Thy Kingdom Come!

A few years after converting to Catholicism and before I had a major awakening into Catholic Sacred music, I listened copiously to Christian Rock.  I enjoyed the likes of, Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman, Jennifer Knapp, Jaci Velasquez, Chris Rice, and Rachel Lampa to name just a few.  It wasn’t until I started figuring out that many of our brothers and sisters in the Christian Rock biz referred to us Catholics in less than Christian terms and a few were downright hostile to the Eucharist – referring to our Blessed Sacrament as a “death cookie”.  Needless to say this abruptly ended my infatuation with the whole Christian music scene.  I do still like a few of those tunes however and today on this feast of Christ the King, I waxed a little Third Day and the song that is featured above.  Though my musical tastes have shifted dramatically, this song still does something to me. 

A pivotal line in the lyric goes like this:

“But you left your throne in the sky, just to live inside my heart”

I suspect the theology may be slightly off in this rendering, the meaning to me is not lost.

On this most sacred Feast of Christ the King, my thoughts turn towards what it might be like to entertain a head of state.  I would want everything to be perfect; spit and polish down to the last detail.  The meal would be sumptuous;  my home would be immaculate.  I would make sure that my Guest’s needs were attended to that they felt perfectly at home and comfortable in my care.  In common parlance, I would

turn my life upside down in order to hospitably entertain this very important Guest. 

There may be some things that would need to be “fixed”.  I will need to dispense with the amazing amounts of clutter piles that have collected all around the house.  I might even take on some remodeling projects that have been shelved for other pressing matters.  I will, of course, need to review etiquette with my teenagers I would need to be certain that I have take the appropriate time to plan out all of the events and happenings of the evening.  No small task! Hospitality is a big deal. It happens when we prepare exteriorly for house parties and very important visitors but it should also happen interiorly for our soul’s Sweet Guest – the King of Glory.

So, the way I see it is that me and Zaccheus have something very much in common.  He’s up in a tree and gets the very clear message that he’s about to be entertaining this JESUS figure…in his home.  He’s got some work to do, yes?  So do I.  He’s got to make every detail right…so do I.  But there’s more than window washing that needs to take place.  Zaccheus made amends with every person that he stole money from.  He not only offered  “even stevens”…he paid it forward fourfold.  He did the internal work necessary for entertaining his Guest.  So must I.  I must remove clutter piles of envy, rivalry, deceit and calumny.  I must review my own etiquette and appearance:  Do my actions match my words?  Do I put others in the near occasion of sin by my dress? Is my heart a worthy throne for this Most Holy King? I am subject, He is object.  He chooses to make His throne my heart.  Have I adequately prepared a place for him there or am I still caught up in worldly pursuits?   I am reminded in today’s liturgy that Christ comes to dwell in me.  He comes to build His kingdom within my soul.  If I consent to this with my will, He will "replace my stony heart with a natural heart"; I will be remade in His likeness- in the Glory of the King of Heaven. 

Who is this King of Glory?  He is your Lord and Savior. He is your heart’s deepest longing.  May His radiance dispel all of the dark and shadows.  May He reign in your heart.  This King of Glory is Jesus Christ.  He was, He is and He is to come.  Are you ready?

“All the heavens cannot hold you Lord. How much less to dwell in me….I can only make my one desire holding onto to thee.”