Pastor's Message

34th Sunday - Christ the King

   "Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king.” For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth." John 18:37

  Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, and the last Sunday of the Year of the Church. Next Sunday will be advent!

             The Liturgical Year, is always, presented to us as a journey, which begins with the preparation of the coming of Christ in advent to his birth, then to the peak of our salvation in his passion, death and resurrection. We then celebrated the time of the Church, the time of the Spirit, which begins with the receiving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

            These last two Sundays, the readings have been reminding us about the “end of time.” The Words from Prophet Malachi gave us the reason to endure in hope; “but for you who revere my name the Sun of righteous shall rise.” This Son of righteousness is Christ Jesus, who today, we celebrate as “The King.”

             In the 1st Reading today, David is anointed King by the elders of Israel at Hebron.  In their address to him, we notice what David meant to them; “You are the one who led Israel and brought it in,” they exalted him. They quoted the Lord in definition of his kingship; “It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel;” David was to be the King with power!

            When Angel Gabriel visited Mary at the Annunciation, these were his words; “Behold you are to conceive and bare a Son, … He will be great and will be called Son of Most High.  The Lord will give him the Throne of his father David … and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

            In the Gospel Reading today, Jesus, the fulfillment of all prophesies looks helpless and defeated in the eyes of many! In the eyes of John the Evangelist, however, it had been revealed that the Cross was “the Lifting up,” the revealing sign; “When you have lifted up the Son of Man then you will know that I am He.”

             Jesus, earlier, had stood before Pilate who had questioned him; “So you are a King?” Jesus with a quiet dignity had explained his identity and Mission: “You say I am a King. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the Truth.”  Jesus then challenged Pilate; “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate, representative of earthly powers, was powerless; three times he walked in and out of the court chamber and declared; “I find no crime in him,” but he has no courage to release him!

           Jesus, the King, chose what an earthly King cannot! He foregoes the use of his power!  To Peter he had said; do you think that I cannot appeal to my father, who would promptly send, more than twelve legions of Angels in my defense? He chose the image of “The suffering Servant of God,” “A lamb led to slaughter” to manifest the Love he has for his subjects. He accepted to be the “grain of wheat that must die in order to produce.” He suffered and died. Jesus, however, achieved victory beyond all comprehension. He rose from death. Through his obedience to The Father, unto the Cross, he reversed the disobedience of Adam and Eve. In the Act of God; He as the Priest and Perfect Victim of the Sacrifice, he won us back to God; Elevating us to being God’s adopted Sons and Daughters. In Christ we share in his roles we are Priests, Prophets and more importantly as regards today, Kings.

          When Pope Pius XI instituted this Feast in honor of Christ the King, he wanted to remind us, Christians, of the fidelity and loyalty we owed Christ; who made us future citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. In this Eucharist, let us pray that through the Grace of God we may remain grateful and loyal subjects of the Kingdom of God, for the rest of our lives.   

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