Solemnity of Christ the King Sunday, November 21, 2010 Gospel (Luke 23.35-43)
35 the people stood to see, but the rulers mocked him, saying, "He saved others, save himself, he is the Messiah of God, the Chosen One."
36 The soldiers also mocked him, and they drew near to offer, and said 37 "If you are the king of Jews, save yourself. " 38 There was also an inscription over him," This is the king of the Jews.
39 One of the criminals hanging there abused him: "Are not you the Christ? Save yourself and us. " 40 But the other rebuked him: "Have you no fear of God and you are damned to the same punishment? 41 we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our actions, but this man has done nothing wrong. " 42 He added:" Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. "
43 He answered, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."
The Israelites were expecting a great king.
I dreamed rich, wrapped in precious clothes, strong, sitting on a golden throne. They wanted to see him rule over all peoples and humiliate the enemy, forcing them to prostrate themselves at her feet and lick the dust (Ps. 72.9 to 11). We hope that his reign would be eternal and universal.
presented in the Gospel passage is God's response to these expectations .
We are at Calvary, Jesus is nailed to the cross, two bandits at his side, an inscription over him: This is the King of the Jews (V.38).
he would be the long-awaited son of David?
No, you can not: he is just an unfortunate. Where are the signs of royalty?
He does not dominate from a throne of gold, is nailed to a cross, is surrounded by the servants obsequious, who bow at his feet, there are soldiers ready to shoot each order.
He stands in front of people who insult him, deride him, not wearing luxurious trappings, is completely naked.
not threatening anyone, uses words of love and forgiveness for all, does not force his enemies lick the dust, it is he who drinks vinegar. At his side is not his ministers, army generals, but the criminals.
One day James and John had asked him: "Grant us to sit in your glory, one at your right and one on your left" (Mark 10:37). They knew what they were asking ...
How strange that kingship of Jesus! And 'the opposite of what people are accustomed to imagine.
Unfortunately, many Christians have not grown hopes different from the Jews: they have identified the kingdom of Christ with the victories and triumphs, and with the respect that church leaders were able to inspire the great of this world.
The inscription on the cross proclaimed king of the Jews a defeated man, unable to defend themselves, without any power. A king so does destroy all of our projects. Back then, insistent question: how possible that he is the promised messiah? .
We see up close the three scenes that are described in today's Gospel.
In the first (vv.35-37) are introduced three groups of people who are at the foot of the cross at the foot of "king."
E 'this first the people. How does he behave? He does nothing, neither good nor evil, is to observe (v.35). E 'surprise, does not seem to account of what is happening. He does not understand how a man who dies without reaction may be the long-awaited king.
It 's a right, but why then does God not intervene to save him?
We have noted several times during the liturgical year that Luke has great sympathy for the poor, for the past, for simple people. This evangelist has the dumb people and puzzled at the foot of the cross is telling us that it is not responsible for the death of Jesus will find a few verses later: "All the crowds who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened, he home beating their breasts " (Luke 23.48).
The people amazed is willing that all those people would understand God's plan, but can not because you should illuminate those who, in turn, blind.
addition to the people at the foot of the cross are leaders. Here they are the real culprits! They, like the elders of Israel who have anointed King David in Hebron, they should recognize Jesus as the promised messiah. Instead mocked him: the king is not that they like, is a loser, is unable to save himself, does not descend from cross (v.35).
Because Jesus does not give proof that they ask? Why does not descend from the cross? Why does not accomplish this miracle? If it did convince all and avoid a huge crime.
If you come down from the cross, everyone will believe. But what? In God strong and mighty, God in defeating and humiliating the enemy, blow by blow responding to the provocations of the wicked, inspires awe and respect, that is no joke ... And this is not the God of Jesus
If descended from the cross would betray his mission: to endorse the false idea of \u200b\u200bGod that the spiritual leaders of the people have in mind. Confirms that the true God is that the powerful of this world have always loved because he is like them: strong, arrogant, oppressive, vindictive, armed.
strong This God is incompatible with what is revealed to us by Jesus on the cross: the God who loves everyone, even those who fought, who always forgives, saves, which is left to defeat love.
God is not omnipotent because, with its immense power can do whatever he wants, but because he loves so immense, because it provides without limits and without conditions in the service of man. Its not the omnipotence of the domain, but the service. We saw that Jesus himself to wash the disciples' feet: that's true face of God Almighty, the King of the universe.
The third group is at the foot of the cross is composed of soldiers . These poor men, torn from their families and sent for little money, to commit violence against a people by language, customs and religions.
Far from their wives, children, friends, have lost all human feelings and vent against a weaker them. More than guilty, are victims of the folly of others better than them.
They only know how to execute orders, can not express their opinion, they repeat the words I heard uttered by their leaders: "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself" (V.36).
For fear, for very little money, out of ignorance they sold for themselves and their conscience, cooperate injustice, oppression, violence against the weak.
have been taught to believe only in force and weapons than those who trust in who wins and who loses taunts. Now Jesus is on the side of the vanquished.
The second scene (v. 38) occupies the center of the track. presents the phrases written above Jesus' head .
Luke seems to extend an invitation to Christians of his and our community, provided the king nailed to the cross! In front of him becomes ridiculous every desire of glory, every desire to dominate, every desire to reach the top. On the Cross Jesus tells all who the king chosen by God is the one who accepts humiliation, knowing that the only way to give glory to God is to choose the last place to serve the poor.
We covered what happens at the foot of the cross, then we looked at the inscription above.
The third stage (vv.39-43) takes place on either side of Jesus, where the criminals are crucified .
Like people, like them, like the soldiers, either does not understand anything. The only thing we expect from the Messiah is deliverance from the punishment which it is submitted, Jesus does not help, it shows unable to fulfill your request.
The second villain is the only one who recognizes Jesus as the King expected, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
called him by name. He understands that he can use this confidence. I hear my friend, the friend who had a life devastated. Does not consider him a "gentleman", but a fellow traveler, one who has agreed to undergo, while being right, the fate of the wicked.
From Jesus does not expect a miraculous deliverance, it begs to take with him the last steps of life, the life that is been a succession of errors and crimes.
Jesus promises: "Today thou shalt be with me in paradise."
The history of this criminal is to every man: who has not behaved like him? Who sometimes did not cut off the life of a brother with hatred, lies, injustice? Who has not resulted in small or large disasters in society, in families, in the Christian community?
In my heart, many still believe that, on the cross, the kingship of Jesus was not well celebrated. That was just an unfortunate moment. The real event will take place later, at the end of the world at the time of reckoning. Then you will shine the glory of Christ, he will come with his army of angels and show everyone, especially those who crucified him his power.
Before he died, Jesus gave a ruling against the acquittal of his murderers. Will be valid at the end or it was temporary and subject to revision statement? Is it true that those who have condemned and killed did not know what they were doing (Luke 23:34)? Perhaps some people believe that on Calvary Jesus was not in good condition for an objective assessment of the responsibilities of those who were crucifying him and even less to show all its glory.
Well, even if we cultivate such thoughts, we have not caught the face of God that Jesus revealed to us.
The trial against those who killed Jesus - mind you! - Will not be reopened, there will be a review of the sentence. Jesus gives his final assessment: it has fulfilled its perpetrators, saved them in most glorious moment of his life : when, on the Cross, has expressed its full love.
for us a king when he won triumphs, defeated, humiliated. We try in every way to adapt the image of Christ the King to that of the kings of this world. We do not want to believe that he wins when he loses, when the giver of life.
This ruler who reigns from a cross disturbs us because it requires a radical change in our life choices. It requires, for example, that offer unconditional forgiveness to all those who do us harm.
In this perspective the final decision can not be feared, but it should be awaited with joy because ... will take place in roles reversed.
In the end God will judge us, but we to "judge" him.
stripped of their misery, meanness and pettiness that have burdened our minds and hardened our heart, cared for by the spiritual blindness that has prevented us from understanding the scriptures (Luke 24:25), "contemplate his face" (Rev 22:4), "we'll see how he is" (1 Jn 3:2). Then we will be able to deliver an "opinion" on his objective. Amazed we will be forced to admit: God is greater of our hearts (1 John 3:20).
Fernando Armellini (biblical scholar)
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