By Most Rev. Bishop Felix Toppo, SJ –
In the past kings ruled over all the countries. He used to be the supreme authority in the whole country. People held him at the highest esteem and major affairs in his kingdom had to have the consent from the King. Apart from all glory and glamour, he had the toughest job in his kingdom, to cater for the welfare of his subjects, to uphold justice in the kingdom and to protect them from internal and external enemies.
However, the people of Israel believed that there is only one King, Yahweh, for Israel. He is the Alpha and Omega, omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient; He is the creator of us all, merciful and just. The image of this king is actualized in the Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus, the Christ.
The Feast of Christ the King was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 as an antidote to secularism, a way of life which leaves God out of man’s thinking and living and organizes his life as if God did not exist. The feast is intended to proclaim in a striking and effective manner Christ’s royalty over individuals, families, society, governments, and nations. Pope Pius XI hoped the institution of the feast would have the following effects. They were:
·That nations would see that the Church has the right to freedom, and immunity from the state (Quas Primas, 32).
- That leaders and nations would see that they are bound to give respect to Christ (Quas Primas, 31).
- That the faithful would gain strength and courage from the celebration of the feast, as we are reminded that Christ must reign in our hearts, minds, wills, and bodies (Quas Primas, 33).
Today, the same distrust of authority exists, although the problem has gotten worse. Individualism has been embraced to such an extreme, that for many, the only authority is the individual self. The idea of Christ as ruler is rejected in such a strongly individualistic system. Also, many balk at the idea of kings and queens, believing them to be antiquated and possibly oppressive. . Some even reject the titles of “lord” and “king” for Christ because they believe that such titles are borrowed from oppressive systems of government. However true these statements might be (some kings have been oppressive), these individuals miss the point: Christ’s kingship is one of humility and service. Jesus said:
You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to become great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:42-45).
Pilate said to Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?”… Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth (John 18:33b, 36-37).
Thus, Jesus knew the oppressive nature of secular kings, and in contrast to them, he connected his role as king to humble service, and commanded his followers to be servants as well. In other passages of Scripture, his kingdom is tied to his suffering and death. While Christ is coming to judge the nations, his teachings spell out a kingdom of justice and judgment balanced with radical love, mercy, peace, and forgiveness. When we celebrate Christ as King, we are not celebrating an oppressive ruler, but one willing to die for humanity and whose “loving- kindness endures forever.” Christ is the king that gives us true freedom, freedom in Him. Thus we must never forget that Christ radically redefined and transformed the concept of kingship.
This year, on 26th of November we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, the Second Person of the Trinity. This feast establishes the titles for Christ’s royalty over people:
- Christ is God, the Creator of the universe and hence wields a supreme power over all things; “All things were created by Him”;
- Christ is our Redeemer, He purchased us by His precious Blood, and made us His property and possession;
- Christ is Head of the Church, “holding in all things the primacy”;
- God bestowed upon Christ the nations of the world as His special possession and dominion.
Mt. 25:31-46 states, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate men one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right hand, “Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.” Next he will say to those on his left hand, “Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels… Then he will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me.”
If you wish to be His subject, let us share his love and compassion to our brethren. Let us be a sparkle of hope to the hopeless. Let us be strengthened by Faith, Hope and Charity and march towards his kingdom and pray, O! Christ the King, Thy Kingdom come!
This article is used with permission from Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (C.B.C.I.)