, the Beatles are for the most part a distant memory but even in these days, when we live in an increasingly secular society, it is interesting that the person of Jesus still has a fascination for many outside organised Christianity. Mel Gibson’s film ‘the Passion of the Christ’ made a few years ago showed the power of the story still to enthral many people. Yet there is no evidence that such things lead to greater faith. On the contrary, our world seems to be less and less faithful and even the Church is often in danger of moulding the gospel to suit the social mores of the day and allow public credibility to be the guiding principle in many debates. Give the world what it wants and understands and people might return to the Church. You will often read such arguments in the Church Times if like me you are sad enough to read it.

The evidence of the last 20 years does not suggest that this is a successful strategy. New liturgies, exciting family services, more liberal views about marriage and morals have not halted the decline in Church attendance. In fact a report a few years ago prepared for the Church of Scotland, conducted by an atheistic sociologist, suggested that the Church is most effective when it emphasises its differences from the rest of the world rather than try to conform itself to it.

So what has that to do with the Feast of Christ the King? You might think in times when we in the west particularly espouse democracy as the purest form of government, images such as Christ the King have little to say. Even in England where we still have a Monarchy its authority is limited and constitutional. Perhaps Christ the president would be better or in the days of ‘pop idol’ Christ the Superstar.

Yet the great Anglican preacher Austin Farrer reminds us in one of his books, of the importance of the images given to us in revelation which are normative for our faith and which if changed or ignored could radically alter the faith we have received. Furthermore the images Jesus uses, he often redefines so that new understandings are opened up. This is particularly true when he calls God his Father- not that God is in some way to be seen as a reflection of our understanding of Fatherhood- difficult if your experience of fatherhood is negative - but that the perfection of fatherhood is seen in God on whom human fatherhood is to be modelled.

The same is true of Christ the King. Except for the use of the title King in the birth Narrative in St Matthews Gospel, which makes Herod so concerned that he slaughters the innocents, there is little use of the term in Jesus’ ministry about himself. Indeed when they wanted to take him by force and make him King in St John’s gospel after the miracle of the loaves and fishes (John 6:15), Jesus makes a quick get away. It is only in the same Gospel before his crucifixion that he accepts the title. ‘Yes I am a king’ he says in answer to Pilates question. ‘I was born for this I came into the world for this; to bear witness to the truth and all who are on the side of truth listen to my voice’ - John 18:37

But he is a strange kind of King. He makes no claim to political power and is no threat to the Roman authorities. He has no army to defend him, his only authority is that he witnesses to the truth; to God’s revelation of himself.

It is significant that up to then he had not allowed people to pin labels on him for fear of misunderstanding. Only in this humble state facing a degrading death does he allow Pilate to call him King. The second reading today, from the letter to the Colossians, may beautifully express his exaltation and authority over all things but it is the Cross that makes clear to us just what sort of Kingship his is and the truth of it he came to reveal.

And if you and I are to be citizen’s of his Kingdom it is along the way of the cross we must travel. For it is there that we will find the answer to the questions of our existence and the meaning of our life. From the Cross flowed the water and blood, symbols of Baptism and Eucharist and without the cross there could not have been the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. These things, the Spirit and the sacraments, enable us to embrace a life based on forgiveness and self sacrifice, obedience and love.

Christianity is a revealed religion and at the heart of that revelation stands the Cross of Christ with Jesus reigning from it. This is not immediately attractive to many of our contemporaries. It was not easily credible in the early days of the faith so why should we be surprised that it is similarly a problem now.

‘ Here are we preaching Christ crucified: to the Jews an obstacle they cannot get over, to the pagans madness, but to those who have been called , whether they are Jews or Greeks, a Christ who is the power and wisdom of God.’ - 1 Cor 1:24

We live in age with a subjective approach to religion, where people take those parts that take their fancy or make them feel good and too easily ignore those parts that are more challenging. But Christianity is not simply another way of expressing our deepest emotions and our noblest aspirations; it is a gift to be received.

Last week I went to see the Queen, not Her Majesty in person but the film staring Helen Mirren. It mostly covers the events following the death of Princess Diana in 1997. The film uses television footage of the events of the week which show the emotional reaction of many people around the country, some almost raising her to the status of a saint. She had many great qualities but I doubt she had reached sanctity. It was said by some churchmen at the time of her funeral that the public out pouring of grief was a sign of the latent spirituality of the nation. Sadly I thought it was just the opposite; a sign of people spiritually lost with no authentic way to express their sorrow.

Faced with such confusion amongst many, we are called to proclaim afresh and powerfully that only God can reveal himself and make clear his plan for us. The good news we carry is that he has done so in the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus who is for us ‘the way the truth and the life’.

Unfortunately, we are sometimes hesitant to do this, especially those who call ourselves catholic Christians. If we talk of revealed truth we are frightened of being criticised as indoctrinating. Truth we are told we discover for ourselves rather than being handed down with the traditions and beliefs of the past. Some say children should not be baptised but allowed to make their own decision when they know all about it as though it is about gaining facts. But we don’t leave plants in our garden to make their own way in the world, we nurture them to grow well and train them to develop in the right way.

Here is the great dilemma for Christians. Are we to remain faithful to the revelation of Christ enshrined in the scriptures and in the tradition of the Church or do we go along with much contemporary thinking and accept Christianity as just one of many expressions of spiritual life which we can move in and out of as we like. The recent revelation that a priest of the Ely diocese is also a Hindu priest and all the support he has received shows this is a live issue.

These are important questions for us who believe that the orders of the Church as we have received them are part of that giveness. But we must never give the impression that this is the only thing that matters to us. We are not one issue people. We are not against anything rather we are passionately for the gift we have received which is NOT ours to change. We have yet to see what will happen in the future but I am clear than we cannot tolerate a situation that simply makes some temporary pastoral provision until we change our minds or die out.

Some people believe football is a matter of life and death.
‘I'm very disappointed with that attitude’ said the famous Bill Shankley manager of Liverpool FC
‘I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.’

Like him these issues for us are more much more important than that.

The Choice is stark. Either Christ is our King or he is not. Either the scriptures are authoritative about what we believe and how we behave or they are not. Either Jesus is the unique and ultimate revelation of God or he is simply a great human teacher. Catholic Christians believe that the scriptures witness to the unique revelation of God in Christ and that the Spirit guides the Church spread around the world so that a common mind can emerge of how they can be interpreted in different cultures and changing circumstances. The biblical story, Christian tradition, images and metaphors stimulate and guide our imagination to fathom the depths of God revealed in Christ.

Of Course, God is a Mystery and his ways will ultimately be beyond our human understanding but in the end we can only know him and enter into a relationship with him because he has taken the initiative, because in the words of John's Gospel :

‘God so loved the world that he gave his only so that every one who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life’ - John 3:16

So as Christians we should rejoice that God has spoken in Christ and revealed his love for us. He is our King who deserves our total loyalty, love and service and who invites us not to self fulfilment or to explore some spirituality gained by our own effort but to walk with him in the way of the Cross.

To Julian of Norwich the English 14 cent Mystic our Lord showed himself in many ways but she tells us that the way he showed himself most often was as a King reigning in a man's soul.