Deacon Dave Etters
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Encounter a powerful reflection from Deacon Dave on Christ the King—His suffering, His triumph, and the ultimate question we must each answer: Is He King of our hearts? Read or watch the full homily here:
Read the Homily
Deacon Dave:
I’d like to take you on a little imaginary trip to a scene. I invite you to close your eyes for a moment. You are now standing in the Roman governor’s residence, the Praetorium, and there is a battalion of soldiers there.
Deacon Dave:
And a man is brought in, and the back of his clothing is stained with blood from a thrashing that he had just received. He’s stripped of his clothing, clothed in a scarlet robe, and the soldier places a crown of thorns on his head. Another puts a reed in his hand. They blindfold him, they spit upon him, and they slap him and say, “Prophesy, who slapped you?”
Deacon Dave:
Mocked as if he were a king. Now with hindsight, we understand, but even then his disciples had given up hope and fell into doubt and despair. Their hope for the kingdom dashed. This has to be the greatest irony ever.
Deacon Dave:
Very few understood what Jesus meant when he said, “My kingship is not of this world. If my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight.” It became crystal clear to them when the stone was rolled away. The suffering servant rose from the dead and ascended on high. In our second reading today from Colossians, we see that all things were created through him and for him, and in him all things hold together, and he will come again, the ruler of all.
Deacon Dave:
I invite you to close your eyes again.
Deacon Dave:
And he has a name inscribed which no one knows but himself. He is clad in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is the Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, followed him on white horses.
Deacon Dave:
From his mouth issues a sharp sword with which to smite the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed: King of Kings and Lord of Lords. When he returns, he will endure no humiliation, no suffering, or have a death to die. He will come back in his fullness—in power, glory, majesty, and might—as he truly is: King of the Universe.
But the critical question is: Is he King of my heart?