Homily for the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the
Universe
22 November 2015
22 November 2015
Since the Ascension God’s plan has entered into its
fulfillment. We are already at “the last hour.” . . . Christ’s kingdom already
manifests its presence through the miraculous signs that attend it proclamation
by the Church.
Catechism of the Catholic Church 670
And, so, we have reached the end of
another liturgical year. We once again find ourselves celebrating this great
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. This great feast is
given to the Church to remind us of two things: 1. The Lord is King of all; and
2. We await the day that the Kingdom is fully established.
For ninety years, since Pope Pius XI gave
us this Feast in 1925, the Church Universal has been proclaiming that there is
no kingdom or nation above that Eternal Kingdom in which Our Lord is the
Supreme Ruler. Pope Pius XI presented to the world this celebration in the
midst of a world that was caught in the wake of World War I – a time when
nationalism was on the rise, and the grasp of relativism was tightening upon
the hearts of mankind.
Ninety years later, not much has changed,
has it?
In this age when nations are still trying
to preserve and protect their sovereignty, when secularism continues to turn
the hearts of men and women away from the Lord, this Solemnity continues to
have a dire importance to the Christian life.
Yet, it must be of paramount importance
that we, as Church, proclaim the Kingship of Christ. As Daniel reminds us in
our First Reading: “His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be
taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.” In our Gospel, Jesus,
Himself, testifies to Pontius Pilate that His Kingdom “does not belong to this
world.” Therefore, my brothers and sisters, this everlasting dominion is prepared
for those who acknowledge not only to the truth that Christ proclaimed, but,
ultimately, for those who proclaim Truth, Himself – the Person of Jesus Christ.
This is Who and what we proclaim this
day. We cry out with every ounce of our being: “The Lord is King; He is robed
in majesty.” And we acknowledge that we labor here on Earth so that the Kingdom
may one day be fully established.
If, then, the Kingdom is for those who
proclaim the Truth of Christ the King, who are we to proclaim, invite and
welcome into the Kingdom? The Catechism
of the Catholic Church presents to us three realities:
First: Jesus
invites sinners to the table of the Kingdom.
Each person in this church – and, indeed, the whole world – is a sinner! No matter how big or
how small our sins may be, we are welcome to the table. This does not take away
the effect that sin brings to the heart and soul, and does not nullify the
necessity for us to avail ourselves to the Sacrament of Reconciliation! In
fact, we remember that if we have a mortal sin on our soul, we are not to
partake of the Sacrificial Meal that is placed before us! What this means,
however, is that we need to recognize that, as sinners, we are in need of the
rules, laws and guidance of Christ and His Church to live a proper life (cf. CCC 545).
Second: The
Kingdom belongs to the poor and lowly, which means those who have accepted it
with humble hearts. The Kingdom of God is
not meant for the proud and arrogant, the wise and the learned. Rather, it has
been established for those who desire to be like Jesus – poor, lowly and
humble. If one presumes that they’re going to Heaven because they’re “a good person”
and does not mold their life after Jesus and proclaim the truth of the Gospel,
then that one is a fool, for the truly wise person knows that to enter into the
Kingdom, one must truly be poor in spirit, lowly in disposition and intent, and
humble of heart – just like our King is (cf.
CCC 544).
Ultimately: Everyone is called to the Kingdom. Though while “everyone” is called, we need to accept the invitation.
That is an important fact to remember. Yes, Jesus came for the forgiveness of
sins and redemption of all humanity past, present and future. However, to truly
be subjects of the King, we must be willing and able to recognize His
authority. This is why we still proclaim: Extra
ecclesiam nulla salus – “there is no salvation outside of the Church.” One
must acknowledge Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life to reap the full
rewards of the Kingdom. Yes, Christ came for all. However, in our poverty,
lowliness and humility, we proclaim a Truth that frustrates society because,
especially in modern American society, we discern and act with our emotions,
and not with the Heart and Mind of Omnipotent and Omniscient King. Nor do we
wish to be subject to authority, especially an authority that is eternal and,
for lack of a better word, invisible. Yes, the Kingdom is open to everyone, but
we must become humble enough to accept this invitation (cf. CCC 543).
Ninety years following Pope Pius XI’s
gift to the Church in establishing this great Solemnity, we still find that the
reasons this celebration was instituted still exist. It is all the more
important that you and I continue to celebrate and proclaim Christ as our King,
for we live in a world that is becoming more and more subjective and secular.
This world, as flawed as it is, is here to prepare us to dwell in Christ’s
everlasting dominion. Everyone, especially those sinners who are poor, lowly
and humble, is called to the Kingdom. Our lives ought to proclaim the Kingdom
of God present in our midst, the Kingdom of God waiting to be fully established
by our participation, and our being subjects of Christ, our King. We proclaim
that we do not simply subject ourselves to the rule and authority of Christ out
of fear and damnation. Rather, we submit to the authority of Christ and His
Church out of the love that we have for our King and His Bride. This is the
miraculous sign we proclaim . . . This is the share in that dominion that we
confess when we worthily consume the Eucharist.
My brothers and sisters, the Lord IS
King! He IS robed in majesty! We must allow our Christian lives to
proclaim the coming Kingdom so that, as poor and lowly sinners, we may, with
humble hearts, know and follow the Truth Who is Jesus Christ to the fullness of
His dominion which is everlasting.
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Enjoy the journey . . .
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