Today is the solemnity of Christ the King. Some of us may ask.... “Why in today's world do we need a king? Why... when we live in a country with a democratic government that looks after us. Why when the world tells us we have everything we need right at our finger tips. Why when the poor and sick are looked after by the state?”
One would suppose that we live in a perfect world.
Well... I guess you know that these are true statements... but probably you also know that all these things are only ideas and not the reality.
Because we are told these things are real and complete is precisely why we need Christ the King. None of the things I mentioned are based on Love. In other words... the world we live in is not oriented to be relative to God... but it is oriented relative to personal comfort, to money, and power. None of witch can bring us to a place of being that has no anxiety, no pain, no worries and no fear.
It is only through living life relative to Christ the King that these things can truly be overcome. When we live life relative to Christ we can begin to focus on the reality of the kingdom of God. Then and only then does life make sense. We were not created to become our own little gods with our own little earthly kingdoms We were created so that we can make our way to Gods kingdom and to become friends of His.
How can we do this is the next question many might have. Well... we can look to the saints and learn what they learned. St. Mark the monk tells us... “In spite of all of life's distractions call to mind daily who Christ is and what he became for our sakes.
Reflect on the light that his divinity revealed and glorified in the holy kingdom by all spiritual beings: angels, archangels, cherubim and serphim and all the spiritual powers whose names we do not know. Then think to what depth of human humiliation He descended in. His unselfish goodness, becoming in all respects like us who are dwelling in darkness and the shadow of death, captives through the transgression of Adam and dominated by the enemy through the activity of our passions.
When we were in this harsh captivity, ruled by invisible and bitter death, the master of all invisible and visible creation was not ashamed to humble himself to take upon himself our human nature. He became like us in all things except he was without sin.
All the penalties imposed upon us by divine judgement upon Adam for that first transgression such as death, toil, hunger, thirst and so on... He took on himself, becoming what we are, so that we might become what He is. Being rich he became poor for our sakes, so that through his poverty we might become rich. In His great love for us he became like us, so that through every virtue we might become like Him.
From the time that Christ came to dwell with us, man, created in his own image and likeness, is truly renewed through the grace and power of the Spirit, attaining to the perfect love which casts out fear... the love which is no longer able to fail, for love never fails. Love says St. John, is God... and he who dwells in love dwells in God. The apostles ( who are us today ) were granted this love, and so, were the ones who practised virtue as they did, offering themselves completely to the Lord, and following Christ with all their heart throughout their lifetimes.
So you too... should continually keep in mind the great King who took human nature upon Himself.”
This teaching by St.Mark the Hermit Tells us how to think of Christ the King on a daily basis. Not only do we remember these things daily but we learn that Christ is the King of love and that none of our problems are greater than His love.
Christ is the King who lived with us so that we can forever more live our lives relative to a God that cares that much. He came so that He cannot be called just an abstract idea. He came so that we no longer have to live in a world of distractions and empty promises. In Christ the King we have a way to live our lives relative to God who is Love.
There is no greater gift any King could give.
One would suppose that we live in a perfect world.
Well... I guess you know that these are true statements... but probably you also know that all these things are only ideas and not the reality.
Because we are told these things are real and complete is precisely why we need Christ the King. None of the things I mentioned are based on Love. In other words... the world we live in is not oriented to be relative to God... but it is oriented relative to personal comfort, to money, and power. None of witch can bring us to a place of being that has no anxiety, no pain, no worries and no fear.
It is only through living life relative to Christ the King that these things can truly be overcome. When we live life relative to Christ we can begin to focus on the reality of the kingdom of God. Then and only then does life make sense. We were not created to become our own little gods with our own little earthly kingdoms We were created so that we can make our way to Gods kingdom and to become friends of His.
How can we do this is the next question many might have. Well... we can look to the saints and learn what they learned. St. Mark the monk tells us... “In spite of all of life's distractions call to mind daily who Christ is and what he became for our sakes.
Reflect on the light that his divinity revealed and glorified in the holy kingdom by all spiritual beings: angels, archangels, cherubim and serphim and all the spiritual powers whose names we do not know. Then think to what depth of human humiliation He descended in. His unselfish goodness, becoming in all respects like us who are dwelling in darkness and the shadow of death, captives through the transgression of Adam and dominated by the enemy through the activity of our passions.
When we were in this harsh captivity, ruled by invisible and bitter death, the master of all invisible and visible creation was not ashamed to humble himself to take upon himself our human nature. He became like us in all things except he was without sin.
All the penalties imposed upon us by divine judgement upon Adam for that first transgression such as death, toil, hunger, thirst and so on... He took on himself, becoming what we are, so that we might become what He is. Being rich he became poor for our sakes, so that through his poverty we might become rich. In His great love for us he became like us, so that through every virtue we might become like Him.
From the time that Christ came to dwell with us, man, created in his own image and likeness, is truly renewed through the grace and power of the Spirit, attaining to the perfect love which casts out fear... the love which is no longer able to fail, for love never fails. Love says St. John, is God... and he who dwells in love dwells in God. The apostles ( who are us today ) were granted this love, and so, were the ones who practised virtue as they did, offering themselves completely to the Lord, and following Christ with all their heart throughout their lifetimes.
So you too... should continually keep in mind the great King who took human nature upon Himself.”
This teaching by St.Mark the Hermit Tells us how to think of Christ the King on a daily basis. Not only do we remember these things daily but we learn that Christ is the King of love and that none of our problems are greater than His love.
Christ is the King who lived with us so that we can forever more live our lives relative to a God that cares that much. He came so that He cannot be called just an abstract idea. He came so that we no longer have to live in a world of distractions and empty promises. In Christ the King we have a way to live our lives relative to God who is Love.
There is no greater gift any King could give.
