Homilies
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King
November 26, 2006
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What’s the Meaning?
“King of the Jews.” This was the sentence nailed to the Cross, just above the bleeding head of Jesus. And today we celebrate this truth, calling it the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ the King. In the readings for the Mass on this day, we learn a great deal about the kingship of Jesus. We learn what it means to say that he is the King of kings, and we learn how we ourselves participate in his kingship.
The first reading recounts the event in which Jesus Christ is made king. Jesus has just risen from the dead and is presented to the Ancient of Days, that is, God the Father. The whole heavenly court is there to witness the event as the Father gives to his Son dominion, glory, and kingship. Henceforth, all peoples and all nations are to serve him.
In the Epistle, we learn what our own role is in this kingdom. Jesus has total power and authority to do whatever he wills. Yet, he has chosen to rule through us. He has decided to make little kings of us. We are to act as mediators, restoring harmony to the universe.
Jesus did all the work. His blood freed us from our sins, and now through baptism we get to join him in bringing glory to the Father. And in the end our work will be successful, for “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him.”
Then the Gospel presents us with a powerful example of Jesus in action, showing us what kind of king he is and he uses his authority.
It is the very day in which Jesus is to accomplish his salvific act for all mankind, the day when he is to earn his role as king. Here we are made privilege to the conversation of two truly powerful men, with two very different world views.
The high priests have worked a coup and delivered Jesus to Pilate, asking that he be put to death. Pilate, of course, smells a rat, but he is more concerned about protecting his job than standing up for Jesus. Nonetheless, he is aware that someone special is standing before him, and he is intrigued.
Pilate asks Jesus: “Are you the King of the Jews?”
Jesus replies: “Do you ask this on your own…” With this reply, we learn what kind of king Jesus is. We learn that Jesus respects our free will and that he wants us to use it to choose righteousness. Instead of being indignant, Jesus treats Pilate as a son whom he loves. In his supremely noble fashion, he is coaxing Pilate to acknowledge his authority.
Then Jesus continues to enlighten Pilate. He takes the time to explain to him the nature of his kingship, that it is of a higher order and that he has come here to earth to testify to the truth of this reality. Then Pilate, almost like a little boy, asks Jesus: “So you are a king?”
Jesus then informs Pilate the truth to which he has just admitted by saying to him: “You say that I am a king.” Then Jesus immediately presents Pilate with the ultimatum. He informs Pilate that if he wishes to belong to truth, he must assent to it. The Truth is standing before him before him at this very moment—in the flesh. Pilate must decide.
But Pilate recoils. He rejects the grace and fires back rhetorically: “What is truth?”
What’s the Message?
The message is clear. Jesus is indeed the King of kings, and he rules in love. Instead of forcing us to do his will, he coaxes us, inviting us to accept the kind of life which he has prepared for us. In fact, his rule is so gentle that he desires that sinners like us act on his behalf. He sends us out like he sent out the 72, to be missionary (cf. Luke 10:1). We are to be priestly. We are to convert the world with the words: “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” (Luke 10:9) Through the Sacraments, we as a priestly people, are to bring about the full restoration of the Kingdom.
We, therefore, are obliged to hold with great hope that, in spite of wars, terrible persecutions, abortion, in spite of the fact that the reign of Christ the King is temporally frustrated, the whole world will one day be united through his redemptive love. And this union will be brought about through the loving kindness of those who follow him.
The redemptive plan of Christ the King was conceived from all eternity. It is only a matter of time before it will be fully realized.
What’s the Response?
Whatever the response is to today’s readings, it must include a paradigm shift. We must begin to see ourselves as leaders. As men who have been commissioned by Jesus Christ to act as priests. We are a priestly nation. Because we have been baptized in Christ, all of us participate in the priesthood.
When was the last time we thought about the consequences of his honor and this responsibility.
As noble servants of the Lord, therefore, we can begin to respond to these readings by praying with the Psalmist in today's Mass:
The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength.
He has established the world;
it shall never be moved;
your throne is established from of old;
you are from everlasting.
Your decrees are very sure;
holiness befits your house,
O Lord, for evermore.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.
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Contribution by Brother Anthony Myers
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