Today we observe the feast of Reign of Christ, also known as Christ the King Sunday. It marks the end of our liturgical calendar. We remember what our liturgical and religious calendars has been preparing us for all year. It is for the Reign of Christ. It seems fitting for us to stand at the cross of death, just as the hope of Advent is about to begin. While the gospel presents Jesus as the King of the Jews, the fundamental question for us is: what kind of king do we look up to? Let us first consider the words of prophet Jeremiah. He describes this king with images of shepherds. He condemns the leaders of his time as shepherds who mislead and abused their flock. He paints a picture of the oppression the people of Israel faced. He contrasts it with the true king who would rule differently. Scripture consistently addresses rulers, kings, and leaders of the people. Whenever prophets of Yahweh spoke, kings and rulers grew uncomfortable. This raises a question for us to think about what are we doing in our communities to speak on behalf of those who are being oppressed and mistreated. With which of the shepherds do we stand? Jeremiah continues to state the righteous branch who will execute justice. Jeremiah connects his prophecy to the Reign of Christ. Christ’s reign in God’s kingdom is here and near to us through the incarnation of Jesus Christ. That reign was demonstrated physically on earth from birth in Bethlehem to death on the cross on Golgotha. From that demonstration comes a command that we are to live according to the values of Christ’s reign. It is totally different from all other kingdoms of this world. The reign of Christ contrasts the power of force and the power of compassion, while also standing firmly for what is right. The gospel presents the event where the power of force destroying the power of compassion by crucifying Jesus. The religious leaders wanted to silence the power of compassion. They mocked the power of compassion: “if you are the Christ, come down from the cross, and we will believe.” People approached crucified Jesus the “King of the Jews” with sarcasm and mockery. The crowds, the soldiers and even one of the criminals on the cross joined the mocking. An innocent man was wrongfully put to death, and the people rejoiced. It’s a sign that something is terribly wrong in this world. They ignored or stay naïve about what was wrong. They amused themselves at someone else’s pain. They probably excused their cruelty by saying, “If you don’t mock and demean a criminal on the cross, how will others learn the lesson?” They wanted to follow a “buff Jesus” a king of force. A Christ, who would break the cross while still nailed to it, snapping the horizontal beam with sheer strength. But Jesus spoke forgiveness. “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Even in agony, he revealed the power of compassion. Luke tells us that the other criminal heard the mocking and rebuked him: “Do you not fear God? We belong here: he does not!” This criminal is the only one who treated Jesus as King. He acknowledged his own guilt and pleaded mercy. He sought a version of royal clemency: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Faced with his own mortality and guilt, the criminal sought mercy with humility. That was not the response of the crowds or soldiers. In a world full of death and where suffering should awaken us to our own fragility and mortality, may we cry out, “Lord have mercy! Remember us!” What we cry depends on how we see Jesus? Where do we stand? Do we stand among the mocking crowd, or with the criminal who asks for mercy? We must truly be thankful for the kind of king, who prays for forgiveness for his enemies and promises paradise to the repentant. Let us recall the words of St Paul in the epistle to Colossians: “God has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” [Colossians 1:13-14] The gospel shows us the clash of kingdoms: the power of force against the power of compassion. This is the king we follow — the king who forgives his enemies, who welcomes the repentant, who promises paradise. Not a king of force, but a king of compassion. Not a king of cruelty, but a king of mercy. Not a king of death, but a king of life. That is Christ the King we celebrate today. Amen.