This Sunday, November 21, 2010, is the Solemnity of Christ the King. http://www.churchyear.net/ctksunday.html This site has a good history of this Holy day. The Solemnity of Christ the King celebrates the authority of Christ as King and Lord of the universe. It was officially called the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King. Pope Pius XI instituted this day in 1925 in his encyclical Quas Primas, 32 in response to the growing secularism in society. People were rejecting the authority of Christ and questioning the Church as well. Pope Pius XI hoped the Feast would have various effects, they were 1) Nations would see that the Church has the right to freedom and immunity from the state 2) Leaders and nations would see that they are bound to give respect to Christ and 3) 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, will, and bodies.
The people in 1925 mistrusted monarchies because they believed them to be oppressive. Jesus himself taught us that he, as King, did not come to be served but to serve. The Feast of Christ the King was instituted during a time when respect for Christ and the Church was waning and the feast was most needed. It is still needed today since those problems have not gone away but have become worse. Today people’s lives are governed by their distrust of authority and an individualistic authority has taken over so that the only authority is the individual self. They reject Christ as King or Lord because those titles mean, to them, more oppressive government.
Jesus knew that man’s governments were oppressive. He 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 whishes 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)
From the above website: “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.”
In the Gospel reading this Sunday we are with Jesus as he is dying on the cross while people stood by and watched and leaders and soldiers sneered and jeered at Jesus. The thief on a cross to one side of Jesus is like the leaders and soldiers, sneering and jeering, but the thief on his cross on the other side of Jesus becomes an ideal disciple of Christ because he recognizes his own sins and his need for forgiveness and he recognizes the innocence of Jesus and refers to Jesus as Christ the King when he says, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replies, “Amen I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” We hear the confidence with which Jesus makes that statement and appreciate a king who has power over death to fulfill a promise of life in Paradise after natural, earthly death. We celebrate a King who gave everything for the sake of his people, resurrected first so that we may follow.
The Psalm this week is Psalm 122: I Rejoiced.
Have a blessed week and REJOICE because we will go to the house of the Lord!