Liturgy: “Our Blood-stained Hands”

What is the King’s Liturgy? King’s Liturgy defines our experience together as a Christian community. It outlines the rhythms we celebrate with the Church at large: Scripture readings, Sabbath habits, and celebration of Holy Days and historical events.

This Week’s Lectionary Readings
[SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT] 
Isaiah 11:1-10
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
Romans 15:4-13 
Matthew 3:1-12

This week’s liturgy is contributed by Dominic Zappia, Instructor of Biblical Studies:

We worship a crucified savior. This comes as no surprise to anyone familiar with the tenets of Christianity, but it should shock us. The person who we believe created the universe, has dominion over all things, and saves our souls from death was convicted of sedition, flogged for his crimes, and nailed to a piece of wood so that he might be put on display as an example to prevent others from doing likewise.  Moreover, this individual neither undermined the Roman Empire nor spoke directly of rebellion. Yes, he talked about another kingdom—one marked by meekness, purity, and love. Even the Prefect of Judea who presided over his case knew that he was brought to court on trumped up charges (Luke 23:4). Jesus was an innocent man.

This is the world in which we live. It is a world that spat in the face of its God, beat him, mocked him and then killed him. It is a world that took a blameless man who did not deserve death, and gave him all the violence it could dish out. It was necessary for our salvation for Christ to die but we still killed him. We crucified our Lord.

The murder of Christ is not a lone instance of the suffering humans have caused. We are a people with blood-stained hands who leave a trail of destruction wherever we go. The blood of Abel and all like him continue to cry out against us. Each day the newspapers are filled with tragedy and heartache brought about by human beings.

Last Sunday was the first of Advent, a season where we wait in anticipation for our Lord’s birth. It is a time of longing and expectation. I cannot help but see the world in which we live—one that crucifies its creator and kills its brother—and long for the righteous rule of Christ outlined in Isaiah 11:1-10. I yearn for Jesus to bring justice for the poor and meek. I need his sure hand to punish the wicked and establish peace. I want him to undo the evil that pervades this world, so that the wolf can dwell with the lamb and the child can play with the cobra.

With this said, it is important to recognize that the most remarkable aspect of Christ’s cross is that in this frightful human act God introduced the rule of Christ. We see it almost immediately in the confession of the centurion at the cross. A person who may have just been gambling over Christ’s garment praises God and confesses Jesus to be innocent (Luke 23:47). We then come into contact with Jesus’s reign in the resurrection and ascension, where the innocent crucified Christ is vindicated as he is raised from the dead, ascends into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Through the cross and in the resurrection, the workings of evil begin to come undone. In Christ, death is defeated, the effects of sin overturned, and those who believe don righteousness, bringing into the world the goodness of God by the acts that they daily perform through the power of the Holy Spirit.

In this season of Advent, let us long for the full reign of Christ as we stare into the darkness that permeates this world. Let us also be mindful and rejoice that God grants us a taste of his kingdom now because through Jesus we are able to experience his kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. As we put on Christ Jesus and his righteousness, we are able to participate in the undoing of evil. Come Lord Jesus, we pray.