Christ the King - the King of Our Hearts

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (22 November 2020)

Readings: Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17; Psalm 23:1-2, 2-3, 5, 6; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28; Matthew 25:31-46

Icon of Christ the King - Pantokrator- in Eastern Churches means Christ the Almighty 

My Audio Homily

I 

Jesus: A king with a difference

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. The kingship of Christ. Today's feast is a unique one. The Church titles it "Christ the King." Was Jesus really a King? Can we title Jesus as king of the universe?  Even though we may have reservations regarding the use of the tittle "King" in our ordinary langauge because we have done away with the kings in our countries, we must understand Christ the King from a different perspective. However, Christ as king is not embroiled with the connotations of power, force, violence, dominion, domination, despotism, pomp, throne, and so on. King is not a title Jesus liked very much; todays's Gospel suggests strongly that he would rather dispense with it.  When Pilate asks Jesus, "are you the king of Jews?" the answer perplexed Pilate and expected an answer "no". But Jesus did claim absolute authority before sending his disciples on a mission: "All authority [absolute power] in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Mt 28:18). And Paul told the Christians of Corinth that at the end of time Christ will "deliver the kingdom to God the Father...For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet... For God has put all things in subjection under his feet" (1 Cor 15: 24-27). 

II 

Truth is a personal experience of God

The assurance of Jesus to Pilate: "My kingship presents no threat to the political interests of Rome. My kingdom does not belong to this world; instead it comes from above." Love is the centre of the Kingdom of Jesus. Therefore, Christ's kingdom is within you, else he has no power over you at all. He did not become flesh among us to sit on the throne of Caesar. We find an adequate answer here in Evangelist John: "The reason why I have been born, the reason I have come into the world, is to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice" (Jn 18:37). Truth that Jesus is speaking is not of Augustine or Aquinas, or of the Neo-Scholastics. Jesus has a different approach to truth, a notion of truth founded on religious experience, an encounter with God, an intimate experience of God in my actual reality.  It is about entering into an ever-deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, and about how this relationship transforms me. By our baptism, we have been incorporated into His Body, and the task of our lives is to cooperate with His grace, such that it transforms our intellect, our will, our memory, and our passions: this is what it means for Christ to be truly King.

When we say God, He is "God of truth" (Ps 31:5; Jer 10:10). For Paul the apostle, "God's truthfulness" (Rom 3:7) is God's faithfulness, His fidelity to His promises; for men and women, a life of truth is a life of righteousness, the kind of life Paul expects to find among Christians (Col 1:6; 2 Cor 13:8). Paul continues to say that truth is the word he preaches, God's mystery revealed, to be accepted by faith, to be lived in love-not an abstract set of propositions but the person of Christ (2 Cor 4:5): "truth is in Jesus" (Eph 4:21).

For the John the Theologian truth is the Word Christ heard from the Father,  the Word he came to proclaim, the Word that should lead us to believe in him (cf Jn 8). He would add further saying, grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ (1:17). For us Christians, Christ himself is the truth: "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (Jn 14:6). He has in himself fullness of revelation. He has seen the Father. 

III

For a true Christian Christ rules the heart

Therefore the truth of the matter to us is to proclaim "Jesus Christ is Lord" (Phil 2:11) in the words of St Paul. Could you say then with all sincerity and integrity that no one, not a thing in this created world takes precedence over Jesus in your life, in everyday living? What is that motivates you, inspires you, fills you, thrills you, possesses you from dawn to dusk? Is some other created being or other human person? Who rules your heart?  

Often enough we do not see “the mystery” around us. Strangely, Christ the king, the Lord of glory appears in humble circumstances, in the persons of the poor and defenseless around us, in our places of personal poverty, weakness and apparent failure. Jesus identifies himself with those who are poor and marginalised. And it is this strong personal identification of Jesus with those who are vulnerable and his mission to them, that we, as Christians, are called to recognise as our mission too.The corporal and spiritual works of mercy are the hallmarks of the followers of Christ. Our faith is dead, lifeless, unless it be expressed in works of love (Jm 2:20; Gal 5:6). We often look for him in places of expected strength and power, according to the world’s standards, missing him where he chooses to show himself in true power. 

Many people in Jesus’ day did not recognize the visitation of God in Jesus, because he did not come with a “roar,” destroying his enemies and creating a kingdom by brute force.  Rather, he appeared in weakness and human frailty and then died in apparent helplessness.  As we make our way through each day, we desire to see and experience the presence of the Lord with us in the midst of the day and its many activities. We know and believe that the Lord is always present; the challenge is to recognize the ways he is choosing to encounter us.  For a variety of reasons, we can miss the signals, the signs of his presence. In our daily events and secular/material circumstances of Christian existence Christ calls for a life of truth.  When that truth is lived authentically, Christ becomes the king of our hearts. 

Questions for reflections

1. Are we compassionate like Jesus in our talk, deeds and intentions? 
2. Are we aware of our neighbour’s plight during this pandemic? 

3. Do we reach out to those who are hungry, thirsty, poor or in need within our own local community or the wider world?

4. In what ways, I can make Christ as king of my heart?

Prayer: 

Jesus, help me to recognise you in everyone I meet. May I always be willing to go where you lead, to help in anyway and to be prepared to go the extra mile for all who are in need. Lord help me to strive to follow you in right paths, that your kingdom might be my inheritance, that I might enter into the eternal rest promised for the people of God. AMEN.

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

21 November 2020

PS: I have been preaching an online Zoom retreat these days (November 14-22, 2020). If you are curious how the virtual retreat takes place go to my YouTube page Olvin Veigas and see for yourself.  https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=olvin+veigas