No Kings Reloaded

 

Appreciating how humans inevitably serve someone

11/23/2025

Luke 23:35-43 The rulers sneered at Jesus and said, "He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God." Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, "If you are King of the Jews, save yourself." Above him there was an inscription that read, "This is the King of the Jews." 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."

A couple of weeks ago I preached a homily called “No Kings Marches.” Did you happen to hear it in person at Mass, or perhaps read it on Facebook? In that homily I argued that while democracy is wonderful for societies and civil government, it clashes with Christianity and Church government. Why?

Well, because in the Church we find not a democracy but a hierarchy – deacon, priest, bishop, pope – and at the top of this ladder of authority we find Jesus Christ, the King of Kings. But after I preached and published that homily, I got a lot of push back from people who felt I was misguided, and I was misguiding other people.

Well, folks, guess what feast we celebrate today? It is none other than “Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe”! I hope there are no protesters outside this Sunday walking along Garrison Avenue in a “No Kings March” upset about today’s feast of our King. So I want to take another stab at explaining why hierarchy fits our faith better than democracy does.

All three scriptures today speak loudly about kings and kingdoms. In 2 Sam 5:3, we read: “The elders of Israel came to David…and they anointed him king of Israel.” St. Paul writes to the Colossians in the second reading: “[God] delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.”

And in the gospel, the good Thief acknowledges Jesus as King, and humbly requests: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” In other words, when we have a robust understanding of kings and kingdoms – when our social paradigm is a hierarchy – the Bible comes alive. But if we approach the Scriptures with the social construct of a democracy, it remains largely a closed book.

Another advantage of thinking hierarchically instead of democratically is we begin to perceive how we all serve someone. That is, we will either serve Jesus as King, or we will serve some other king. And, by the way, no one knows this servant paradigm (or hierarchical model) better members who belong to Alcoholics Anonymous.

AA’s first two Steps are very telling: “(1) we admitted to we were powerless over alcohol,” meaning they became servants to alcohol. And “(2) We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” That is, they choose to be servants to the Almighty instead of alcohol. Recovering alcoholics are the happiest people you ever meet because they have discovered the joy of being servants of a good King.

We can see another common example of serving a king when a boy falls in love with a girl. How so? Well, the boy does the will of his new queen instead of what he wants. Heck, he will even go to church and Mass with her just to make his queen happy. And after they get married and have children, they both become servants of their tiny new masters.

Mom and dad serve their children gladly and lovingly by losing sleep, working two jobs, sacrificing their own pleasures and pursuits to put their kids first. And when they have grandchildren, they become indentured servants. Some even move to Northwest Arkansas and make the supreme sacrifice of not coming Mass at I.C. in Fort Smith. Seriously?

Why do parents make all of these sacrifices for their children and grandchildren? Simple: they have discovered one of the greatest truths of being human, the same truth the good Thief discovered hanging on the Cross, namely, to be human is to be hierarchical. We all serve someone. The only question is “Who do you serve?”

One of the most iconic scenes in the Old Testament is the moment when Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land and makes a covenant between them and God. Many Christians proudly display Joshua 24:15 in their homes to remember that ancient covenant and acknowledge that hierarchy fits our faith better than democracy does. How so?

Well, because the only way to enter a covenant with God is to accept him as a King and to serve him. You see, God and man are not two equals who enter into a social contract in some sort of democratic arrangement where we vote on what we want and veto what we don’t want. Rather, we are sinners in need of a King to save us from slavery to other masters.

Listen to Joshua 24:15 in full: “If it is displeasing to you to serve the Lord, choose today whom you will serve, the gods your ancestors served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling.” And then comes the money verse which everyone knows by heart: “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

In other words, choosing a king and serving him in his kingdom is the inescapable, hierarchical human condition. Why? Because we all serve someone – heck, even those walking in No Kings Marches serve someone, their kids and grandkids. The only question is “Who do you serve?”

Praised be Jesus Christ!