Solemnity of Christ the King: November 23, 2025
Readings: 2 Samuel 5:1–3; Psalm 122:1–5; Colossians 1:12–20; Luke 23:35–43
As most of us are born and brought up in democratic countries, the word "King" is a bit alien to us. Moreover, a good number of us may not like to have so-called "kings" on earth. Having studied history in schools and colleges, we have seen what kings did in their lives. Just like what somebody said that, "absolute power corrupts absolutely," most of the kings have been nasty and hypocritical, enjoying the wealth of the people. St Ignatius of Loyola gives us two well-noted meditations in his Spiritual Exercises: 1. Two Standards, 2. Kingdom Exercise comprising the earthly king and heavenly king, where he depicts the heavenly king as the most perfect one that a Christian must emulate in one's life. As the liturgical year draws to its close, the Church invites us to look at Jesus, our King. He reigns in a way the world could never imagine.
1. Christ the King - A man for all seasons
The scripture is full of mentions of kings. The great kings like David and Solomon steal the show in the Bible. Even God is likened to King or King of glory. In the New Testament, we see people's desire to see in Jesus a king who would deliver them from the clutches of Roman rule. However, the Gospel does not show us a triumphant ruler surrounded by glory; it shows us a silent, wounded Jesus, whose kingship is revealed not in splendour but in surrender, not in power but in love. And perhaps this is exactly where the year must end: at the foot of the Cross, where everything is stripped away except love.
Fascinatingly, Jesus does not reign from a throne; He reigns from the Cross. And yet, this is precisely the place where God’s heart is most clearly revealed. For at the Cross, Jesus allows Himself to be utterly vulnerable, utterly available. He refuses to save Himself so that He may save us. He does not defend His dignity because His dignity is love. He does not shield Himself from suffering because He chooses to stand with every person who suffers. A King who refuses to come down from the Cross is a King who will never abandon His people. Such a King is worthy of our hearts.
2. Being merciful even at the crucial moment of life
The Gospel reading of today Luke 23:35–43 recalls Jesus on the Cross, hanging between the thieves. As the passage calls “good thief,” a man who has nothing to offer—no virtue, no achievement, no reputation worth saving yet, he sees something in Jesus that others fail to see in him. Strangely, he has mercy towards Jesus. The thief sees a King whose kingdom is not built on fear but on forgiveness. And he makes the most beautiful prayer a sinner can make: “Jesus, remember me.” He does not ask for rewards, or rescue, or explanations. He simply asks not to be forgotten. The answer of Jesus is straightforward: “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”
3. Ending the Liturgical year with hope
And now, as we stand at the threshold of Advent, this scene becomes even more precious. For Advent invites us to wait for a King who comes in gentleness, who enters our world the way He enters our suffering—quietly, tenderly, without forcing His way. Advent is the season of expectation, but today’s feast tells us what we are expecting: not a distant ruler, but a compassionate King; not a judge who condemns, but a Saviour who remembers; not a monarch who demands allegiance, but a Love who waits to be welcomed.
Christ the King closes the liturgical year not with finality, but with fulfilment. The Cross gathers everything we have lived this year—our failures, our joys, our weariness, our hopes—and places them in the hands of a King whose heart breaks open for His people. And Advent begins by opening that same heart again, this time in a manger. The wood of the Cross and the wood of the crib meet, and in both places the same truth is spoken: God chooses us.
Questions for self-reflection
- Where do I still live as though I belong to the “power of darkness”?
- Are there patterns, fears, or wounds that keep me from fully entering the kingdom of the Beloved Son?
- Do I recognize Christ’s presence in the humble, hidden places of my life—the places where He prefers to enter with tenderness rather than glory?
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, You are the image of the Father’s heart and the One through whom all things were created. In You everything finds its place, everything is held together, everything is reconciled. As this liturgical year comes to an end, I place myself before You with trust. Heal what is fragile within me, forgive what weighs me down, and renew whatever is yearning for a fresh beginning. As I prepare to enter the season of Advent, awaken in me a deeper desire for You. Stay with me, Jesus, hold my life in Your hands, and lead me into the fullness of Your peace, now and always. I make this prayer in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.
- Fr Olvin Veigas, SJ
E-mail: olvinveigas@jesuits.net
Blog: Celebrate Faith
Video: YouTube
No comments:
Post a Comment