King of the Mountain

            In light of our early snow and frigid temperatures, my mind was a bit preoccupied when I sat to write this month’s reflection.  I decided to run with it and took myself back to a time when snow outside was pure joy to a young boy’s mind.  It did not mean icy roads or shoveling driveways or scraping windshields; rather, it was about potential school cancelation and an adventure land right there in my normally boring front yard.  On those days when the weather pattern and superintendent aligned, I would be outside with the neighborhood kids playing snow-themed games.  If the snow was particularly generous, we would have enough to make a pile of snow that would be quickly dubbed “The Mountain.”  My front yard then became the sight of a game of curious origin and implication, “King of the Mountain,” where we would establish being king by shoving everyone else off the mound into the snow below.  A king’s reign lasted only as long the defense of new attacks was successful.  As I think back and laugh about the folly of such a game, it does give me pause.  Am I still playing this game, albeit in other ways, in the motives of my life?

            As you may be aware, the Solemnity of Christ the King is coming up, and with it comes a time fit for reflection.  This feast day is not simply a pre-Advent warning for us, reminding us, like every store we visit, of how many days are left before Christmas.  No, this feast stands alone for good reason, and it gives us the chance to take stock of where Christ is in the hierarchy of our loves and priorities.  On this day, we proclaim Jesus as king of the entire universe, but it remains an open question as to if he is the king of our hearts, lives, and families.  Because of our free will and Christ’s unwillingness to control his subjects, it is still up to us to accept him as king and give proper homage to him.

            There is certainly a competing list of distractions from this laudable goal.  Who or what are the “kings” in our lives to which we give our time, attention, and resources?  Is it our achievement at work or the power and control we have over others?  What about our signs of social or economic status displayed for all, or at least our neighbors and friends, to see?  Could it be the frequency, quality, or weight of importance we give to our online and technological activities?  Perhaps the pursuits of pleasure, whether actual or distracted daydreaming, control us.  Maybe we even thrive in a state of perpetual dissatisfaction with our lives, never wanting to admit to the grace and blessings all around us.  There are many possibilities, but they all lead us to a need for radical reorientation.  It is precisely for our own good that we must make Christ the king of our hearts and homes, forsaking all other weaker and false idols.

            It is instructive, too, to notice the seemingly foreign characteristics of our proper king.  He is gentle and humble, not seeking to dominate others or gather up as much authority as he possibly can.  He leads by his example as a servant to all, especially to the least and most vulnerable among us.  He does not, like my boyish tactics during “King of the Mountain,” raise himself up by striking others down.  Instead, he is raised up in two very unique and significant ways.  First, he is lifted high on a cross, a symbol of torture and shame, complete with a sign mocking his kingly authority.  He does not allow people’s assumptions of this symbol and his method of death define his reign, though.  Transforming the visuals and meaning of this act, he makes it into something that has now become the scene of our salvation and that we revere every time we pray or come into our churches.  The second way he is raised is by his Father, three days following his death, from the darkness and silence of the tomb.  His status as “first-born of the dead” and the perpetual object of glory, honor, and worship is firmly complete.

            In conclusion, I hope that we take advantage of this upcoming solemnity.  It might mean we need to spend some time in personal reflection, having a family discussion, or a making a trip to confession.  Regardless of how we particularly need to prepare, the opportunity to do so is God’s gift to us.  May it indeed mark for us a reordering of our relationships and priorities so that Christ is the king and first-born of our hearts.