Every human action is a religious action.
Modern architecture was brought to America in the 1920’s, by refugees from the German Bauhaus art school. They were the leaders of a revolution, who aspired to design homes and buildings that fostered devotion to the ideals of Marxism. It took like wild fire. Over the next several decades, skyscrapers, apartment complexes, and Christian churches across the country celebrated the new look. America was transformed.
Fourteen decades earlier, a different kind of architecture was born. St. Benedict of Nursia founded orders of monks and nuns who set aside eight hours a day for contemplation, and spent the rest of their time gardening, painting, and building. An energy was lit in the monasteries; an energy that inspired cathedrals, illuminated manuscripts, and, later, the city designs, classical music, clothes, and even table manners thoughout Holy Christendom. A civilization was born: a living environment that focused one’s heart and affections towards a King, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Every human action is a religious action.
Everything you do is an act of worship. The way you wake up in the morning, the television shows you watch, the games you play, the way you balance your check book, each and every detail of your life forms your soul. This is the liturgy of daily life and the expression of the God in your heart. Who is your King?
“Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born” (John 18:33-37).
What a question: “Are you the King of the Jews?”
Pilate considered himself a king of a kind. He had long associated with worldly kings and deemed himself an expert on kingly matters. But Pilate had no clue who he was speaking to. “Are you a King?” He was standing before not only the king of the Jews, but the king of the universe. “My kingdom is not from here.” Christ’s kingship extends far back before his birth, even before the birth of the Jews, and the birth of Adam and Eve.
He is the King that has kinged since before time.
“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3-4).
He is a king more fearful than the storms at sea.
“The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; it is the glorious God that maketh the thunder…The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedar trees…The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire…and the LORD remaineth a Kíng foréver” (Psalm 29:3,5,7,9).
“Are you a King?
Yet, at this moment, the upholder of the universe stood humbly before Pilate. The voice of God condescended to our mortal level. He stood before Pilate as a simple man, in simple clothes, in a simple race. He stood quietly, patiently, because today, his humanity would be crowned King. His kingship would take on a new degree of kingship, unlike anything the universe had ever seen.
Daniel foretold this coronation long ago: “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him” (Daniel 7:13-14).
St. John the Eagle beheld this king crowned in heaven: “He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. . . . On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:13, 16).
The voice of God, upholder of creation, crowned on the cross, conqueror of hell, victor of heaven — what a king!
How then would it be to become a servant to such a king? The honor of it, the nobility, the purpose — we cannot grasp it.
Why are we waisting our lives with anything else? We get so excited about a promotion or raise. We get so upset about petty losses or meaningless slights. We lose sleep and obsess about dust, nothing but dust. We use up the little time we have on earth like a dog, chasing his tail, ready to fight and die for a bowl of bland food. In the end, almost nothing that we do will really matter. Meanwhile, heaven has presented an opportunity with such eternal glory we cannot fathom it. God has given us a chance to serve at his side. We may become servants of the king of kings.
But how do we do this?
If a boy were determined to become a knight, he must forsake friends, family, and home. He would set off to find a knight worthy of adoration. When finding one, he would fall on his knees, swear fealty, and serve by his lord’s side, day and night, in peace and battle. When finally proving himself in strength and courage, he made the oath of fealty to his king, promising allegiance till death. This is what it means to be a servant of God.
Every human action is a religious action. The way you wake up in the morning, the television shows you watch, the games you play, the way you balance your checkbook, each and every detail of our life is an act of worship. The question remains: who are we worshipping?
Can we call Christ our King? Are we loyal servants?
The government does not determine our lifestyle. The media does not determine our lifestyle. Our employer does not determine our schedule, neither do our neighbors our values or tastes. We determine it. We choose how we will live. We choose whether our life will be a meaningless march to the beat of nihilistic drums, or a noble endeavor to serve the King of Kings.
Christ is King. May he give us strength to adore him!