Readings:
Ezekiel 34: 11-16, 20-24;
Psalm 95: 1-7a;
Ephesians1: 15-23;
Matthew 25: 31-46

Collect:
God the Father,
help us to hear the call of Christ the King
and to follow in his service,
whose kingdom has no end;
for he reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, one glory.  Amen.

Reflection

As we mark the end of the church year with the festival of Christ the King we find ourselves faced with a promise of judgement.  None of us really like the idea of being judged, if you’re anything like me it carries a negative connotation and is all about punishment.  It reminds me of an image of God sat on the throne with a big stick ready to punish those who are found lacking.  It re-enforces the idea that ‘I am not worthy’.  However, judgement isn’t just something that is negative, but it can be a positive and affirming experience.  A judgement can go either way, all you can hope is that any judgement is fair.  

As we read these readings this week, we can feel more and more uncomfortable about them and yet we don’t need to be.  This parable in Matthew’s Gospel is the last recorded story of Jesus and was delivered in Jerusalem very shortly before his passion.  We therefore need to pay attention to it without being afraid of it for there is both good news and a stark warning embedded within it.  The good news is that the basis of the judgement that Jesus speaks of is neither a doctrinal purity or a confession of faith but rather the evidence of devotion to the King as expressed in the care of those in most need.  It is that profoundly practical outworking of our faith and reminds me of the phrase that has been going around in my head for the last few weeks ‘love isn’t what you say, love is what you do. 

What we do, the way we live our lives is the outward sing of the inner truth of our faith.  In other words our faith is something that is all encompassing, it changes our lifestyle and the way we see the world.  When we encounter God and make that commitment to follow we cannot help but be transformed by that encounter and have compassion and love for those in need.

This week I have been spending some time in school thinking with the children    about the importance of Jesus becoming a man, walking on the earth.  For us as Christians, I believe it stops us seeing God as some ethereal figure but as someone we can relate to.  As we read about the life of Jesus and what he did, we have a guide on how we should live our lives and more importantly how we should relate to each other.  Jesus showed us that we should have compassion for those in need, those who have been shunned by society.  The challenge is seeing Christ the King in each and every person we encounter in our daily life and how we therefore treat them.  This is what we will be judged on.  How do we treat our neighbour?  How does our faith shape our actions?

As we reflect on this passage and see the headlines on the news, it is very easy for us to lose heart, how on earth can we practically feed the hungry in so many different parts of the world.  However, we need to remember that in Jesus’ time the ‘world’ was often the people they saw around them.  Their work colleagues, family, the person next door or they meet in the street.  This means that our challenge is noticing those in need around us and caring for them.  This maybe keeping a stash of fairly fairtrade chocolate bars in our coat pocket to give to the person asking for money outside Morrisons.  Mother Teresa is reported to have said, ‘Not all of us can do great things.  But we can do small things, with great love.’

As we reflect on how we noticed or failed to notice those in need over the last year, may we make a commitment to recognise Christ the King in each person we encounter and treat that person with respect, compassion and love throughout the coming year.  Doing those small things, with great love that can transform lives and change the world.

Mike Morris