Delivered on November 26th

Today is observed in the church calendar as Christ the King Sunday – originally meant as a declaration that the way of Christ is more authoritative and powerful than all the dictatorships and totalitarian governments of the world. But ‘Christ the King’ tends to conjure up pictures of triumph and glory – a triumph and glory often not of Jesus but of the Church as an institution. So, in this church our custom is to light a black candle. From next Sunday we will be lighting candles that represent hope and joy, but we feel it appropriate on this Sunday to think about the world that needs the coming of Christ. And if ever there was a sense of such a need, it is certainly now.

Like most of us, I have always been in the habit of listening to the news and saying to myself, ‘That’s bad”, or ‘That’s good’. But recently I find myself being much more upset by the news. I have heard other people say this too. It may be my age! We tend to get more emotional as we get older. But I think there is more to it than that.

In the past few years there have been so many different crises going on at the same time that we often feel overwhelmed by the bad news coming from all directions: the Covid pandemic, the state of the Health Service, the cost of living crisis, the war in Ukraine, the waves of refugees and the negative attitude to them, the terrible situation in Israel and Palestine, the chaotic state of our government, the rise of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, the rise of the far right in some countries, increasing prejudice against lesbian, gay and transgender people, social problems: drugs, knife crime, etc., the effects of climate change and the failure to do anything about it, some scientists saying that there will be a complete breakdown of society in the next few years, lying, ‘post-truth’, and AI. That’s just 14, and perhaps you can think of others!

When meeting with young people who are anxious and depressed about their problems, I have often tried somehow to assure them that they have their whole life before them, and from my experience as an old man I can say that things will get better. But today I can’t be so sure about that. Sometimes I look at young parents with their babies and think, ‘What kind of world have they brought those children into?’

As Christian believers, how do we react to all this?

First, we need to say that there is nothing wrong with feeling depressed or pessimistic and giving expression to our feelings. In many parts of the Bible we see the way some of the greatest teachers and prophets gave vent to their feelings. Listen to two examples:

Psalm 12: the psalmist, towards the end, expresses some faith: ‘You, O LORD, will protect us…’. But he still can’t help falling back into the negative: ‘On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among humankind.’

Then there is this chilling vision of Jeremiah, who at that moment can see no future: Jeremiah 4:19-26.

There are many more. Job doubts whether God cares at all: ‘From the city the dying groan, and the throat of the wounded cries for help; yet God pays no attention to their prayer.’ (Job 24:12)

And Jesus on the cross says: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’

Our Christian witness doesn’t mean trying to explain why there is so much bad in the world. Nor does it mean glibly saying that it’s all going to work out for the best. And it certainly doesn’t mean turning our backs on the world in the belief Jesus will suddenly return and everything will be well – at least, for those of us who believe. But at the same time, it isn’t any use just to despair. Those of us who are safe and comfortable in the world dare not indulge in the luxury of lament and despair. That is an insult to those who are really suffering, and no help to them.

What then are we called to do? Surely, even if we feel helpless to do anything about the world’s problems, we are called to persevere in the three things that Paul says last forever: faith, hope, and love. Keep believing, no matter how thin the evidence may be. Keep hoping – that will encourage those who feel unable to hope. Above all, keep loving: pray for people, be kind to people, don’t judge, take every opportunity to help. In ways like that, we can all light a little candle in the darkness of the world. Why not just think of one thing you can do today to make the world a better place for somebody?