>>The teenage boy had just gotten his driver’s license and asked his father when he could possibly use the car.

His father said, he’d make his son a deal. “Son, bring up your grades. Study your bible. And get your haircut. Then we’ll talk about the use of the car.” The boy thought about it for a moment and they agreed upon it.

About six weeks later the father said to his son, “Son, you’ve brought up your grades tremendously. So very proud of you. And I’ve observed you are studying your bible four or five times a week. Very commendable. But, I’m very, very disappointed that you haven’t gotten your haircut yet.”

The boy said, “You know dad, I’ve been thinking an awful lot about it. I’ve noticed in my studies in the bible that Sampson had long hair. John the baptist had long hair. Moses had long hair. Jesus had long hair.”

To this the father replied, “Son, you are absolutely right! But did you ever notice they all walked everywhere they went?”

[laughter]

The point of the story is at times we are ready to pull out our hair. At times our lives feel confused, meaningless, hopeless. We feel everyone, including God may have abandoned us. Christ the King turns upside down our understanding of Jesus Christ.

Let me come to a better understanding of this great feast from this angle.

When we go shopping for clothes, home items, or Christmas gifts usually the first question we ask, once we begin looking at the different items is: how much does it cost? We usually look at the item and then immediately check out the price tag.

We all know that nothing is free, everything costs something that’s why we ask: what does it cost? The same holds true in our personal life beyond the price tag in the store. There’s a price to be paid for our choices. There are consequences.

This Feast of Christ the King brings us to the end of liturgical church year and a fitting celebration. We celebrate the one who rules over us, not with power but rather with compassion and love.

At times we suffer, hurt, our life is turned upside down. But Christ our King, servant who served, who suffered. And suffering can make us better or bitter and the choice is ours.