The throne of the ancestors

Thrones are symbols of power, often the unrestrained abuse of power, as we former colonial peoples know only too well. Lord Acton expressed it well when he coined his famous expression with the medieval popes in mind: “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

The corruption that comes with the abuse of power is only too real, something that Samuel feared when he anointed Saul king of Israel . Samuel's fear came to pass as many of the kings of Israel were cruel, idolatrous, promiscuous and corrupt.

Yet in today's gospel the angel says to Mary: “ The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. ” Jesus therefore is to occupy a “ throne ”. The key to understanding this throne is David, king of Israel .

In his early days as king David occupied his own throne; it was not the “throne” of his ancestors – Abraham, Moses, Elijah – great and humble men in the eyes of the Lord. He occupied his own throne: he surrendered to lust, committed adultery and murder, pursued harsh construction policies and presumed he could build the Lord God of Hosts a house (today's first reading).

He forgot the Lord took him from pasture minding sheep and made him great. After his admission of sin and his conversion of heart David occupied the real throne – the “ throne of his ancestors ”. He became famous as a good and holy king, so much so that all the 150 psalms are attributed to him.

We, too, are like David; we search in vain for happiness in an earthly throne – money, power, fame, sex, drugs. Then, after a long and arduous journey, we discover that only the throne Jesus occupied can bring us true happiness – “ the throne of his ancestor David. ”

Some years ago there was a reflection on priesthood at La Divina Pastora presbytery, Siparia. Three categories of priests were asked to share – young, middle-aged, and senior.

I suppose Fr Patrick Brennan fell in the last category but his contribution stayed with me the most. He said as a young priest in Trinidad he was confident and bubbling with energy; he knew he was priest because he was ordained by his bishop.

However, as time progressed he discovered another “ordination” – by the lay people with whom he worked; they too “ordained” him priest and without their “ordination” he could never understand what priesthood was about.

“Consecrated” at the hands of his bishop and at the hands of the lay people, he too eventually took his place on “ the throne of his ancestor David. ”

The “ throne of the ancestor David ” is not acquired by one's own effort but is conferred upon by others. In a family a son may become a more brilliant doctor than his devout and noble father but it does not follow he occupies the throne of his father in the area of medicine; a businesswoman may become much wealthier and more influential than her mother who was a community-based, small businesswoman, but it does not follow that she thereby occupies her mother's throne in that regard.

When the Mighty Shadow won the Calypso Monarch title some years ago, David Rudder said that early Carnival Monday morn: “The people correct Shadow papers.” It is only when God's people “correct our papers” can it be said that we occupied “ the throne of our ancestor David ”– that we lived well with others, we suffered faithfully, we followed the narrow path, like the patriarchs, above all, like Jesus.

Lord, we thank you for the great and humble people in the eyes of the Lord – those who occupied the throne of their ancestor David. We thank you they were not deluded by the earthly thrones of power, that they exercised their authority in such a way that they did not trample on the crushed reed or snuff out the wavering flame.

We ask you to forgive us for the times we became arrogant and foolish, when we went in frantic search of the earthly throne thinking it would bring us happiness. Oh how disappointed we were! We ask you to forgive us for hurting others in our vain attempts to secure an earthly throne that was already passing away.

Lord, help us not to put ourselves on thrones but to let Jesus put us there. Protect us from conferring titles on ourselves; instead, let God's faithful people “correct we papers for de exam He set”. And after our earthly pilgrimage is ended, gather us around the campfire of the elders who gaze in eternal wonder at the Lamb seated on the throne of his ancestor David. Amen.

Gospel meditations for the month of December are by Fr Martin Sirju, parish priest of Princes Town.