This Sunday, we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, which is more popularly known as the Feast of Christ the King. While the feast has biblical roots, its observance was instituted more recently, in 1925 by Pope Pius XI. He did so in response to the growth of secular thinking in the West, whereby Christ was being pushed more and more out of the public sphere. The pope sought to remind the faithful and the world at large that Christ is King of all the world, now and always.
The Feast of Christ the King has various dimensions and applications to our lives. As discussed before, the Israelites expected the Messiah to be a great military conqueror, who would overthrown the Roman Empire, which was occupying the Holy Land at the time. In place of Roman rule, the Messiah would set up a new, glorious Israelite kingdom with Jerusalem as its capital.
However, Christ proved to be a very different kind of Messiah. He came as the Suffering Servant foreshadowed in the Book of Isaiah. He came to lay his life down for the salvation of all of humanity through his death upon the Cross. Rather than breaking the bondage of the Roman Empire, he broke the bondage of sin.
He would in time enter into his glory and receive kingship, but first he had to suffer and undergo death by crucifixion. In the Gospel passage for this Sunday, Pilate is asking Jesus whether or not he is the King of the Jews just as he is about to sentence Jesus to death. The tension of the scene underscores the nature of Christ's mission. Christ is King. But he does not claim his power until after he has lain his life down in self-sacrificial love.
As followers of Christ, we must do the same. Christ has promised us glory - eternal glory with him in Heaven. But the path to that glory is through the Cross. We too must be crucified. True, most of us will not be physically martyred, though we must not entirely count out that possibility. But we are all called to daily martyrdom in giving of our lives to others. We too must lay our lives down in self-sacrifice as Christ did for us. As Christ has assured us, our sharing in his self-sacrifice will be followed by our sharing in his glory.
Another aspect of the Feast of Christ the King is the call to make Christ the King of our lives. We should seek to place all of our actions, decisions, words, and thoughts under the authority of Christ. We should invite him to be King of every aspect of our lives. The Feast of Christ the King is also a good time to enthrone Christ formally in our homes. Either individually or together with those with whom we might be sharing our home, we should ask Christ to be the King of our home, giving him authority over everything that happens there. (Please see the prayer at the end of this reflection.)
The Feast of Christ the King also points toward a key doctrine of the Church, the social kingship of Christ. As this doctrine states, the kingship of Christ is not limited to the New Jerusalem, which will be established at the end of the world. No, Christ is already King now. As Catholics, our task is to bring society into harmony with the kingship of Christ. Our laws, our policies, our social institutions should all be aligned with the values of Christ. Just as we are individually all called to make Christ the center of our lives, we should work as members of the Church to make Christ the center of society.
Today, our society needs Christ more than ever before. As Christ has been pushed out of culture more and more, we see a deepening sense of brokenness in the lives of people. The further we get from Christ, the more unwell people are becoming. Only the love of Christ can heal this brokenness and make us well. Whether we seek to address problems on a smaller personal scale or a grander societal scale, the love of Christ is the only answer. Only the grace of Christ can end wars, heal families, and restore our hearts. Let us, therefore, be instruments of Christ in the world and let us be channels of his love to all people, especially those who need him to most.
To consecrate our lives to Christ and to invite him to be King of our lives let us pray this prayer together today:
Consecration to Christ the King
Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, today, I consecrate my life and my home to you. I place myself, all that I am, all that I have, all that I do, under your kingship, your authority. Guide all my thoughts and actions, the whole course of my life. Help me to give you, glory, honor and praise with every aspect of my life, my whole being.
I place my home and all my possessions under your kingship, your authority. Bless all who live here, stay here, visit, or work here. Bless any animals that may enter my home. May all that happens in this place glorify you, be pleasing to you, be guided by you.
Lord Jesus, be the King of my heart, my life, my home.
Lord Jesus, King of the Universe, I praise you.
Lord Jesus, King of the Universe, I bow down before you.
Lord Jesus, King of the Universe, I worship you.
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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The readings for the Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B are:
Dn 7:13-14
Ps 93:1, 1-2, 5
Rv 1:5-8
Jn 18:33b-37
The full text can be found at the USCCB website.
Photo Credit: Christ Pantocrator from Wikipedia Commons.
