By Fr. Antony Christy, SDB –
25th November, 2018: Solemnity of Christ the King
Daniel 7: 13-14; Revelations 1: 5-8; John 18: 33-37
Monarchy… Kingship…Royalty… though monarchy in its ancient form is almost obsolete in today’s world and even the remnant societies that uphold monarchy have a newer interpretation of monarchy, the tendencies of the age old monarchy has not disappeared by any means. What do I mean?
Consider people who are at war with each other for power and supremacy! Consider leaders who have ruled all their lives but even at their ripe old age dissent from ceding their power to anyone else. Consider political leaders and parties who make their kith and kin their political heir, and thus make the whole state or the polity their property. Consider people who wield so much power wherever they are, that they do not tolerate even the slightest criticism, much less opposition! Are these not tendencies of monarchy? A post modern era such as today, looks with despise on any form of monarchy! And today we celebrate Christ as King! Are we outdated? Are we obsolete? Are we archaic? Are we irrelevant?
Celebrating Christ as King is to show ourselves how different a king Jesus our Lord is and to show the world, how different governing people could be!
Our King is One… with none as second or with no need to succession! The first reading presents a king who is eternal, without end to his reign! Christ needs to contend with no one, he is the indisputable king and we will do well to acknowledge that. At the same time there is no necessity for anyone to protect the sovereignty of Christ… there is no power greater than him, there is no authority higher than him and there is no other name more powerful than his! Christ and Christ alone rules and he rules without end!
Our King is True… it is to bear witness to the Truth that he came on earth and gave his life: this is his own testimony before Pilate in the Gospel today. He is king, but not of the kind which we find in this world…those which are selfish, power mongering and pleasure seeking, but selfless, servant minded and self giving; not fraudulent, corrupt and crooked but just, true and integral!
Our King is Good… for he loves us and gives himself totally up for our sake. Unlike the monarchs who demand everything at the cost of anything, Jesus our Lord, demands nothing costing him everything, his life, his body, blood and even his divinity! As Jesus taught his disciples, the rulers of this world lord it over the others – they are arrogant, heartless, tyrannical, cruel and obsessed with power – it cannot be so among us (cf. Mt 20:25,26)… Jesus did not only say that, he lived that. The one who wants to rule, let him serve. What a loving king we have!
One, True, Good are the metaphysical qualities of a being; in the Indian tradition they are the transcendent qualities of the Atman…yes, Jesus, is Lord! the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, the One, the True, the Good who gives me the very sense of my being! Christ is my King not because he rules, but because he loves, he loves me royally. He is my King, the only king, the true king, the good king, the king of my heart!
Fr Antony Christy is a Salesian Priest from 2005, who has a Masters in Philosophy (specialisation in Religion) and a Masters in Theology (Specialisation in Catechetics). He is currently pursuing his doctoral research in Theology at Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. Walking with the Young towards a World of Peace and Dialogue is the passion that fires him.