We have arrived at the last Sunday of the liturgical year, the solemnity of Christ the King. Let us reflect upon what it means to have Jesus Christ as our King.
The first reading, from the Second Book of Samuel, makes mention of David leading Israel out and bringing it in. This is a reference to the fact that David was an army commander, a general, so to speak – and he was the one who assembled the warriors to go out into battle, and return from it. The people want to anoint David as king, because David exercised his function well, and brought many victories to the Israelites. In a similar way, Christ is the King. Christ did not lead an army, although he was well aware of the fact that he could have men fighting for him. He responds to Pilate, when he is being interrogated by him during the Passion: “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” (John 18:36). When you lead a group of soldiers into battle, you risk your life, but also risk their lives. Not too long ago we observed Remembrance Day, when we recalled that many had made the ultimate sacrifice – many lost their lives – in the great wars of the past century. Jesus approached it differently. Instead of leading a group of men, Jesus waded into combat by himself, took the brunt of the fighting upon himself, risked his life only. In the garden of Gethsemane, when he is about to be arrested, Jesus is concerned about the safety of his apostles, and says to the soldiers “if you seek me, let these men go” (John 18:8). In other words, I am the one you are seeking, let my followers go. Saint Augustine speaks of Christ as King and Priest, and he puts it this way: „As our King He did battle for us; as our Priest He offered Himself for our sake. When He fought for us, He was as one defeated; yet He truly conquered. He was crucified, yet from the Cross to which he was fastened, He defeated the devil.; and from this He became our King” (The Sunday Sermons of the Great Fathers, M.F. Toal ed., vol. 4, 1963, p. 455).
The second reading from the Solemnity, from the Letter to the Colossians,speaks of Jesus’ victory over all things, saying that He is before all things and he is the first born of the dead. So, while at times it seems that evil is winning, God is working. One by one, He is putting all His enemies under His feet. One day, even death itself will be destroyed. The paradox of the Cross shouts to us that God conquers, not by brutality and cruel strength, but by charity, forgiveness, mercy, the winning over of hearts, the conversion of people.
In the Gospel we have examples of how people want Jesus to exercise his kingship. Jesus is hanging on the cross, and he is challenged to “save himself” – this by the leaders and the soldiers. One of the criminals hanging with him, cries out “Save yourself and us”, while the other criminal accepts his fate and asks Jesus to be with him in the Kingdom. Perhaps we too at times have this temptation to tell Jesus how to be a king, in power and glory, in a Church which is to be powerful and glorious. Yet, the sacrifice on the Cross, the kingship of Jesus, does not need human power or human glory. In a similar way, the Church is not to seek earthly glory. Lumen Gentium states, “Thus, the Church, although it needs human resources to carry out its mission, is not set up to seek earthly glory, but to proclaim, even by its own example, humility and self-sacrifice”(LG 8).
Perhaps we too fall into the temptation to “save ourselves” – to rely upon ourselves, technology, our own willpower and strength.
The Solemnity of Christ the King brings to mind Christ’s Kingship and the Queenship of His Blessed Mother. Let us entrust ourselves to their protection and care.
(Fr. Pawel Ratajczak, OMI, Nov. 24, 2019)