From Fr. Eric Asamoah
This Sunday, the Feast of Christ the King, marks the closing of Year C of the Liturgical Calendar. We celebrate a great fundamental truth of our Catholic faith in today’s celebration, that Christ is the King of the Universe, the Lord of all, the Judge of the living and the dead.
In the context of Church history, this feast was declared by Pope Pius XI during the Jubilee year of 1925 as requested by many Bishops and many of the Catholic faithful around the world. The Holy Pontiff gave an impetus to missionary activity around the world, which earned him the title ‘Pope of the Missions’.
The institution of the feast within that year was a direct response to the rise of secularism, atheism, etc., following World War I. It aimed at reasserting the universal authority of Jesus Christ over individuals, societies, and nations. Jesus Christ “is very truth, and it is from him that truth must be obediently received by all mankind” (Pope Pius XI, Quas primas, 7). This solemnity encourages us to celebrate and live out our faith in public. The King of Kings’ divine reign stretches out from the alpha of time to the omega.
As Jesus was crucified, people mocked him as “the king of the Jews.” He was hammered to a cross, not seated on a throne. He was crowned with thorns, not with gold and jewels. Jesus’s kingship defied expectations by being a spiritual and eternal kingdom rather than a political one, achieved through humility and self-sacrifice rather than conquest.
The best way to honor Christ our King is to work to develop his project of mercy among us. Whatever we do to help the deprived and underprivileged is also a service to Christ, who identifies himself personally with people in need.
In Luke’s Gospel, the good thief turned to Jesus and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”. Jesus promised him that he would join Him in paradise. Let us be thankful to Christ the King for having called up to partake in His eternal Kingdom. Next week, we start a new liturgical year in our Advent journey as we prepare for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. May the reality of Christ the King permeate our hearts today as we continue our journey of faith.