November 25 // Feast of Christ the King

Feast of Christ the King

Reading I: Daniel 7:13-14
Responsorial Psalm 93:1, 1-2, 5
Reading II: Revelation 1:5-8
Gospel: John 18:33b-37

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925. At that time it was celebrated on the last Sunday of October. In 1970 it was moved to the final Sunday of Ordinary Time. Acclaiming Jesus as our true King is a powerful way to end the Church year.

In today’s Gospel from John, Jesus has been arrested and is confronted by the Roman Pontius Pilate. It is clear that Jesus’ Kingship is radically different from Pilate’s worldly understanding of sovereignty. Was Jesus planning to lead a violent revolt against the empire? This would certainly have alarmed the Romans, at a time when large numbers of pilgrims were in Jerusalem for the Passover. It did alarm some of the Jewish leaders for sure, as they did not want to do anything to incite the Romans. “…it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish…” (John 11:50)

But Jesus declared that his “kingdom does not belong to this world,” and that he came to “testify to the truth” (John 18: 36, 37). Pilate still didn’t get it. In the verse following today’s reading, he said to Jesus, “What is truth?”

The truth is that Jesus is King of God’s Kingdom and that God’s Kingdom is found wherever God’s will is being done.

What is God’s will? Love.

Where do we see God’s love in our lives today? And how are we bringing this love into a world so much in need of it?

Sheryl Zabel