Strength in Surrender

Luke 23:33-43

Father Mark begins by reflecting on Christ the King Sunday, a day when the Church proclaims Jesus as King—yet the Gospel reading presents Jesus not enthroned in glory, but crucified in weakness. While earthly kings rule through domination and triumph, Jesus reveals a radically different kingship. On the cross, mocked and powerless by worldly standards, He embodies forgiveness and self-emptying love, praying even for His executioners. This contrast exposes the emptiness of triumphalism—the human tendency to claim superiority—and invites us to reconsider what divine kingship truly looks like.

The one person who recognizes Jesus as King is not a disciple or religious leader but a condemned criminal crucified beside Him. Hearing Jesus’ prayer for His enemies, the criminal perceives a strength unlike Caesar’s—a strength rooted not in control but in mercy. He dares to hope for forgiveness and asks Jesus to remember him. Jesus’ response—“Today you will be with me in paradise”—reveals that God’s kingdom is not a distant nation-state but an ever-present reality entered through receptivity, surrender, and trust. Paradise begins the moment a human heart opens to divine mercy.

Father Mark emphasizes that Christ’s kingdom operates according to values opposite the kingdoms of this world. Earthly rulers assert power; Christ rules through vulnerability, compassion, forgiveness, and servanthood. To pray “Thy kingdom come” is to surrender our egos and enter this alternative kingdom. Christians, he insists, should avoid merging God and country or seeking salvation in any earthly power. Instead, we are called to manifest Christ’s kingdom here and now—through love, humility, and mercy—allowing Christ the King to reign not by force, but through our transformed lives.

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.