What is the throne of Christ the King?
Clandestine terrorism cells are and have been, seething hot beds of hatred and bigotry for years. They feed on revenge and self-righteousness, and the distortion of God’s ways. Such “sleeper cells” have become a part of many nations. Ethnic cleansing, Jihad, or the many other forms of human horror that betray God and humanity continue to escalate. The result breeds more fear and the millions of victim-refugees are shut out from asylum and humane treatment adding to their already unimaginable suffering. Now more fear is rapidly shutting doors on relief for the victim-refugees. While such fear is understandable, it also causes more suffering. It is estimated that there are more than 88,000 unaccompanied children that refugees left on their own seeking humane care. The worst part of human history lives in the present as hatred, intolerance and violence rear-up from the dark side of our nature. Often fear of what is different or other than ourselves such as different races, cultures, sexual orientations, or languages can cause us to react stupidly and sometimes very violently.
Christ must reign in our hearts and minds that we may offer hope to victims of such violence. How does hope come to us and many? Prayers are one answer. In my prayer room I have an altar, various photos I receive from parishioners, family and friends with prayer requests, images of saints, altar with a relic in it, also a relic of St. John the Baptist, St. Catherine of Siena and St. Thomas Aquinas. They surround the Blessed Sacrament and me in prayer. It is there that I begin and end my day, where I approach God and offer all that I am—stripped of any pretense or self-assuredness, power, control, or ego—raw and most importantly open to change. This is how I believe God calls us to sacred intimacy in truth and without guile, plain—direct—willing to laugh at ourselves with God–real—broken—but hope-filled. It is in such surrender that peace comes. This is what Jesus asks of you and me –to be real and intimate and truthfully open to His love—not submission in a sense of worshipping some king on a throne—He shows us His vulnerability the throne of His cross. Instead of a vengeful warrior king to overcome all ills we are given the cross as a throne for God who came and suffered and died for us. That is the paradox; real hope that comes to us n the kingdom of Jesus—is contrary to human-made kingdoms. It is a kingdom of vulnerability, acceptance, unconditional love, mercy and forgiveness—surrender—to divine made human goodness; such goodness is in every one of us.
Pope Francis recently addressed persons that are refugees and stated: “You have a special place in the heart of the Church, and you help her to enlarge her heart and to manifest her motherhood towards the entire human family. Do not lose your faith and hope. Let us think of the Holy Family during the flight in Egypt: Just as the maternal heart of the Blessed Virgin and the kind heart of St. Joseph kept alive the confidence that God would never abandon them, so in you may the same hope in the Lord never be wanting. I entrust you to their protection.” (Pope Francis speaking on World Refugee Day June 20, 2015, Rome).
Our Pope also stated: “A prayer that does not lead you to practical action for your brother — the poor, the sick, those in need of help, a brother in difficulty — is a sterile and incomplete prayer.” Hope comes through our helping hands of Christ.
Parents look at their children with eyes of hope, seeing potential and love and goodness, I believe that is how God –Jesus Christ looks at each one of us—with hope and eyes of love and seeing our great potential for goodness. Please look for that goodness in one another if you want real peace. For when we let His kingdom come–to conquer our false realities-our insecurities, there is peace, hope, trust, and know His love for us. It is a love that holds no difference between races, cultures, genders, creeds, ordained or laity—when it comes to the human potential of goodness in the eyes of God who hopes in us. That is the meaning of the throne of the cross. Jesus chose us to die for from love for us—in His suffering He intimately chooses us.
When we take off the masks, pretenses, and search the Lord with all our hearts, we share His love—eliminate violence in our language—violence toward one another—eliminate violence in families— become His peace to others— and belong to His kingdom. We also can help others find such peace and shed their masks in confident trust. Such awareness begins anew every Liturgical Year in the Lord. This New Year beginning next week from yet another Advent—a season of preparing for new birth our Pope has designated as a Jubilee year of Mercy.
Prepare this Advent! Take time and offer him all that you are—warts and all—failings and misgivings—speak to him as you are—then sit quietly and soak up His love. —you’ll be energized—you will find peace—you will find him—surrendering to love greater than ourselves to be greater than ourselves through Him and for others. Yes there are brutal violent insane people that strive to destroy the goodness of human nature in God. However, there are more than 1.3 billion Christians, over 1.5 billion Muslims that believe in peace and the terrorists that actively involved in some phase of violent Jihad due to what they claim is infidel oppression. They do so distorting their religion, God and faith. As Christians we seek peace in Christ the King. Our Catholic faith and religion at St. Helena Catholic Church has nearly 150 years of people coming to this magnificent Valley seeking peace and great new beginnings. The heritage of our sacred legacy includes Spanish and Mexicans, immigrants including the Irish, Portuguese, Italian, Scottish, English, and French. Later arriving immigrants included Dutch, German, Polish, and Filipino families, people from Guam, Fiji, and many South and Cent ral American countries, and peoples from many other nations and islands. Although we face all of the social challenges present throughout our country and world, the cultural diversity of St. Helena Catholic Parish is seen as a gift. We welcome all who seek comfort and celebrate seeing one another as Christ sees us, as a part of the one family of God—all as our sisters and brothers.