Christ, the King of the Universe
EZEKIEL 34:11-12, 15-17; PSALM 22; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28; Matthew 25:31-46
Today is the last Sunday of the liturgical year—the calendar of the church. On this Sunday, we celebrate the solemnity of Christ, the King of the Universe. a festival celebrated in honor of Jesus Christ as lord over all creation. Pope Pius XI instituted the feast of Christ the King in 1925 to remind Christians that their allegiance was to their spiritual ruler in heaven as opposed to earthly supremacy. Pope Benedict XVI remarked that Christ’s kingship is not based on “human power” but on loving and serving others.
The titles “Christ” and “king” are not used together in the Bible, but “Christ” is in itself a royal title (the anointed [king]). In the Greek text, Christ is explicitly identified as king several times. Matthew 2:2 says,“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?” In John 18, Pilate refers to the implication that Christ is a royal title by asking explicitly if Jesus claims to be the “king of the Jews.” Similarly, in John 1:49, a follower addresses Jesus as “the king of Israel.” In Luke’s gospel, the angel Gabriel makes reference to his kingship when he says, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” In 1 Tim. 6:14–15, Paul explicitly applies the phrase “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” In Revelation, it is declared that the Lamb is “King of kings and Lord of lords.” Jesus is the Lamb (John 1:29).
This king, according to the first reading, is the one who rules as the good shepherd. The psalmist says, “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.” Other shepherds may fail, but God is the shepherd who never fails. Earthly kings and leaders have their ends, but Jesus is the supreme king whose kingdom has no end. This kingdom is not also about food and drink, power and riches, fame and competition, but about justice, peace, love, and mercy. Today, rather than love and mercy in churches, many men of God breed a kingdom of disunity and war.
Lastly, as the Good Shepherd, he has genuine and unending concern for all his people. He wants us to have this same concern for all. Precisely because of this, the gospel reading tells us about the corporeal work of mercy, which gives us ways we could express genuine concern for one another. Jesus tells us that all people and nations will be assembled before the throne of glory, and they will be sorted out according to their deeds. Our deeds will find us out. Beyond clapping and dancing today, let us extend our hands of genuine concern to a friend or a neighbor. Through the works of mercy, let us proclaim that Jesus is the King of the universe.
Let us pray
Almighty ever-living God, whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of the universe, grant, we pray, that the whole creation, set free from slavery, may render your majesty service and ceaselessly proclaim your praise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen!
Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
