You have read about the cut in VAT to encourage a Christmas shopping spree. You will also read, if you look deeper into your newspaper of the Bishop of Liverpool suggesting that now is a good time to change the tax system:Bishop James Jones, said once the recession was over, the tax system should be shifted against the profligate consumerism that helped to fuel the unsustainable boom of the past decade. 'The more you use, the greater the amount of tax you should pay, to create a system that is socially and environmentally just. And I think now is the time to take a new approach.'
Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. A relatively new feast in the Church's
calendar - Pope Pius XI created the feast day on Dec. 11th 1925. His thesis, expressed in a letter was that
“these manifold evils in the world are due to the fact that the majority of men have thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law out of their lives; that these had no place either in private affairs or in politics:
As long as individuals and states refuse to submit to the rule of our Saviour, there will be no really hopeful prospect of a lasting peace among nations.
Men must look for the peace of Christ in the Kingdom of Christ; and we promise to do so.
In the Kingdom of Christ, it seems to us that peace could not be more effectually restored nor fixed upon a firmer basis than through the restoration of the Empire of Our Lord.
We are led in the meantime to indulge the hope of a brighter future at the sight of a more widespread and keener interest evinced in Christ and his Church, the one Source of Salvation, a sign that those who formerly spurned the rule of our Redeemer and exiled themselves from his kingdom were preparing, and even hastening, to return to the duty of obedience.
A group of us met yesterday under the St Mary's Eco Church umbrella to think about what this Church can do to help prevent catastrophic climate change, and to be a sign of hope in a world that does not want to face up to the risk to life and God's good creation from our way of living.
We came up with 3 areas where we try and make some progress in the next few months. The provision of cycle racks at Church and an audit of how people come to Church, the development of Church gardens to grow more things and an audit of what's growing and living round the church. In themselves not a great deal you may say, but a start, a sign of an attitude that says we are hopeful.
I think the way we live and act says more about our theology than any creeds we may or may not recite. We are more into kidology than theology I think most of the time - your parish priest no less so. We talk about how things should be, or how things used to be and should be again - but are not so good at changing ourselves or helping others to change.
We talk about Christ the King but in practice on our thrones other kings are enthroned. We pay lip service to the servant king and his kingdom of justice and peace.
The Pope set the ball rolling with this wonderful festival as we finish the Church's year. We end with a bang - a note of strength and hope before we remind ourselves of our longing for the rule of Jesus Christ.
We reveal who rules - who sits on the throne - in the decisions we make about the economy, and this time of economic contraction will present us with choices. Will we seek to restore the old order - an economy built on consumption or will take the opportunity to change ?
Saying that Christ is King is hopeful. In a world that says there is no other way but war, the King of Peace says follow me. In a world that says the markets rule, the King of the poorest says remember my people, be as a Good Shepherd to them.
As a Church we are only just beginning to connect social justice - and social concern and Charity with the newer greener issues of sustainability, climate change, living in a world without so much oil. It is vital that we connect these areas and let our worship and theology wash over them. The world needs Christ the King to be on the throne as we seek to change our way of living to one that can cope with a changing climate, which seeks to reduce carbon emissions, that cares for the vulnerable.
You may have heard the saying of Bishop Frank Weston at the 1923 Anglo-Catholic Congress: "You cannot claim to worship Jesus in the Tabernacle, if you do not pity Jesus in the slums. . . It is folly -- it is madness -- to suppose that you can worship Jesus in the Sacraments and Jesus on the throne of glory, when you are sweating him in the souls and bodies of his children."We also heard from a Norris Green Gardener yesterday . Clem is a local resident, and tenant representative. When St Christopher's started its garden a few years ago Clem got involved. He had faith that something could be done, that it was worth the work. The garden involves young and old in growing vegetables, planting flowers. Children who have never seen a lettuce grow get to see one. Slugs are particularly popular as is the wormery.
Projects such as Norris Green Fingers are worthy offerings for Christ the King. Christian discipleship is indeed broad in reach - about the care of those in prison, those hungry and in need, but also about the planet that we share
( A sermon I preached a few weeks ago)