Christ the King (C)

2 Sam 5:1-3; Col 1:12-20; Lk 23:35-43

In 1925 Pope Pius XI instituted a special feast in honor of Christ the King. During this time, Italy was ruled by a dictator in the person of Benito Mussolini who became a close ally of the German dictator Adolf Hitler. Some historians suggest that Pius XI proclaimed the feast of Christ the King in order to remind any pretentious ruler that there is only one true king, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Originally, the feast of Christ the King was celebrated during the month of October. Liturgists moved it to the last Sunday of the Liturgical Calendar Year, which is today, in order to stress the fact that the full celebration of Jesus’ kingship over all creation will happen at the end of time.

Though the feast of Christ the King is recent, its central idea is not. In the second reading, Saint Paul proclaims the kingship of Christ by saying: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him.”

Absolute ownership of creation belongs to Jesus. And yet, the gospel gives us an idea of the sublimity and uniqueness of Christ’ kingship. Jesus is a king rejected, tortured and killed by his own people. While he was hanging on the cross, the rulers and the soldiers laughed at Jesus and said, “He saved others, but he cannot saved himself!” The temptation to make an open, spectacular demonstration of his power was very strong, but Jesus chose not to in order to show the nobility of his lordship. In fact, nowhere in the gospel did Jesus use his power to glorify himself. The Lord used his power only to serve the needs of others, not his personal interest.

As we proclaim Jesus Christ our King, we need to ask ourselves if he really is the one ruling our lives. How are we going to show that we really are making Jesus our king?

On a surface level, we demonstrate that Jesus is our king if we give him a special space in our homes, schools, offices and other places of work. Having images of Jesus and enthroning the Bible are important expressions of our love for the Lord. Unfortunately, what occupy central space in many houses and offices today are beautiful sets of furniture and modern appliances.

On a deeper level, we prove that Jesus is ruling our life if we allow him to influence our moral choices and decisions. Naturally, the life, teachings and works of Jesus affect the disciples’ perspectives, dispositions, affections and intentions. We can say that Jesus is starting to rule our lives when we begin to see things with the eyes of Jesus, to feel situations with the heart of Jesus, to act with the hands of Jesus, and to intend with the mind of Jesus.

Bruce Birch and Larry Rasmussen wrote a portrait of a disciple which I believe would describe a person who allows Jesus to truly rule her life.

Her general way of seeing might become characterized by a set of acquired and nurtured moral sensitivities that search out those often invisible to many in society – the poor, the outcast, the ill, and infirm. She might come to possess a basic posture toward life that is more sensitive than most to human suffering and is at the same time unconcerned with her own needs. She might have a “feel” for where people hurt and be able to empathize deeply.

She might acquire certain specific dispositions, such as an attitude of initial strong trust in people and a lack of suspicion and fear of strangers, and underlying hopefulness about improvement of the human lot, a deep appreciation for nun-human life in the world of nature, and a severe impatience with people’s claim to high and enduring achievement. There may be particular intentions present as well, all of them with plausible ties to the reigning example of Jesus in her life: to always seek non-violent resolution to conflict; to champion the causes of the oppressed; to see the kingdom of God before all else.