The Last Sunday after Pentecost (Christ the King)

In the tender compassion of our God *
     the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death *
     and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

As we close out the Church Year, we prepare for the coming of Christ the King, "whose will it is," the Collect of the Day suggests, "to restore all things" (BCP 236).

The lessons appointed for Morning Prayer today remind us of the last time people celebrated Jesus as an earthly king -- his triumphal entry into Jerusalem during the last week of his life. At that time, the people placed palm branches on the road and shouted "Hosanna, Lord, hosanna!" just as we did in Psalm 118 this morning.

However, Jesus did not turn out to be the king we hoped for. His first act after the triumphal entry, Matthew tells us, was to make a whip of cords and drive the moneychangers from the Temple (Matt. 21:12), an act calculated to get him hauled up before the authorities. It was the opening act of the drama that concluded, or so we thought, with his crucifixion.

The perspective of a little time, perhaps 40 years or more, brought to the community of Christians an understanding of the kingship of Jesus, the Christ, which was accomplished in his resurrection. "Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison ..." (1 Peter 3:18-19). Through Christ's resurrection, even those who died before have had the way to God opened for them.

In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn has indeed broken on us, "who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death," and we now have constantly before us the example of Christ, whose baptism we share, whose fellowship we participate in, and whose will we make real in the world.

Our high calling -- to restore all things in Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords -- we pray for each morning in the Collect for Mission: "Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom" (BCP 100).

Lord Jesus, quickly come! Amen!