Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Year C

by © LPi  |  11/24/2019  |  Weekly Reflection

"The rulers sneered … the soldiers jeered … one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus." Is this the King of the Jews, the King of the Universe? If it is so, perhaps his kingdom is not at all what we would expect! In his letter to the laity, St. John Paul II spoke about how Christians share in the kingly mission of Christ. First, "they exercise their kingship as Christians, above all in the spiritual combat in which they seek to overcome in themselves the kingdom of sin." In other words, before we give any thought to transforming society, we must first allow God to transform us. Through daily prayer, regular self-examination, and frequent confession, we can recognize our faults more readily and choose love instead!

Second, St. John Paul II writes that the laity "make[s] a gift of themselves so as to serve, in justice and in charity, Jesus who is himself present in all his brothers and sisters, above all in the very least." Christ's kingship, and our own participation in it, is requires us to look beyond the privileged of society. It goes beyond networking and struggles of power. It goes with Jesus to the Cross!

Still, the kingship of Christ ought to effect society. "The lay faithful are called to restore to creation all its original value … ordering creation to the authentic well-being of humanity." Jesus does this in a radical way through his death and resurrection. We, too, are invited to bring new life to the world around us. This means holding the world and everything in it as sacred. It means advocating for civil policies that respect life and paying special care to the vulnerable and marginalized in every stage of life. It means being disciples of Jesus, inviting people into authentic love so that one day we will together "be with [him] in Paradise!"