This King brings a new kind of Kingdom that is “not of this world” and doesn’t conquer like the empires of the world. May we all ponder these things in our hearts as His mother did as we enter Advent. Selah. (4/4)

Multiple statements in the birth narratives of Christ poke empire in the eye and flip the power narrative on its head. The insignificant infant is the “son of God” and his announcement is the “gospel”. This new King will require a different kind of allegiance. (3/4)

Pope Pius XI established it in the face of Mussolini’s (and facism’s) rise in 1925. And Advent (starting this coming Sunday) reminds us again of this King Jesus who enters the scene in ignominy and the lowliness of a manger instead of a palace and a military salute. (2/3)

So Christ the King Sunday (this past Sunday) is the last Sunday of the Xian year and reminds us that Christ is King not by power and domination and violence, but by self-giving, radically forgiving, co-suffering love. Christ rules not by the sword but by the cross.

Once upon a time, there was a bird. Then the bird got X’d out. And all that was left was a big blue sky…