The Kingship of Christ
November 24 2019
The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Lectionary: 162 Cycle C
Today’s feast, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, is very important to my family. I grew up outside the church, but God used the wisdom of the Church Fathers to capture my mind, and the Catholic community to capture my heart. On November 26, 2006, my family and I went to our first mass. It was the Feast of Christ the King.
I had no idea what was happening during the mass. I didn’t know what to say, or when to say it, or if I should say anything. But, when the priest elevated the Blessed Sacrament, I remember thinking, “If you really believe that Christ is present, of course you would kneel.” Then, I remember thinking, “and… I do believe he is present.” I slid from my seat to my knees. It was the first time I ever knelt before my king.
The kings of this world usually rule by fear, and by force, and by false promises.
Politicians and business leaders make promises. In exchange for promises, we give them power. Having power, they may… but often do not… do what they promised. They often use that power to benefit themselves, because they expect to be served. Sometimes they pretend they are serving a greater good, but we know they usually are simply serving themselves. They use the power we give them to destroy their enemies, and sometimes to destroy their friends. They use the power we give them to force people to bend to their will.
This is how the kings of this world are. They are this way from the United Nations to the United States, and even down to the “kings” of the workplace, the neighborhood and the school playground. Kings rule by fear, by force, and by false promises.
The kingship of Jesus is not like this.
Indeed, the biblical ideal of human leadership is nothing like what we have come to expect from our leaders. The biblical ideal of leadership is one in which position is the result of service and trust. Trust leads to position. Not the other way around.
The elders of Israel came to David, and anointed him king of Israel. They anointed him King not because David offered promises, but because of what he had already done. He had already lead the people to battle, and won the victory.
Jesus is that kind of king.
Jesus has already won the victory.
Jesus did not come to be served. He came to serve.
Jesus does not force his kingdom on us. He waits for us to anoint him.
That same day I first knelt before my king, Pope Benedict XVI gave an Angelus address. In it, he said this about Christ the King:
The Cross is the “throne” where he manifested his sublime kingship as God Love: by offering himself in expiation for the sin of the world, he defeated the “ruler of this world” (Jn 12: 31) and established the Kingdom of God once and for all. It is a Kingdom that will be fully revealed at the end of time, after the destruction of every enemy and last of all, death (cf. I Cor 15: 25-26). The Son will then deliver the Kingdom to the Father and God will finally be “everything to everyone” (I Cor 15: 28).
The way to reach this goal is long and admits of no shortcuts: indeed, every person must freely accept the truth of God’s love. He is Love and Truth, and neither Love nor Truth are ever imposed: they come knocking at the doors of the heart and the mind and where they can enter they bring peace and joy. This is how God reigns; this is his project of salvation, a “mystery” in the biblical sense of the word: a plan that is gradually revealed in history.
BENEDICT XVI
ANGELUS
Saint Peter’s Square
Sunday, 26 November 2006
Jesus is our servant-king. His is a kingdom of love, and of humility. His kingdom looks weak. It has no power. It is mocked by all. It promises difficulty, and even suffering.
But, this is the very strongest kingdom. It is not founded on fear, force, or false promises. It is founded on love, humility, and truth. It cannot be toppled.
Yes, Jesus does make promises, and they are true promises. He promises us that, in this life, we will have trouble. He promises us that in his father’s eternal dwelling, there is a place for us. He promises that he will come again, and will rule the nations. He promises he will never leave us.
But, we do not follow Jesus because of those promises. They are good promises, but we do not follow Jesus because of promises. Jesus is our King because of what he has already done.
Jesus could have saved himself from the cross, as the criminal suggested.
Jesus could have saved himself from condemnation. He could have presented irrefutable arguments, and walked away from his trial a free man.
Jesus could have turned the whips and scourges into bouquets of flowers.
Jesus could have made the nails bend rather than enter his flesh.
Jesus could have leapt off of the cross.
He did not.
Instead, he died.
Yes, we do await the promised return of the king, but it is not for his promises that we love this king. Jesus Christ is King of the Universe, and every knee will bend to him one day, but Jesus Christ is our king, because he loves us.
He loves us more than he loved his own life. He loves us more than he loves basking in the presence of the Father. He loves us enough to leave his throne of heaven, to be born into a human body where he would live, suffer, and die.
Jesus invites each of us to enter his kingdom of love. He has already chosen us. He has already won victory over fear, force, and falsehood. He only waits for us to crown him king of our hearts, so we can enter his kingdom of love today, and reign with him forever.
