...wrong every time, Palm Sunday edition

Christ’s is no earthly kingdom; it comes from heaven above.

His rule secures our freedom, and justice, truth, and love.

Hope, peace, and joy our treasure, God’s love above all measure,

Hosanna to the Lord, for He fulfills God’s word!

--Mikael Franzen, trans. Philip M. Young

What do you mean?

--Justin Bieber

Not that kind of kingdom. Not that kind of king.

Those who followed Jesus when he walked the paths and skirted the shores of the Holy Land so long ago got it wrong. They looked for power (as they understood power), might (mainly military and political), the overturning of Roman rule and the restoration of the rightful place of the people of God (top of the heap). It was the lore on their lips, the dream in their hearts, the birthright they claimed. Now was the time, and Jesus was their man/king/savior.

We still get it wrong today. Every time we long for power more than compassion. Every time we ransom the welfare of ‘the least of these’ for another rung on society’s ladder. Every time we trade the deep divine undercurrent of joy for the cheap fleeting thrill of victory. Every time we look to Jesus as a vendor to supply us our momentary desires rather than the Vine to connect us to the source that is truly Life.

Because Christ’s is not that kind of kingdom. And Jesus is not that kind of king. 

Don’t look for that, here.

...the lips of children

All glory, laud, and honor to Thee, Redeemer, King,

To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.

Thou didst accept their praises --- accept the praise we bring,

Who in all good delightest, Thou good and gracious King!

---Theodulph of Orleans, ca. 821

Count on a kid to tell it like it is. Maybe this is the reason for the old adage, “Children should be seen and not heard.” Over the course of our lives we develop the ability to filter our thoughts before they become words. We also sometimes lose the child’s ability to see things as they are, without expectation or preconception. Kids? They see it like it is, and say it like it is.

In today’s text, hosannas stream from the lips of children. They were onto Jesus, and seemed attracted to him without reservation. They saw what they saw, and liked it, and joyously praised Jesus. May we today be like children…no filters, no prejudices, no reservations about praising our redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Let at least one of those hosannas be mine, Lord.

...wherever it went

And by the light of that same star

The wise men came from country far,

To seek for a king was their intent,

And to follow the star wherever it went.

Nowell, born is the King of Israel.

The wise men have always intrigued me. Unlike the people of Israel, for whom the story of a Messiah was somewhat familiar, these Magi had backgrounds shrouded in mystery, and we can’t know what they thought they would find at the star’s guiding. Surely they were expecting a king recognized by his subjects, properly anointed and installed to the throne. Nestled in this verse of The First Nowell is this intriguing line: “...and to follow the star wherever it went.” Not to follow the star wherever they thought it should go, or to follow the star until it became inconvenient, or to follow the star until it was clear that the star didn’t know what it was doing. To follow the star…wherever it went.

May we, like the Magi, follow the star wherever it leads us, laying aside our preconceptions of appropriate destinations, surrendering our notions of a proper king for the reality of a Savior beyond our understanding.

Follow the star.

Mighty King, Gentle Friend

Child appealing, Light revealing, Jesus Christ, our Pleasure;
God, yet very Son of Mary, heaven's Gift and Treasure.
Mighty King, gentle Friend, as our Lord to us bend,
with your blessing us caressing, now descend, now descend.
---Let Our Gladness Banish Sadness

This hymn is new to me, but not new. Its tight rhyme is a contemporary translation by Jaroslav Vajda of a Slovak version of a 14th century Latin text. Whew, that's a mouthful! In its simple words are deep, joyful truths about the person of Jesus Christ. One of the great mysteries of the faith I have chosen as my title today: Jesus as both a mighty ruler and a gentle friend. Might and gentleness don't often meet in one person, and it fascinates me to think of Jesus as both. Then look at a phrase that would seem impossible, a lord bending to serve, only in a world turned on its head by our gentle friend. And a phrase to fall in love with: Jesus Christ, our Pleasure. To our world, with its sadnesses and sorrows, our gentle friend, our pleasure, comes, caressing us with the only blessing that counts --- the blessing of Christ's presence with us.

No King, But a Prince

His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor...

Prince of Peace.

When my son Sam was a child, he asked me a question during the Christmas season: "Why is Jesus called Prince of Peace? Who is the King of Peace?" I was stopped short in my tracks. Having grown up in choirs, singing 'For Unto Us a Son Is Born' from Handel's Messiah, I had never given a second thought to the moniker 'Prince of Peace.' But, Sam is right --- why not a king? I have since reflected on this (after, I'm sure, stumbling on my initial response), and feel some stirrings of what might be understanding.

In my mind's eye, a king, regal and powerful, rules (either well or poorly) over subjects. A king would use power to rule. A king speaks, and it is so. A king is indisputably the most important being in any room, sphere, or realm. A king is "the man", no ifs, and or buts.

A prince? Well now, a prince is a different sort of ruler altogether. The prince must win the hearts of the people, must take a place in the hierarchy as one without absolute power. The prince might lead with gentleness, with good humor. 

A Prince? A Prince might just wage not war, but peace. The image is of an incomprehensible reign of peace, maybe even the peace that passes understanding.

Prince of Peace.