Weekly HOMILY for November 21, 2010: A King? So what!

SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING, CYCLE C
ST. MARK PARISH, FALLSTON
NOVEMBER 21, 2010

A KING? SO WHAT!
(REV. MSGR.) NICHOLAS P. AMATO


IMAGES OF KINGS

For us Americans, the title King as applied to Jesus may seem rather foreign and even outdated.

My bet is that we associate the title “king” with historical figures like Henry VIII of England. History shows him as a self-indulgent and unprincipled ruler.

Or we might associate the title with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. He comes across as a ruler who accrues great wealth for himself while not advancing his country proportionately.

With these negative associations and images, we might well ask: why do we have the title Christ the King in our Catholic tradition? The answer lies in history.

When the title for Jesus was given him, it seemed like the best available word for capturing the truth of who Jesus is.

Now, if we look at today’s Scripture passages, it’s like opening a treasure chest regarding his identity and what his title king can mean for us.


WHO JESUS IS

Saint Paul in the second reading shares some of those powerful insights about Jesus.

First, he says that Jesus is “the image of the invisible God.” “In him all the fullness was pleased to dwell.”

This is to say that Jesus is not just a contrived projection of God, like and image on a screen. Nor is he like the image of a politician that a public relations firm would produce.

Instead, Jesus is the very face and presence of God among us. And if I want to know who God is and what God is like, all we have to do is look at Jesus.

Then, Paul says: “Through him all things were made.” “In him all things were created.”

What he’s getting at here is that Jesus is with the Father from the very beginning of time. Like the Father, Jesus is, always was, and always will be.

With the Father, the Son, who is Jesus on this earth, brings everyone and everything into being. And because of this fact, when the Son takes on our humanity, be becomes “the firstborn of all creation.”

Finally, Paul says: “In him all things hold together.” “He has made peace through the blood of his cross for all – for those on earth and those in heaven.”

Here he is saying that Jesus with the Father is the very ground (stamp feet) of our being. Without him, we would not be (flex knees), and with him, we are (stand tall.)

And, if that’s not enough, because our being gets us into tight spots with other persons’ being, Jesus is also a reconciler or peacemaker. Through him we are made one and at peace with God.

Yes, in and through Jesus we find fullness of life and salvation.


HOW JESUS RELATES

Very powerful insights of Paul into who precisely Jesus is I’d say!

It is for these reasons that our Catholic tradition has chosen the title King to describe Jesus’ identity and today’s gospel goes on to give us some insights into just how Jesus as king relates to you and me.

We see first that Jesus does not rule by sitting on a throne, but instead hangs from a cross.

This clearly shows us that he does not selfishly take life from us like some of the notorious kings of history. To the contrary, he gives his life, God’s life for us on the cross.

Then, we see that Jesus is by no means vengeful or hardened towards others. Again to the contrary, he remains sensitive, compassionate, and forgiving through his gruesome death.

To the one repentant thief who is crucified with him, he responds: “Today you will be with me in paradise.” And of those who were actually crucifying him, he prays: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

And finally, in all of this, we see that Jesus does not exclude. He does not shun or push away or refuse to have anything to do with those who are imperfect.

On the contrary, he remains welcoming and inclusive. This is his consistent way of drawing others to God.


CONCLUSION

Our Scripture readings are a treasure trove for knowing who Jesus Christ is as our King.

We see who he is and how he relates to us, and how different that is from the negative images of kings we have known.

This is the Jesus or the Christ the King whom we honor and in whom we believe as the liturgical year ends this Sunday.

The conclusions for our understanding of ourselves and for our behavior as individuals and as an institutional Church ought to be obvious: Jesus, Christ our King will serve as our model.

Amen? AMEN!