Daily Retreat 11/25/07
2007 Nov 25 SUN:CHRIST THE KING S (Thirty-fourth and Last Sunday in Ordinary Time)
2 Sm 5:1-3/ Ps 121(122):1-2. 3-4. 4-5/ Col 1:12-20/ Lk 23:35-43
From today’s readings: “In those days, all the tribes of Israel came to David.... Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.... He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.... Jesus, remember me when you come into Your kingdom....”
The Return of the King
This past week, I finished re-reading Tolkien’s masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. Many have read this book or seen the cinema trilogy of a few years back, so you can probably recall one of the main characters, along with those endearing Hobbits, Frodo and Sam, and Gandalf, the dazzling wizard, was Aragorn, also known as “Strider.”
At first, it seems Strider is a mere supporting character, helping out the Hobbits as a guide and bodyguard. But as the story unravels, Strider is revealed to be much more than meets the eye. Mention of his ancestry unveils his dignity as the rightful, but uncrowned, high king of the realm. Comments about his past hint at his vast travel and experience in life. Scattered legends and prophecies point again and again to his lofty destiny. But most of all, the gripping adventures thoroughly enthrone the nobility of this character, Aragorn, son of Arathorn, one who is upright, brave, wise, charismatic, loyal, patient, resourceful - all to the royal degree!
And moreover, he is singularly selfless - constantly risking his life for others, and striding the arduous path of his destiny, never motivated by personal ambition, but always doing his irreplaceable part in saving the world. This then is the crowning characteristic about Strider: his humble selflessness and radical service to others.
Literature and history have recorded many admirable subjects making great sacrifices for their king; then too, there’s certainly a fair number of good kings clearly focused on the common good, and even a few undeniably great kings, yet only one eminently noble King who lived in every way and even died as the greatest service and sacrifice for His subjects. Clearly, Tolkien, a faithful Catholic, purposely portrayed Aragorn as a Christ-figure, and in particular, a literary image of Christ the King.
The literature of today’s liturgy likewise portrays essential aspects of the kingship of Christ: The responsorial psalm and the first reading, from Second Samuel, recall David’s kingship, which established the royal ancestry of Jesus, Son of the Most High. The second reading, from Colossians, muses on the universal dimension of Christ’s dominion and destiny, which thoroughly permeates and permanently transcends even time and cosmos. But the most central and uniquely Messianic aspect of Christ’s kingship is recorded in the Gospel, which narrates how the true King of the Jews died on the Cross, the fulfillment of a life of service and sacrifice, so that those who turn to Him in faith and contrition will have a full paradisal share of His coming into His kingdom.
To the world, alas, the true Lord of the Kings and one Cross of Christ is most unreasonable, and, at this time of the year, even rings a bit unseasonal. Talk of baby Jesus, it seems, can be tolerated by our world these weeks, as long as it serves a precious commercial purpose. But unapologetic focus on the kingship of the crucified Christ will always read like a fantasy, except to those whose own lifework is intentionally written as a subplot of the Return of the King.
2 Sm 5:1-3/ Ps 121(122):1-2. 3-4. 4-5/ Col 1:12-20/ Lk 23:35-43
From today’s readings: “In those days, all the tribes of Israel came to David.... Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.... He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.... Jesus, remember me when you come into Your kingdom....”
The Return of the King
This past week, I finished re-reading Tolkien’s masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. Many have read this book or seen the cinema trilogy of a few years back, so you can probably recall one of the main characters, along with those endearing Hobbits, Frodo and Sam, and Gandalf, the dazzling wizard, was Aragorn, also known as “Strider.”
At first, it seems Strider is a mere supporting character, helping out the Hobbits as a guide and bodyguard. But as the story unravels, Strider is revealed to be much more than meets the eye. Mention of his ancestry unveils his dignity as the rightful, but uncrowned, high king of the realm. Comments about his past hint at his vast travel and experience in life. Scattered legends and prophecies point again and again to his lofty destiny. But most of all, the gripping adventures thoroughly enthrone the nobility of this character, Aragorn, son of Arathorn, one who is upright, brave, wise, charismatic, loyal, patient, resourceful - all to the royal degree!
And moreover, he is singularly selfless - constantly risking his life for others, and striding the arduous path of his destiny, never motivated by personal ambition, but always doing his irreplaceable part in saving the world. This then is the crowning characteristic about Strider: his humble selflessness and radical service to others.
Literature and history have recorded many admirable subjects making great sacrifices for their king; then too, there’s certainly a fair number of good kings clearly focused on the common good, and even a few undeniably great kings, yet only one eminently noble King who lived in every way and even died as the greatest service and sacrifice for His subjects. Clearly, Tolkien, a faithful Catholic, purposely portrayed Aragorn as a Christ-figure, and in particular, a literary image of Christ the King.
The literature of today’s liturgy likewise portrays essential aspects of the kingship of Christ: The responsorial psalm and the first reading, from Second Samuel, recall David’s kingship, which established the royal ancestry of Jesus, Son of the Most High. The second reading, from Colossians, muses on the universal dimension of Christ’s dominion and destiny, which thoroughly permeates and permanently transcends even time and cosmos. But the most central and uniquely Messianic aspect of Christ’s kingship is recorded in the Gospel, which narrates how the true King of the Jews died on the Cross, the fulfillment of a life of service and sacrifice, so that those who turn to Him in faith and contrition will have a full paradisal share of His coming into His kingdom.
To the world, alas, the true Lord of the Kings and one Cross of Christ is most unreasonable, and, at this time of the year, even rings a bit unseasonal. Talk of baby Jesus, it seems, can be tolerated by our world these weeks, as long as it serves a precious commercial purpose. But unapologetic focus on the kingship of the crucified Christ will always read like a fantasy, except to those whose own lifework is intentionally written as a subplot of the Return of the King.
posted by FrPitstick | 11/24/2007
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