Readings: Daniel 7:13-14, Revelation 1:5-8, and John 18:33-37.
“Jesus is the Universal King, the King of Kings.”
Beloved Brothers and Sisters,
1. Today, the entire Catholic world celebrates the Solemnity of Christ the King, King of the Universe. He is God; He established an everlasting Kingdom here on earth and in heaven, Paradise. This Solemnity is not too old in the Church. It was instituted by Pope Pius XI with the rise of Communism, Fascism and Nazism in the1920s. These ideologies ruled the people, and the Pope said, “It is not all these things that are supreme in the life of humanity; Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, He is the beginning and the end, and He is the highest power that rules the world.” I would like us to reflect briefly on the Kingship in the Scriptures. Kingship was not a popular concept among the Israelites/Jews. They had had the tradition of Kings, and their experience of Kings was not a very good one. They saw their Kings exercised power and as we know power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Let us have a brief look down the lines.
2. From the call of Abraham from the land of Ur to the genesis of the Jewish nation, there were no Kings among them. Israel was a Theocracy – the way of governing in which God is the leader. They had this conception and lived with it till they moved to Egypt, the land of slavery, till they returned and settled in Canaan, the land of freedom, where for a while Judges (charismatic leaders) ruled them. Samuel was the 12th and last Judge at whose time, the people asked for a King but shortly before then, Abimelech made himself King. (Judges 9:1-6). He killed 70 brothers of his to acclaim himself King. He was supported by the people of Shechem, but the rest of the people rose against him, and he failed in ruling as King over them.
3. God called prophets and priests to lead his people. Samuel was called, he had a triple role of being a Prophet, Priest and Judge. His children failed to be of good moral standing to take after him thus the people asked for a King towards the end of his life. Samuel objected and told them that that was not the will of God for them, listing the disadvantages of having a King as follows:
He will take your sons and assign them to his chariotry and cavalry, and they will run in front of his chariots.
He will use them as leaders of a thousand and leaders of fifty.
He will make them plough his land, harvest his harvests, make his weapons of war, and the gears for his chariot.
He will take your daughters as perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
He will take the best of your fields, of your Vineyards.
He will tithe your crops. And when you will call on God, God will not answer you. (1Sam. 8:1-9).
4. They did not listen to Samuel. They got Saul as their first King; he departed from the Lord’s ways:
Made himself both King and priest.
Showed lack of faith and above all
Disobeyed God.
He later consulted the Witch Doctor of Endor. (1Sam 28:3-17).
David was anointed King after Saul. He did many good things, recorded many successes, was very much loved by both God and the people yet:
He committed adultery; murder, introduced forced-labor and carried a census priding himself over his victories other than attributing them to God.
Solomon was their third King. He took over from David, his father. This was a man of Wisdom who eventually married foreign wives, worshipped foreign gods. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines. (1Kgs. 11:1-13).
5. After Solomon, his son Rehoboam came along and rejected the advice of the elders. In his opening speech as King, he told the people: “My father made you bear heavy burdens, but I will make it heavier still. My father beat you with whips, I am going to beat you with loaded scourges.” (1Kgs. 12:14-15). The people rejected him from the very beginning of his reign. The people went after Jeroboam and proclaimed him, King. The Kingdom was thus divided into the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Eventually, they were taken into exile as slaves to Babylon. While in exile in Babylon, they suffered under King Nebuchadnezzar. This is the man who through Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego into the burning furnace. (Dan. 3:1-23). King Darius ascended the throne, and he was the one who threw Daniel into the Lion’s Den. (Dan. 6:17-24).
6.In the New Testament – King Herod killed children, two years old and less because he feared the newly born King. (Matt. 2:1-18). The 2nd Herod, (the son of the first Herod) beheaded John the Baptist because he criticized him for having taken his brother’s wife to himself. He put John in prison and later beheaded him. These Kings made people suffer, used them as slaves, seized their daughters as wives, were corrupt, made the people pay heavy taxes, work for low income, and crushed ruthlessly any opposition.
7. With this background, it was difficult for the Jews to understand the Kingship of Christ. This proves itself at Jesus’ trial; Pilate asked Jesus: “‘Are you the King of the Jews’? Jesus answered, ‘Do you say this of your own, or have others told you about me?’… He told Pilate: ‘My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, my followers would have fought that I might not be delivered to the Jews. But, as it is, my Kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate therefore said to him, ‘Are you then a King?’ Jesus answered: ‘You say so; I am King. This is why I was born, and why I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.’” (Jn. 18:33-38) True, Jesus is King. Is he King after the pattern of the Kings we have briefly examined above? NO! The preface at today’s Mass made it abundantly clear what we understand and should understand as the Kingship of Christ. Therein it is described as:
- Regnum Veritatis et Vitae – the Kingdom of Truth and Life.
- Regnum Sanctitatis et Gratiae – the Kingdom of Holiness and Grace. And
- Regnum Justitiae, Amoris, et Pacis – the Kingdom of Justice, Love and Peace.
The Kingdom of Truth and Life: In the gospel of John, Jesus tells us ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’ (Jn 14:6). In Jn 10:10, Jesus says: ‘I have come so that you may have life and have it to the full.’ And in Jn 18:37, he says: ‘I came into the world, to bear witness to the truth, and all who are on the side of the truth, listen to my voice.’ Moreso, in Jn 8:31-32, he says: ‘If you are my disciples, you will learn the truth and the truth shall set you free.’ Those who hate the truth are not of Christ. Anyone who lies, lives on falsehood, s/he does not belong.
The kingdom of Holiness and Grace: In Matt. 6:48, Jesus urges us ‘be holy as my heavenly Father is holy’ – we must move beyond being simply good people to becoming holy people. Only such are destined for eternity. St. Paul writes to Titus: “For the grace of God our Savior has appeared to humanity, instructing us, in order that, rejecting ungodliness and worldly lusts, we may live temperately and justly and piously in this world; looking for the blessed hope and glorious coming of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and cleanse for himself an acceptable people, pursuing good works.” (Titus 2:11-14).
The kingdom of Justice, Love and Peace: In his sermon on the mount, we are told: ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice; they shall be satisfied’. (Matt. 5:6). The injustice in the world is the result of wars all over the world. Justice and peace go together; one implies the other. Further we read: ‘Blessed are the peace makers they shall be called Sons of God.’ (Matt. 5:9). He came as the prince of peace. Is there peace in your home, family? If not, why? If you are the cause, what must you do to restore peace? If you are not, how can you encourage the one responsible to act rightly. Love is the only commandment he gave us as his followers.
May Christ, the King of Kings give us strength, the grace to accept him in our lives, so that, when this life is over, he will welcome us into his heavenly Kingdom, where he lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
Fr. Anthony D. Lawir,
Pastor, St. Agnes and Our Lady of Snows Parishes, Pittsfield and Dexter.