This week we celebrate the feast of Christ the King and in John’s portrayal of kingship we see two men facing each other---each with a different style of leadership.

We have Pilate the Roman Emperor who represents an earthly worldly kingdom where leaders exercise their power over the powerless little ones—a kingdom where there is military power and political intrigue.

And we have Jesus who is king of a kingdom not of this world---whose followers are on the side of truth, not on waging war, to prevent him from being surrendered to the Jews. This king bears witness to the truth.

Pilate asks the questions seeking to find out the identity of Jesus. He doesn’t know who Jesus is. The Jewish leaders had handed over Jesus to him. So he is the defendant in this interrogation.

Yet John exposes Pilate for who he is. He is the interrogator but it is he who is interrogated. He asks questions and Jesus responds with questions. Jesus knows who he is—he is full of self-confidence.

He knows that he is a king, but of a different kind of kingdom not a kingdom where men fight each other for power and glory, but a kingdom whose followers are on the side of truth.

People like Martin Luther King, Gandhi and Oscar Romero who were on the side of peace not war. Non-violent response from the violence of the powerful was their style of leadership and they suffered the ultimate consequence—death.

We think of Mother Teresa who was a tiny, humble woman—the foundress of the Sisters of Charity. She was a leader recognised worldwide who was able to accomplish much for the kingdom of God through her love and care for the poor the sick and dying on the streets of Calcutta.

The story is told of Mother Teresa visiting a rich, powerful leader, seeking a contribution of medical supplies for her work with the sick. Her request was not granted. She said nothing but sat down and prayed her Rosary and at the end of her prayer the powerful earthly leader granted her request. Her kingdom was not of this world.

We think also of our late beloved Archbishop Pantin who on being ordained bishop made a decision to live among the poor in Laventille. He was a man who aligned himself with the poor and the simple people. But he was also self-confident. He knew who he was and why he came into the world--- to bear witness to the truth. Many listened to his voice.

We need to examine the style of leadership that we exercise—as parents, as teachers, as businessmen and women, as Church leaders and political leaders. Is our leadership on the side of truth or on the side of falsehood and power?

We think of the kingdoms in existence today--- the United States of America, called the most powerful nation on earth and its alliance with other like-minded leaders to launch heinous war.

We see leaders using their power and influence to destroy nations, wipe out children and women with the resulting poverty and destitution. Their kingdoms are of this world. They do not listen to the voice of truth.

And we see leaders with self -confidence like Jesus who speak about what a kingdom of truth should be like. We remember Pope John Paul II admonishing George Bush--the President of the USA-- about going to war against Iraq with all their military power and modern weaponry. We have seen his words of truth come to pass—“There are no victors in war—one war just leads to another.”

We also reflect on our beloved country of Trinidad and Tobago, which can boast of wealth flowing from billions of oil dollars. Everyone is seeking their piece of the pie through fair or foul means. But true development does not come from wealth alone. What kind of kingdom do we have?

Certainly not a kingdom that bears witness to the truth. With all the wealth and power of business leaders, political leaders, even religious leaders, our country is on a path of destruction. Our leaders are not listening to the voices of those on the side of truth.

We thank you Lord, for those leaders in our world and in our Church who have been like Jesus in their style of leadership. We pray that like Nelson Mandela we may be concerned not with seeking retribution from those who have been unjust to us but rather to seek to forgive, recognising that our kingdom is not of this world.
Lord, we ask for your forgiveness for the times when we have been like Pilate and when our focus has been on aligning ourselves with the falsehood and the power of earthly kingdoms. We have not listened to the voice of truth.
We pray that we may come to a place of light and truth in our lives recognising why we were born—that we came into the world to bear witness to the truth.

Gospel Meditations for November are by Linda Wyke. An active member of the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, San Fernando, Linda, a mother and grandmother, is a former Archdiocesan Director of Religious Education.