Solemnity of Christ, the universal king

Theme: A model of kingship

Today the church celebrates the Solemnity of Christ the King. Happy feast day to you all! This celebration brings this liturgical cycle to an end, and the church in her wisdom reminds us of the fact that God is our supreme high priest. He is the universal king that reigns supreme in our lives, families and the world at large. A very important question that we all need to answer today as we celebrate Christ is who is the king in your life? The place of Christ in our life is very important. This is because when Christ is in charge of our life, there is always something different, and the human mind cannot comprehend it. We see that in today’s 1st reading, when the people chose David as their king, he did not fight or lobby for it; the people willingly made him their king.

In the person of Jesus, we see what it truly means to be a king and a guide. He is very patient with us and accommodates our short comings, without holding them against us. We see it practically in the gospel reading of today. Facing the same situation like Jesus, the kings of this world would have dealt decisively with those mocking him in the gospel reading of today, but not Jesus. This is the kind of king we all need in our lives, and we have to give him a chance in our life. His love and mercy endures forever. His kingship is guided by service to the people entrusted to his care; suffice it to say that he is a servant leader.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, this is the kind of king that we need in our world today. Someone who is selfless and always at the service of those he is leading. He puts the wellbeing of the people first as he makes decisions that affects them. He is not driven by greed and what he stands to get from his position; rather he is more concerned about the good of his people. We are all encouraged today to emulate the model of kingship presented to us today as we celebrate Christ the universal king. This style of kingship is scarcely found in our world today, even though it is what we truly need. You and I can decide today to make the difference, by beginning with our own circle of influence.

Dearly beloved in Christ, enthrone God as the king of your life, if you have not done it already and allow him to lead while you follow behind. Our resolve to let go and let God will make a major difference in our life. It may seem to be a challenging path to walk, but it is worth all the stress that you will encounter. Jesus Christ is the universal king, and he has all the answers and solutions that we seek in our daily life. Just let go today and let God; and your life will never remain the same. As we celebrate this solemnity today, may Christ the universal king bless you all in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.

 

Solemnity of Christ the King, by Fr. Jude Ifeanyi Ifezime, C.S.Sp