2 Samuel 5:1-3Psalm 122:1-2,3-4,4-5/Colossians 1:12-20/Luke 23:35-43
Introduction: Today is the Last Sunday of the Liturgical Year; that is, the calendar of the Church. In this Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe. And latter in this mass we shall proclaim Jesus as King in a procession as children and princes of the Kingdom of God. if we don’t proclaim him as King watin we gain? The procession is called Corpus Christi procession not Christ the King procession. We do this procession now because the season is dry as against the season and particularly the month of June when the feast of Corpus Christ was celebrated and the procession carried out universally. We draw some inspirations from the gospel reading.
Christ the King is a title of Jesus in Christianity referring to the idea of the Kingdom of God where the Christ is described as seated at the Right Hand of God (as opposed to the secular title of King of the Jews mockingly given at the crucifixion). Pilate asked him ‘So you are a King?’ Jesus answered you say that I am a king. By these words Jesus was not trying to hide the truth as most of us we do before leaders today. Most persons they are of the habit of hiding the true nature of things from leaders for selfish reasons.
Rather the words of Jesus “You say that I am a king” in Oriental language is equivalent to saying “Yes I am a King”. Jesus is a king, the words of Mary at the Annunciation clearly supports so, Luke 1:32-33 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” John 12:15 says “fear not… your King is coming…” in 1Tim.6:15 he is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in Rev. 19:11 he is the Rider of the Heavenly white Horse, White Horse is a symbol of royalty Is. 45:6 he is the sovereign Lord of all and in the second reading today we are told that “He has transferred to us the kingdom of his beloved son.” By this we have become heirs of the kingdom, we have become princes and princesses.
Though he was King, he was mocked, the gospel says the rulers scoffed at Jesus and the soldiers also mocked him. This clearly shows that in ages past authorities have always been mocked. However, this should rather serve as a note of change. They mocked him because they thought is kingdom was an earthly kingdom. Just as people mock leaders today. But upon our own realization that his kingdom is not of this world we should avoid every form of mockery. This was what the other criminal realized that he has to speak to his fellow sinner “ do you not fear God,?” upon this not he asked for salvation and Jesus said to him today, you will be with me in Paradise. Today we get to see Christians who make mockery of Christian worship and practice all in the name of comedy, they make mockery of the sacramental worship all in the name of entertainment, this simple question is pose to them, “do you not fear God?”
The Jews mocked him out of ignorance and Jesus said in Luke 23:34 Father forgive them for they do not know what they do. Now we have the knowledge granted us yes we still make mockery of it. Pastors make mockery of the bible and abuse worship. Beloved in Christ fear God. Though he is in the human form, fear God, though he is your priest, fear God, though he is your relative, fear God, though he is your neighbor, fear God.
Another lesson today is that the cross has characteristics for mockery. They said to Jesus, you save others but he cannot save himself. Have you seen things work for others but it does not work for you. As an intercessor you prayed for people and they get result, but in your case no result. It is your cross, joyfully accept it. Priest heals cancer and eventually dies of cancer. But in all let us not be discouraged for his kingdom has no end. So, we remain firm even though we don’t have result now we are consoled because there is a lifting up for us.
Lastly, let Christ be king of our hearts. Let him rule over us. As we heard in the first reading of today, namely, all the tribes of Israel came to David and asked him to be their king. So we should request Christ to be our king.
I pray that through today’s celebration Jesus as king we reign in our lives, in our businesses, in our schools, in our markets, in our homes, in our farms and in our streets. He will reign in our church and reign in our country Nigeria. Amen. Sing: May you reignx2 May you reignx2…
Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
24th November 2019
