Leading with a Towel

On last Sunday’s feast of Christ the King, Pontius Pilate and Jesus are discussing Kings and Kingdoms.  The kind of Kingdom Pilate has in mind is the King of the Roman Empire.  His throne is the seat of power and his army controls the borders, his weapons include horses, lances, bows and arrows, and his riches provide a luxurious life-style.

And Jesus’ notion of a king is a Servant King. His throne is the cross.  His army are His disciples.  His riches are the poor, the leprous, the marginalized, the prostitutes and sinners.  And He leads with a towel.  It’s the towel of a servant King who washes feet.  And that Servant King asks His followers to lead with towels too. 

Our Servant King is in charge of the final judgment. He will separate the sheep from the goats. The sheep will enter the Kingdom because they fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, clothed the naked, welcomed the homeless, visited the sick and imprisoned. And our Servant King says: "What you did for my least brother or sister…you did for me."

Question: How are you leading with a towel this week?