A King Who Serves And Saves His People
1. Was I There When They Crucified My King?
2. Reigning from a Cross
Introduction
1. Was I There When They Crucified My King?
What a King we have! “He saved others, let him save himself,” jeered the religious leaders of the people. A King, mocked, and dying on a cross for the sake of saving people. Even from the cross he told a repentant bandit, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Hanging there with his arms wide-open, he embraced the whole world in a gesture of love and reconciliation. This is the King we acclaim today in this Eucharist and in life.
2. Reigning from a Cross
Today we close the Church Year with the solemnity of Christ the King. Throughout this year we have seen before our eyes the birth, the life, the message, the death and the resurrection of Jesus. Today’s liturgy sums up some key aspects of why he came among people. He died on the cross for us to show us all the depth of God’s love, his boundless mercy on sinners, the promise of paradise to the crucified criminal, the grace of God that accepts us as brothers and sisters of Jesus and the Father’s children and heirs. With Jesus we now thank the Father for bringing us forgiveness and life.
First Reading: A King after God’s Own Heart
The people want David to be their king and shepherd. He is at the same time “of their own flesh and blood” and close to God too. In this he is a pale image of Jesus.
1 Reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-3
In those days, all the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said:
“Here we are, your bone and your flesh. In days past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led the Israelites out and brought them back. And the LORD said to you, ‘You shall shepherd my people Israel and shall be commander of Israel.'” When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron, King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD, and they anointed him king of Israel.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5
R. (cf. 1) Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem. R.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD. R.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David. R.
Second Reading: We Belong in the Kingdom of Jesus
With Paul, we give thanks to the Father that we have a place in the kingdom of Jesus, thanks to his death on the cross.
2 Reading: Colossians 1:12-20
Brothers and sisters: Let us give thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light. He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.
Alleluia: Mark 11:9, 10
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: A Crucified King
By his death on the cross, Jesus became not only the King of the Jews but also the king of everyone who accepts him, even of outcasts. But people have to make a choice, for or against him.
Gospel: Luke 23:35-43
The rulers sneered at Jesus and said, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.” Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.” Above him there was an inscription that read, “This is the King of the Jews.” Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.” The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Commentary
What does it mean to reign? To declare oneself subject of a king means to promise obedience; but the word obey really means to listen. Some of us call the person we love “my king” or “my queen.” It is a way of stating who has our heart and our feelings. It is a way of expressing who we obey, that is to say, to whom we listen.
There are some people who are reluctant to call Christ a King, because to them it seems to be a triumphal and dominant title in contrast with his message of peace and justice. Perhaps in those cases it would be good to go back to the concept of obedience, of reign, as an affirmation of whom we love and listen to, whom we follow and obey. To say that Christ is King is to recognize that the living Christ, the Christ who gives us life from the cross, is the Christ we love, listen to, follow, and obey. The recognition of this Christ is a confession that only Christ has a kingdom of true life that conquers all darkness and death around us, that only Christ has a reign of peace, and only he reconciles all things in himself, “making peace by the blood of his cross.”
Christ is not a storybook king, but a real one. He is the only one who can reign in minds and in hearts. He is the only one who can attract the obedience of people without pressure or force, the people who, in following him, may build a kingdom of peace and reconciliation.
Blessing
The Kingdom of God is not yet complete.
But it is among us and it keeps growing
when we try to live like Jesus
and to bring his justice and love to all
by our words and deeds
and by the gift of ourselves.
May God bless you for this task:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Let us go in peace
to love and serve the Lord in people.
R/ Thanks be to God.