Eucharistic Gospel Reading for Sunday of Proper 12: Year B
“When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself:” (John 6: 15)
Jesus will testify that he came to serve and not to be served. He also does not want to continue the failed idea of having a king even though he is also fully God. The king paradigm had to be destroyed. It was wrong when they asked for Saul to be king, and it’s wrong today. Jesus will have no part of it. Also, monarchies suggest that the child heirs will be as good a ruler as were their parents. But history has shown different. The best leaders are elected from the midst of the people, and for a limited time.
God is our king. Also, God in Christ Jesus is our king. The Kingdom of God is not one of physical might but rather, of love, compassion and mercy. Love, compassion and mercy will transfer us to eternal life because they are the essence of eternal life. Mighty physical power is temporal. It will decompose and return to the nothingness from whence it came. But love, compassion and mercy are forever and without end.
While Jesus runs away from bad human ideas like monarchies, Jesus runs to good ideas, like marriage. Jesus went so far as to keep the wine coming when it ran out at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. We are made to be partnered. All we need to do is watch Jesus to see what works for us and what does not.
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray:
O Holy Jesus, the perfect model for human life, make us mindful of the needs of others in order that we might come to their need, and instill in each of us the virtues of love compassion and mercy as we seek to serve rather than reign, in your most holy Name we pray; Amen.
onewhoponders 