The Gospel reading for this Sunday of Christ the King, commonly called Reign of Christ in more recent years, is John 18:33-37.  Interesting things happen…

Pilate thinks he’s the judge, thinks Jesus is on trial. Soon he finds, no, it’s the other way round; Jesus is the judge, and he himself (With his emperor!) is in the dock. Painful truth.  Graceful truth.

The King who judges Pilate, and us, will soon die for his subjects.  Thanks be to God. The King who died is risen and lives forever, in his subjects… But AS we are his subjects.  Are we his subjects?  Who, or what, is sovereign in our lives, in our life together?

As we are his subjects, we are his servants, his presence in the world. As we are his slaves, we know perfect freedom, and the world is loved. St. Teresa of Avila (1515–1582) wrote the poem below, a wonderful poem for the Sunday we call Christ the King.

Christ Has No Body

Christ has no body but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which he looks Compassion on this world,

Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,

Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,

Yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world.

Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood,  and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.