Here now, paradise later.

We’ve been leading up to this Sunday, the last one of the liturgical year. All the readings headed to this point have drawn more and more apocalyptic, which seem sadly fitting to the days in which we live. Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King. Today’s Gospel from Luke is very telling when we think of Christ as our Lord and King of the Universe, especially if we think of this with any sort of eschatological or  apocalyptic view.

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
“Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal.”
Then he said,
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise.”

So here we are

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What kind of king?

A good friend who is a college professor called me recently; she expressed frustration about issues around plagiarism and cheating. As she described the scenario to me, I heard two things; the student appeared to be somewhat defensive, and my friend was ready to lay down the law, hard. Curious about the power dynamics, I asked her about what might happen if, instead of starting with force, what if she began with a question.  If nothing else, my friend would gain the element of surprise, as the student was likely geared for a fight. Skeptical, but open, she agreed.

A few days later she texted me, reporting that the meeting went