Readings: 2 Samuel
5:1 -3; Colossians 1:12-20; Lk 23:35-43
Just A Different
Kind of King
Today is the last Sunday of the year.
Everything that has a beginning must have an end. Next Sunday is the first
Sunday of Advent and the beginning of a new Church’s Year (A). On this last
Sunday, we celebrate the solemnity of Christ the King. Yes, we live in a
democracy and we do not want to be ruled by kings, queens, princes or princesses.
The idea of king, even that of Christ, can send a cold chill down our spines.
But wait a minute! Why this feast? The Solemnity of Christ the King was instituted
by Pope Pius XI in 1925. When it was first celebrated, Benito Mussolini was
Prime Minister of Italy (1922-1943); Adolf Hitler had been out of jail for a
year, and his Nazi party was growing in popularity, and before long, he would
be appointed chancellor of Germany (1933); and Joseph Stalin was General
Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. At the same time, the
world lay in great throes of depression, secularism and atheism were on the
rise. The Pope asserted that the most effective defense against the destructive
forces of the age is the recognition of the kingship of Christ. So, this feast
asks few simple questions: who exercises dominion over you? Who rule your life,
your heart? Who do you listen to?
The children of Israel always regarded God
as their Lord. He is the one who brought them out of the land of Egypt to the
promised land. Though the Lord was in charge, he appointed leaders called
judges to assist him in the day-to-day administration of the people. But when the
Hebrews observed that their neighbors were ruled by kings, they requested for a
king, so that they could be like their neighbors. Samuel tried to discourage
them. He saw it as a rejection of God’s sovereignty. When they insisted, Samuel
warned them: “The rights of the king who will rule you will be as follows: He
will assign your sons to his chariot and horses, and they will run before his
horses… he will set them to do his plowing and his harvesting and make his
implements of war and equipment of his chariot. He will use your daughters as
ointment-makers, as cooks, and as bakers. He will take the best of your fields,
vineyards, and olive groves and give them to his officials. …He will take your
male and female servants, as well as your best oxen and your asses, and use
them to do his work. He will tithe your flocks and your yourselves will become
his slaves.” (1 Samuel 8:10-18). In spite of the warning God gave permission and
Saul became the first king of Israel.
In the first reading, we read of how David,
a brilliant and far-sighted military and political leader became the king of
both the Northern and Southern kingdom of Israel. David was a king after God’s
heart (1 Sam. 13:14). God had promised David through Nathan, “Your house and
your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm for
forever” (2Samuel 7:16). The psalmist
rejoices over the election of David thus: “I have chosen David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him.” (Psalm 89:21). Jesus is a descendant of David and so He is
the promised king whose kingdom will have no end.
Our celebration today shows Christ as a
different kind of king. He is not the type of king described by Samuel above.
By no means! He said so himself to Pilate. “You say I am a king. For this I was
born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who
belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” (Jn. 18:37). But He was quick to
add, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to
this world, my attendants (would) be fighting to keep me from being handed over
to the Jews.” (Jn. 18:36).
The kings of this world are protected by
bodyguards, soldiers, attendants, guns, tanks and military might. But Jesus
does not have any of those, neither did He need them. He surrendered himself
with twelve unlettered men, who ran away from Him at the slightest provocation.
He had no one to speak for him and He did not even defend himself. He was
arrested in the garden, tried at night, convicted of a crime he did not commit
and crucified as a criminal amidst two criminals.
Allow your imagination to wonder,
leisurely, with me through the world, where Christ could possibly be allowed to
be our king. There would be love; yes, love for everyone, regardless of
language, color, creed or status. There would be peace. There would be no wars
or rumors of wars. Prayers would be offered in schools and children would be
brought up to respect their elders; and indeed everyone, and adults would do
same. “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into
pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall
they train for war again” (Is. 21:4). Guns will not be heard of, neither will
there be a need for self-protection. There would be no police brutality in our
streets and the word corruption would not be thought of or discussed in public.
There would be public trust on our social structures. We would respect our
environment and not jeopardize the world by depleting the ozone layers for
selfish national ambition to exert dominion over nations. We would eat healthy
meals and be afraid to poison our bodies with opioid or other substances;
because we know our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. There would be
perfect harmony between human beings and nature and none would harm the other;
because the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord (Is. 11:1-9). It
was only a dream! Wake up now!
This is the picture painted for us today as
we come to the end of this Church’s year. We are to reflect on the bounties
that Christ the king brings. He wants us to emulate him, to do what He has
done. He shows us, by example, how to live, so that we may live in peace with
him in this world and in the next. While dying on the cross, Jesus forgave the
repentant thief and promised him everlasting life. “Amen, I say to you, today
you will be with me in Paradise.” He prayed for those who killed him on the
cross. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Lk.
23:34). He did not forget his mother but entrusted her to John. He did not
forget us either but entrusted us to His mother. (Jn. 19:25-27).
St Luke portrays Jesus as the king reigning
on the cross. He is truly the king of love, mercy and forgiveness. The Preface
at this Mass gives us the kind of kingdom Christ has established for us: “As
king he claims dominion over all creation that he may present to You, his
almighty Father, an eternal and universal kingdom: a kingdom of truth and life,
a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace.” Christ
is our king, for on his Cross He gives us everything without counting the cost.
May we be open to receive his gifts of pardon, mercy and forgiveness. And may
we not be hesitant in offering same to others. May Christ the universal king
welcome us to his kingdom with these reassuring words: “Truly, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise. Amen.
Points to Ponder:
·
Is
Christ the king of my heart?
·
Is
Christ the Lord of my life?
·
Am
I willing to forgive others as I am forgiven by God?
“Don’t
forget to pray today because God didn’t forget to wake you up this morning”
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