Lectionary: 162
In those days, all the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said:
"Here we are, your bone and your flesh.
In days past, when Saul was our king,
it was you who led the Israelites out and brought them back.
And the LORD said to you,
'You shall shepherd my people Israel
and shall be commander of Israel.'"
Today's first reading recalls the day the shepherd David and ancestor of Jesus became the ruler of the twelve tribes of Israel. Not long after that his small army captured Jerusalem and made it his capital city.
This Old Testament reading is offered on the feast of Christ the King because of the appeal the Israelites made to the young hero, "Here we are, your bone and your flesh." They wanted a kinsman to rule them, hold their loyalty, and fashion them into an organized kingdom. David was the right man for the job.
We can say with equal confidence to the Hero who has conquered sin and death, "Here we are, your bone and your flesh." He is fully God and fully human. The Son of Mary is the Son of God, born like any one of us, and yet raised to the highest heaven.
Born with all the limitations of our human flesh. Jesus is a man; he cannot be a woman. He is a Jew, circumcised like his male ancestors, inheriting the blessing of Abraham and the guilt of Jerusalem. He is strong but his strength is not that of a comic book superhero. He may be brilliant but he knows no more than the arts and sciences of his time.
His freedom is that of obedience to his Heavenly Father. His family, wealth, and social influence offers no earthly privilege or entitlement. His freedom to speak, move, and act comes from the same source as yours and mine, his faith. Because he believes in God he does not fear pain, hunger, thirst, or death. He cannot change stones to bread, he has no such power; but that lack is no restriction.
Inevitably, we who believe in the Lord must ask then, "Where does his freedom come. Why does he have the liberty of a king? And no less than the king of the universe?"
We search our kinship with the Lord for the answer. Subject to him, inspired by the same Holy Spirit, we are empowered by him. And then we understand Nathaniel's astonished exclamation, "You are the king!"
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.