The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King
Today's Mass Readings
Today we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. There is nothing about today’s readings that makes us associate God with kingship, authority and power especially in the way we understand kingship, authority and power. In fact in the first reading God seems to be the anti-thesis of the kings of Israel. The passage just before the one we read for today’s first reading has this to say. Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been pasturing themselves. Should not shepherds, rather pasture the sheep? You have slaughtered the fatlings, but the sheep you have not pastured. You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick nor bind up the injured. You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost but you lorded it over then harshly and brutally (Ezek 34:11). God then says in today’s readings “I myself will look after and tend my sheep” (Ezek: 34:11). And even though God has great power and authority, God assumes the role of a compassionate shepherd. These are the things God said God would do: tend the sheep, rescue the sheep, pasture the sheep, give them rest, seek the lost, bring back the strayed, bind up the injured, and heal the sick.
God kept God’s promise. The King of Kings Jesus came, not as kings and presidents come these days, but quietly in a manger. He reigned not as kings and presidents do these days, but on a cross. Jesus tended the sheep, rescued them, pastured them, and gave them rest. Jesus sought the lost, brought back the strayed, bound up the injured, and healed the sick; and just like the bold elks, gave up his life so that others might be saved. Even the Roman Empire could not deny it - the plaque above the cross said, “King.” Today’s gospel is the most revealing of Christ as King. In this particular passage Christ judges people not by allegiance to him but by their compassion toward the poor, the hungry, the naked, and those in prison. If we take scripture as a whole we can find other necessary criteria as well. But today’s gospel tell us the difference between the good and the evil on judgment day has much to with whether we, like God, like Jesus care for the poor, hungry, weak and in prison.
Today’s feast gives us a glimpse of what the Kingdom of God looks like? First of all the Kingdom is where God’s presence is alive. The Kingdom is where people treat each other as God treats us. The Kingdom is where people aware of their own poverty reach out to others who are poor, are naked, are hungry and are in bondage. The Kingdom is where God’s compassion reaches its climax.
We pray, "Thy Kingdom Come!"
-Fr. Satish Joseph