Getting My Geek On

Homily for the Solemnity of
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
24 November 2013

        I have to be honest: This is a weekend that I’m really missing our former Youth Minister, Jessie Johnson. I’m missing Jessie this weekend for a reason that might seem a bit strange to most people, because, unlike most people, I think that Jessie would appreciate my view in seeing this weekend as the “Lords’ Weekend”.

         And that’s not L-O-R-D-apostrophe-S, “lord’s”; rather it’s L-O-R-D-S-apostrophe, “lords’”.

        I’m talking about the celebration of two men – one who is a character on TV who saves the universe time and again, and one who is the true Lord, King of the Universe.

        When Jessie was here, she and I would geek out on the latest episodes of Doctor Who, the BBC Television show who [today celebrates / yesterday celebrated] its fiftieth anniversary. We would talk about the various decisions the Doctor and his companions would make, the twists and turns of the stories, the sadness when Amy and Rory were taken away by the Weeping Angels, the spoilers left by River Song, and so-forth. (I think we drove the office staff crazy when engaging in these discussions.) But we could also philosophize and theologize a little on the show, as well, since we recognized that the show is about a Time Lord, but not the Lord of Time.

        I think that Jessie would appreciate the duality seen in this “Lords’ Weekend”. For Catholic geeks like myself, I cannot miss the opportunity to appreciate the fact that we’re celebrating the character of a Time Lord, one who travels through space and time to save universe, on the same weekend we celebrate He Who IS the Lord of Time and King of the Universe: the Eternal God who entered into time to redeem the universe.

        If I’ve lost you a little, I apologize. Again, that’s the Catholic geek in me. Yet the Catholic geek in me easily recognizes the fact that in the story lines of Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, and other such franchises, the one who leads must be the one to first lay down his life for those who follow him, to sacrifice himself for those who are under his command. This, my friends, is the exact understanding we gain from our readings this day.

        What we are presented with in our solemnity this day is not the fact that Jesus should be King of All, but that He IS, in fact, King of All, for from His mouth all came into being. Our Lord Jesus Christ is King of the Universe, and He rules from His throne, a throne not made of gold and fine jewels, but a throne made with two pieces of wood. Jesus Christ continues to reign as King over all from the Cross.

        Yes, the Crucifixion was event in time. Yes, Jesus died and rose again for our salvation. But, my brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ is not just another lord among many who has saved humanity from itself or from exterior sources, as we may see in Doctor Who; rather, Jesus Christ is THE Lord Who models for us what true kingship, true leadership is all about: the sacrifice of one’s self for the sake of all others.

        In our First Reading, we hear of the anointing of David as King of Israel. We know his story. We know that he was a great king. Yet we also know that when David became selfish and turned his focus from God and the people he ruled over, he became weak and afraid. In that moment, he had his affair with Bathsheba, had Uriah killed, and the son born to him and Bathsheba died. David was a great king, but, like all of us, he failed to keep God and the people he served at the center and focus of his life.

        Our Gospel today shows us that great Son of David doing what David, himself, failed to do in that moment of selfishness, of sinfulness: to give of himself completely so that his people may live. David was only a great king because the True King had not yet been made manifest to His people. And because of this, we can only be great leaders of our own time only when we place ourselves in the shadow of the Cross.

        In our baptism, you and I have been anointed priest, prophet and king after the model and example of Jesus Christ. In that kingship, we are all obligated to help govern the people of God – and we do this by our vocations in life. Yet no matter which vocation we have been called to or how we live out that vocation, we cannot be a leader to other if we do not keep the model and example of Christ at the center of who we are, if we are not willing to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of those under our care. For we are all relying upon each other for the sake of our salvation. Yes, there is a personal choice to follow Christ to the Cross, but the other challenge is to assist other people on their way to know the fullness of salvation and redemption that comes from being a subject of the One, True King.

        Whether it be Doctor Who or Star Trek or whatever television show or movie that we are watching, we know that there cannot be a quality leader, a main character to the show if he or she is not willing and ready to sacrifice him- or herself for the sake and the good of the other. This is where Jessie and I would talk for a good while from time to time, recognizing, even if unspoken, the essential self-sacrificial Christ-like quality of the Doctor that we admired in each episode; how he was not afraid to lead others to their salvation even if it meant the giving of his own life.

        And that’s where Jessie and I recognized that there was a little bit of the Doctor in each of us.

        However, more importantly, this is why we now recognize that, baptized into the Body of Christ, we embody Christ to lead others to Him. We need to enter into the Heart and Mind of Christ so that we may draw others to know the graciousness of our God. For the Heart of Christ, much like the T.A.R.D.I.S., is bigger on the inside, for in the Sacred Heart is found the entirety of the universe, the whole of creation . . . For it is in the Heart of Christ that all creation is held together.

        I apologize for the Catholic-geekiness of this homily today, but I could not pass up an opportunity to share a moment where pop culture and our faith momentarily collided. Nevertheless, it is important to realize that in the totality of our lives, we must follow the example and command of Christ to give of ourselves completely for the other. We must also allow our hearts to be ruled from the Cross, the ultimate Throne of God, where mercy, justice, truth and love spring eternal.

        Yes, I miss Jessie for these types of discussions that we would have. But these aren’t discussions, revelations, or epiphanies that we who work in the Church should be having alone. No; these are the types of discussions that all members of the Body of Christ should be having, for if Christ is to truly be our King of the Universe, then we must look throughout our Catholic and Christian understanding of reality and the universe to see how Jesus Christ is reigning supreme in our lives – for after the example and command of Christ, we are to give of our lives so that others may live.

Enjoy the journey . . .