LAST SUNDAY- IN ORDINARY TIME –C

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, UNIVERSAL KING

SOLEMNITY

CHRIST THE KING

Gospel: Luke 23:35-43: The good thief recognizes Jesus as the king of the Jews and is promised a place with him in paradise. Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom.

I Reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-3: All the tribes of Israel choose David and anointed him as their king/king of Israel.

II Reading: Colossians 1:12-20: He has created a place for us in the kingdom of the Son that he loves.

Today we celebrate Christ the universal king. He did not claim to be only the king of the Jews. His kingdom was not to be an exclusive one. He is the king of all who are on the side of truth and listen to his voice.

Christ, our king belongs to our human family: King David, a symbol of Christ the king. The prophet Daniel tells us that “he saw one like a son of man coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Dan 7:13)

Christ is king of the universe: St Paul writes to the Christians of Colossae:

a) Christ is king of the universe, “in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, everything visible and everything invisible” (Col 1:16). Through him all things were made; not one thing had its being but from him (Col 1:3). Christ holds all things in unity (Col 1:17).

b) Christ is our king because he redeemed us: “God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved.” (Jn 3:17; Col 1:13-14, 20)

The kind of king Jesus is: Luke shows Jesus on the cross surrounded by various people; by the Jewish leaders, soldiers, two thieves and Jesus’ mother, disciples and friends.

a) On the cross, Jesus shows himself as a king who distributes his gifts most generously (Lk 23:34, 43; Jn 19:26).

b) On the cross, Jesus shows himself as a king who saves.

We must accept the gifts of pardon and salvation which Jesus, our king, so generously offers: Jesus wants to reign through love, not by force. (Lk 23:41-43; 19:14).

Christ is a powerful king; his power will last forever: In the book of Revelation, Jesus is given the titles, and (Ruler of the kings of the earth” (Revelation 1:5), “King of the kings and Lord of Lords.” (Rev 19:16).

Jesus told the apostles: “All power has been given to me in heaven and on earth” (Mt 28:18). It will never end is the quality of Jesus’ power. The angel announced to Mary that she had been chosen to be the mother of the redeemer, he said her Son to be: “His kingdom will have no end” (Lk 1:33). The angel confirmed the prophecy of Daniel which was to be fulfilled in Jesus: “His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty which shall never pass away, nor will his empire ever be destroyed” (Dan 7:14).

The Book of Revelation says the same thing and puts on Jesus’ lips the following words: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the one who is, who was and who is to come” (Rev 1:8). “Everything starts from me and ends up in me, I was before anything existed and I will continue to be after everything ends.”

Christ our king loves us: he died for us and shares with us whatever he possesses: on the night of his passion, Jesus said to his apostles: “A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). The Book of Revelation reminds us “Christ loved us and has washed away our sins with his blood” (Rev 1:5).

No king was ever as generous as Jesus:

a. He shares his life with us.

b. He shares his own body and blood in the Eucharist.

c. He shares his own priesthood. The Book of Revelation tells: Jesus made us priests to serve his God and Father (Rev 1:6). Since we are priests, our whole life can and should be “a holy sacrifice truly pleasing to God (Rom 12:1)

d. Jesus shares his own joy: “My own peace I give you” (Jn 14:27). “I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they may always see the glory you have given me” (Jn 17:24).

Hence Jesus is our true king and the king of the universe.

 

Jesus’ kingdom is described as:

·     A kingdom of truth and of life,

·     A kingdom of holiness and grace,

·     A kingdom of justice, of love and of peace.

Jesus was right when he told Pilate that his was not like the kingdoms of this world:

·     Where falsehood reigns and lives are destroyed,

·     Where sin abounds,

·     Where injustice and hatred bring in wars without number.

We must praise our king, Jesus and be grateful to him:

·     For having brought us into his kingdom and made us members of his own royal family,

·     For having loved us through his own suffering and sacrifice of life for our salvation,

·     For having given us his love, peace, joy on earth and glory in heaven.

We have good reasons to rejoice on this feast of Christ the king of the universe and we shall rejoice in heaven at seeing him as he is, so great, so powerful and so loving.

Thought: Christ’s loving rule leads to true freedom. No earthly king was ever so magnanimous as Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Baptism introduced us into Christ’s kingdom; living with Christ, suffering with Christ, dying with Christ and rising with Christ in heaven.

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