It shall be said,
“Build up, build up, prepare the way
remove every obstruction from my
People’s way.”
For thus says the high and lofty one
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also with those who are contrite
and humble in spirit,
To revive the spirit of the humble,
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
Peace, peace, to the far and the near,
says the Lord;
and I will heal them.
~Isaiah 57: 14-15, 19
Today is the Sunday called Reign of Christ, the last week of the liturgical year which begins again the first Sunday of Advent. So today is like a churchy New Year’s Eve, a chance to look back briefly before forging on - a time to renew our spirits and whisper “Courage!” to one another before beginning anew.
But what does “Reign of Christ” even mean? In just a few short weeks, we’ll be celebrating the arrival of Jesus of Nazareth as a poor child from a backwater town. What could it mean for our world for the needs of an innocent baby to be the voice of power and authority? What could it mean for us?