Reading: John 18:33-37 Feast of Christ the King 29B
November 26, 2000
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Church, Cupertino CA,
With the signing of the treaty of Versailles following WWI, many of the European nations were faced with severe economic and political chaos. In response to this chaos, fascism became an increasingly popular political solution to the crisis. In 1922, Mussolini and his fascist Party Blackshirts marched into Rome. Mussolini became "IL DUCE", the right wing leader of Italy. His visible success in improving the Italian economy and the expansion of its military program, gained him much support in Italy. Because of this, his people overlooked his ruthless disregard for world opinion, support of police brutality, and the use of poisonous gas as a military strategy. It was into this context that Pope Pius XI instituted the feast day of Christ the King in 1925.
This feast day (which celebrates the kingship of Christ) was instituted as a way of denouncing the destructive forces of the political machinery that was happening in Italy and Europe. Today, this feast day is celebrated by the main line denominations as an affirmation of the authentic power which comes from following Christ. Today's sermon will focus on the difference between authentic power and artificial power. The gospel that was just read, serves as a perfect backdrop.
In his book, The Seat of the Soul, Gary Zukov describes artificial power as "the ability to exert one's will against another." Another name for artificial power is external power where there is a hierarchy of power between the supposedly strong and the designated weak. Artificial power is at work when domination, manipulation, and self-exultation are displayed. Artificial power is at work when money becomes more important than the dignity of people, when a man dominates a woman, when hurt or angry people fight, or when politicians care more about being elected than striving for justice. Behind this wielding of artificial power, is the attachment to artificial needs. Vanity, excessive wealth, prestige, and privilege are examples of artificial needs that propel people to use external power to achieve their goals. The problem is, external power does not last. If a person has a strong body such that he can dominate another person, his strength will eventually give way in old age. While the physical beauty of a woman can influence others, her beauty will fade over the years. While cleverness can maneuver a person into a high level position, that cleverness can easily be exposed. In April of 1945, Mussolini and his mistress, Clara Petacci, were arrested and were lynched by the Communist partisans. So much for the reliability of external power!
Authentic power on the other hand, is energy that has been given to us by God for the well being of creation. Authentic power is based on authentic human needs- the need to love and to be loved. Authentic power is shaped by love and compassion and guided by wisdom. It is the way of the heart. Perhaps the longest journey that each one of us will ever take, is the journey from the head to the heart; the journey from fear to love. It is for this reason that Jesus came to show us how to travel this journey. It is for this reason that Jesus was on trial before Pilate.
In today's gospel story, Jesus is on trial in Pilate's headquarters. Well, actually, it is not a trial as we know it today. There are no rules of justice, no opportunities for witnesses, no peers to sit on the jury. Rather, there are accusations and Pilate must decide whether or not he will condemn Jesus to death. At some level, Pilate knows that Jesus is innocent. But innocence is not what will influence Pilate's decision. Expedience and control of the masses will. Pilate does not really believe that Jesus has any power and thus when Jesus is accused of being a 'king', Pilate simply mocks him.
For Pilate, power is external power: the power to control armies, the power to take a human life, the power to determine political agendas. But like all external or artificial power, it does not last. The armies of the Roman Empire disappeared many hundreds of years ago. The name of Pontius Pilate would have been forgotten had it not been for Jesus, the person who was thought by Pilate, to have no power whatsoever. But the force of a life of a single human being that the Roman soldiers put to death, continues to shape the development of our species. Now that is authentic power!
All of the lessons that were read from the Bible today, point to a time when the power and presence of God will dominate on earth. It points to a time when human beings will seek the authentic power of love that comes from God rather than use external power to satisfy artificial needs. We started this green season of Pentecost with the 'white festival' of Trinity Sunday and we will end this season with the 'white festival' of Christ the King. Next week we will begin the season of Advent, when we take the time to prepare our body, mind, and soul, to accept the coming of God in Christ in the human heart. It is a time of reflecting on our journey from the head to the heart; from fear to love. It is a time when we reflect on our understanding and use of power.
If you do not believe that there are destructive powers which operate in our society that corrupt and destroy the creatures of God, then you will not pray for the power of God to make creation new. And thus, the seasons of Adve nt and Christmas will hold little value in shaping your future. If your heart does not weep over the killing of innocent people, the selling of children into prostitution, and the starvation of those who live in abject poverty, then you will not long for the power of God to change the human heart. And thus the seasons of Advent and Christmas will be meaningless to you. If your soul is not hounding your mind and body to overcome your fears, forgive those who have hurt you, and to live a life steeped in God, then the seasons of Advent and Christmas will simply become an opportunity to buy more stuff to stick under a green tree.
It was external power that caused the death of over 61 million people during World War II. But it was the power of love that eventually broke down the Berlin Wall, reuniting a country that was deceived by artificial power. It was external power that planted millions of land mines throughout the world, resulting in the amputations of legs and arms of thousands of people. But it was the power of love that motivated Princess Diana and the hundreds of doctors who actively responded to this senseless display of fear. It was external power that caused the caste system to develop in India, producing poverty and the disregard for human dignity. But it was the power of love that motivated Mother Theresa and her sisters to care for the poorest of poor on the streets of Calcutta.
The road to authentic power is paved with consciousness, humility, forgiveness, harmlessness, and generosity. Authentic power is shaped by love and compassion and guided by wisdom. It is the way of the heart. On this feast day of Christ the King, we are being asked to decide which kind of power we will seek after. Will it be the kind of power that Pilate sought after or the kind of power that Jesus embodied? Whom will you follow?