This Sunday is Reign of Christ Sunday on the liturgical calendar. Never been one of my favorites -- since it seems to me Jesus didn't claim that title himself.But in researching my sermon for this week, I came across this image. It is a stunning icon from Br. Robert Lentz, OFM. He has some other wonderful images of Jesus Christ, the Madonna, and others as well (you can see and purchase them at Trinity Stores). Also thanks to Carl Gregg's for leading me to this on his very good blog).
I love what Br. Robert says about this image:
"The icon does not make clear which side of the fence Christ is on. Is he imprisoned or are we? Through our cultural institutions and personal lives we all place barriers between ourselves and true happiness. We and our institutions also try to imprison Christ in various ways, to tame him and the dangerous memories he would bring us of our goals and ideals." —Br. Robert Lentz, OFM, September 11, 2002
I invite you to meditate on this image, and as we explore who Jesus Chris was, and is, and calls us to be as those who follow him. After all, the scripture for this Sunday is Matthew 25:31-46, which includes:
"Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’" (NRSV)
Many people like to focus on the first part -- and the words "who are members of my family" and use that to limit this to a particular group -- the "family" of Christ -- or Christians. But I'm seeing more the second part, where those who did not give food, or drink, or welcome, or clothing. And Jesus says: "Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me." No qualifier there -- no limits as to who is or is not "family." I've got to wonder if someone added in that qualifier in the early part -- to make this a little less threatening -- to limit and tame Jesus Christ's message.
So when I look at this image -- and I wonder which side of the barbed wire fence he is on -- I think -- both.
