Readings: 2 Sam
5:1-3; Col 1:12-20; Lk 23:35-43
Some of you might
recall the movie, For Greater Glory, a
true story on the Cristeros War (1926-1929) between the people of Mexico and
the atheistic Mexican government. In that movie, our Mexican brothers and
sisters go to their death with these words, "Viva Cristo el Rey."
Long live Christ the King! The movie features a young man named Luis Magaña, a
teenage boy, Jose Sanchez and a priest in his mid-thirties, Fr. Miguel. When asked to bow before the government, they
all say: I am a loyal son of Mexico, but I belong first to Jesus. Viva Cristo
el Rey! These three – now Blessed Luis Magaña, Blessed Jose Luis Sanchez del
Rio and St. Miguel Pro represent hundreds who gave their lives for Christ in
the late 1920s. These witnesses were totally committed to Jesus Christ their
king. You and I are challenged by two basic questions. Who is your king? What
kingdom do you serve? The account
of David’s anointing in the first reading speaks of his closeness to the people
and his future role as a shepherd-king. David is the deliverer and shepherd of
his people, thus pre-figuring the mystery of Christ, who is King, Shepherd and
at the same time the lamb slain on the cross for his sheep. That is the point
of Luke’s crucifixion narrative, in which everything said about Jesus comes to
be true: the “chosen one”, the “Messiah”, the “Saviour of all”; the one who
saves himself by surrendering his own life. Indeed the readings lead us to meet
Christ, who, in Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, "is the image of the
unseen God and the first born of all creation, for in him were created all
things in heaven and on earth: everything visible and everything
invisible...everything was created through him and for him"(Col. 1.
15-16). In this beautiful hymn that is highly poetic, St. Paul gives us a
glimpse of the Father, who sums up all creation in Christ.
St. Paul's meditation on the Father summing up and
reconciling all things in and through Christ, is one of the most beautiful
prayers of thanksgiving to the Father. We are invited to offer our gratitude to
the Father for all that he has done for us throughout the Liturgical Year that
comes to an end this Sunday. Thus in the Eucharist, we offer to the Father a
sacrifice of thanksgiving through Christ, the King, who by his death and
resurrection enters into an eternal and universal kingdom: a kingdom of truth
and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and
peace. The prayer after Communion beautifully sums up the mystery of Christ we
celebrate this Sunday: “Lord, you give us Christ, the King of all creation, as
food for everlasting life. Help us to live by his Gospel and bring us to the
joy of his kingdom”. This last Sunday of the Liturgical Year challenges us to
be more determined to live by the values and principles of Christ our King, and
to be willing to sacrifice ourselves for those values. Our baptism into the
life of Christ was and continues to be a bold statement to the world: Jesus is
Lord and King of our lives. We dream His dreams. We share His hopes. We believe
that nothing, not even death, can take away the dream of His Kingdom from us.
The Solemnity of Christ the King is not just a conclusion of the church year.
It takes us to the beginning: ushering in the King who is, who reigns in our
hearts, and who is yet to come, a new Advent. So what message do we take home
this Sunday? 1) We are invited to live by the Gospel Christ preached; by His
values of peace, Justice and love that Christ shared; and by rules that govern
His Kingdom –the Commandments. 2) The readings exhort us to let Christ reign in
our lives, so we may be truly united with him, and thus be effective witness in
Christ’s kingdom. 3) As we conclude the Liturgical Year, let us pray that you
and I continue to be faithful servants of our King; that we may continue to
bear good fruit for the growth of his Kingdom.
©2016 John S. Mbinda
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