Homily for Christ the King

            It’s almost that time of year. And I’m getting excited for it. And I know that some of you are, too. We have about a month until the 24-hour airing of A Christmas Story. I truly enjoy this film every year: From the bunny suit to the leg lamp, from seeing Flick stuck to the flagpole to the discovery of Chinese turkey, I look forward to catching at least one showing every year.

            Now, if you remember anything of the movie, you’ll remember that the only thing that Ralphie wanted for Christmas was a Red Rider BB Gun. And, of course, after many warnings about shooting his eye out, he had the opportunity to enjoy his gun for that first time on Christmas morning. And what happens? He wasn’t ready for the force of the gun, so he was knocked over, his glasses flying off his face in the process. So while trying to search for his glasses, he steps on them, breaking them. So what does he do so he doesn’t get in trouble? He lied . . . HE LIED! Ralphie lied so that he would get out of trouble.

            Yet Ralphie isn’t completely dissimilar to you and me. At least once in our lives, we’ve given a falsehood to get out of a “sticky situation”. Ralphie reminds us of one thing: We all, at one point or another in our lives, have feared the truth. We have run away from it. We have hidden from it. All because, to paraphrase a famous movie quote, “[we] can’t handle the truth”.

            And, in a way, that’s so very true. Truth – REAL TRUTH – frightens us. It scares us. It overwhelms us. The truth is so big at times that we feel as if it will overtake us and sweep us away downstream. Truth frightens us because it makes us look at people and situations for what they truly are, with nothing held back, and forces us to deal with this life as it truly is. THE TRUTH MAKES US UNCOMFORTABLE. And thank God for that awesome fact.

            Yet, as members of the Body of Christ, we are called to be more open and accepting of the truth. After all, Jesus Christ hasn’t just spoken the truth, HE IS TRUTH ITSELF. And it our responsibility and duty as Catholics to live in Truth. This is how God created us: As His children, we are supposed to be searching for Him in this life, to recognize Him in this created world, so to live with Him for eternity in the next. That is why Jesus said His Kingdom was not of this world. We are not created to simply “exist” in this world, where deceit and falsehood abound. We are to encounter the living God in this world, to create a personal relationship with Him here, so that we may take our place in our true home in the fullness of the Kingdom of God.

            And so like Mary, like the Apostles, and even like Pilate, we come to learn in our lives that when we encounter Him Who is the fullness of Truth, we cannot run away, becoming overwhelmed in our lives. We live in the Truth by becoming subject to Truth. This is why Christ is King! This is why we celebrate this great solemnity today! This is why we once again shout with praise those ancient words of the Church: Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat! Christ conquers! Christ reigns! Christ rules! Christ who has ultimately conquered the lies and deceits of Satan, reigns not just in our hearts but over all of creation to rule supreme as the one, who through Truth, brings us the fullness of life.

            But, again, the Truth is uncomfortable. It is so because we live among the lies and deceits of our society which tear us away from the love of God and from that peaceful community. That is why He continues to be present among us in the humbling forms of bread and wine. For it is through the Eucharist that we have the opportunity to allow the reign of God to once again be established within us, helping us come to recognize the Truth and Life of God while living in the midst of the lies and death of the Evil One. My brothers and sisters, Ralphie lied because he didn’t understand that love, especially love coming from a parent – or even a monarch, is a love that must be both unconditional and just, both unbounded and focused. He lied because he didn’t understand that love is not just peaceful, happy thoughts and feelings, but rather self-sacrificing and down-right difficult and uncomfortable, because living in the fullness of love brings us about to recognizing the fullness of truth in our lives.

            Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat! When we allow Christ to conquer all that divides us through the lies of Satan from the love of God, we ourselves conquer by He Who is Truth. When we allow Christ to reign in our lives and in our world as King, he will bring us full justice and peace, a dominion which will never end. When we allow Christ to rule as supreme, then we who He has fashioned into that great Kingdom will recognize him as He truly is, the Alpha and Omega, the One who is, who was and who is to come.

            Ralphie’s response was a human reaction. However, we, as followers of Christ, are called to move beyond human reaction and act as members of His Body. It is then that, when we hear His voice leading us in Truth, we will render service to the majesty of God and ceaselessly proclaim to His Divine Glory.