The crucifixion in November? What’s that about? Is this the correct gospel for Sunday? This Sunday’s gospel (Luke 23:33-43) feels out of place. It seems strange that on the last Sunday of the church liturgical year and at the eve of the Advent Season, we are again watching Jesus on the cross. Most of us are probably starting to focus on the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Besides, we’ve already heard the Good Friday story on Holy Week early this year and that’s usually enough for most of us. Why do we need to hear it again? Maybe we need to hear it again because the injustice and violence revealed in today’s gospel are an everyday experience in our lives and the world today.
What do you see as you watch Jesus on the cross? What feelings does it bring up in you? This Sunday’s gospel holds before us the image of a nonviolent Jesus. If you and I claim to be Christians and to follow the way of Jesus, then we also are to become nonviolent in our thoughts, words, and actions. If nonviolence is the way of Jesus, then what does that mean for us for example, the war in Ukraine, Syria, Sudan. What does in mean for us that there have been 68 school shootings in the United States so far this year, as of November 14. Thirty-nine were on college campuses, and 29 were on K-12 school grounds. These incidents left 26 people dead and more than 100 other victims injured. What does it mean for us the way some people drive, or the words and tone we use on social media? When I speak of violence I’m not talking only about wars and felony criminal kind of violence. I’m talking about all the ways we hurt others physically, emotionally, or spiritually. I’m talking about the ways we diminish or negate the human dignity of others by the way we address to them, giving them nicknames because of their place of origin, the color of their skin, sex or ethnicity. What we think, say, and do reflects our witness of life in Christ and how we can be instruments of grace and blessing for the most vulnerable and persecuted people. What if we start small and begin to replace our everyday ordinary acts of violence with nonviolence? Nonviolent driving, nonviolent posting and reading in social media, non-violent talk, might be good ways to begin.
I don’t know if we will finally eliminate violence from our world, but do we have to continue adding to it? Come join us as we celebrate Christ the King Sunday.
See you at worship!
Dear God, thank you for Jesus who shows us the way to follow you. Be with us as we walk with Jesus, our Good Shepherd who gives us abundant life if we open our hearts to him. Amen
We will be praying for you and your family. Please include us in your prayers also. Blessings!
