Solemnity of Christ the King
By Fr. Chinnappan Pelavendran
Today we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. When I say “the King” to you, I am sure several images and concepts will immediately come to your mind, among them: a throne, white robes, kingship, servants, and feasts. judgment, glory, and dominion. The King we are going to reflect on today is something different from other kings. “His Kingdom will be a Kingdom of truth and life, a Kingdom of holiness and grace, and a Kingdom of justice, love, and peace.”
The first reading today comes from the book of the Prophet Ezekiel and shows us God as a Shepherd. God himself will come personally to tend his sheep because the entrusted shepherds have not been found worthy of their charge. God will take care of the sick and weak sheep but will separate and punish those who have made themselves strong at the expense of the weak. This is the work of our king, something different from other kings. “I will seek the lost. I will bring back the strayed. I will bind up the injured. I will strengthen the weak.”
The kingship of Jesus is different from that of other kings. During His life on earth, Jesus was born in the royal Davidic family. In the annunciation narrative, we have the angel Gabriel bringing the good news to Mary in Nazareth, saying, “He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. His Kingdom will never end.” When the Magi came to Jerusalem, they asked, “Where is he who is born King of the Jews?”
Jesus preached the Kingdom of God and told the disciples to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. It means we must give first place in our lives to God. It means we must come under the rule of His kingship. We must confess that Jesus is the Lord and King. Yet, He called his disciples friends, not servants and bestowed on them a share in his priesthood and kingship. Though he died, unlike other kings, he died willingly to save his people, and his death was not a result of loss but of a glorious victory planned by his Father.
During his passion, he manifested that he was the King and died on the cross with the title that he was the King of the Jews. He was left alone to be mocked, insulted, beaten, humiliated, and finally to die a criminal’s death. His own disciples left him and ran away when he needed them the most. It was one of the thieves who was crucified with Him who recognized him as a king, and asked for a place in his Kingdom. Jesus promised him that place. The Lord’s death also shows that He is the king who came to serve all, even His enemies. He said: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” His life, teachings, and death spell out a Kingdom of justice. At the same time, we know that when our King judges the world, his just judgment is balanced with radical love, mercy, peace, and forgiveness.
As the followers of Jesus, we need to surrender our lives to Christ’s rule because He is our King. We must do his will by sharing His forgiving love with others around us. This is what asked his disciples to do. And so, this feast is an invitation to all those who have power or authority in the government, in public office, in educational institutions, and in the family, to reflect. Are we using the authority we have been given by Jesus in the way He used His authority? Are we using our God–given authority to serve others with love and compassion as Jesus did? As parents, are we using our God–given authority to train our children in Christian values?
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