1st Reading - 2 Sam 5:1-3
Ps – 121:1-2, 4-5
2nd Reading – Col 1:12-20
Gospel – Lk 23:35-43
Has
the word ‘king’ got still
any relevance for today’s
world? When we
glance at the universal panorama
we notice easily that
it is not
a term dead and
gone. Here and there
in the world
people still cling
on to ‘Kings’
and ‘Queens’. The
Entertainment World still
makes use of beauty
queens and kings
of various categories.
Some magazines are
fully dedicated to bring
colourful news about
kings, queens, princes
and princesses even
with their excesses and
scandal stories. In
a country like
India where hundreds
of small and big
kingdoms existed, people
have to satisfy themselves now by
visiting palaces as
museums which are
remaining as signs
of a bygone
era of glory
and pomp. England,
Scandinavian Countries, Japan,
Thailand and some
Tribes of Africa still hold
on to Queen,
Kings, Kaiser and
Chieftains and cannot
do away with all these
as that would be then unheard
and still they all
belong to the deep
characteristics of their
popular psyche.
In such
a context we
still celebrate at
the end of the
Liturgical Cycle the
Solemnity of Christ,
the King of
the Universe. It
was Pope Pius
XI who introduced
the Solemnity of
Jesus Christ, the Universal
King to the
liturgy 90 years
ago when he got
alarmed at the coming
of Bolshewism, National Socialism and other
totalitarian forces and saw
the Kingdoms losing their moral and
social power devoid of great
values like peace and
justice. He established this
Solemnity to counteract the
erosion of values and
virtues in the
modern world presenting
Jesus Christ as
the Eternal Priest
and King of
the Universe. As
Priest he offered his
life on the
altar of the
Cross and redeemed
the human race
by his perfect
sacrifice of peace.
As King he
claims dominion over
all creation and presents to
the Father an
eternal and universal
kingdom of holiness
and grace, a
kingdom of justice, love and peace.
This is the
contrast of Christ’s Kingdom
comparing to other Kingdoms existed
and still existing in our world.
St.
Luke presents in his
Gospel 23:35-43 the
King of the
Jews in utter
helplessness and failure
whom the Leaders,
soldiers and even one of the
criminals hanging with
him jeer, mock and abuse.
But the King
of the Jews
on the cross, abandoned by
all is the
King who promises eternal Kingdom and
Paradise to the
other criminal with a repentant
heart hanging with
him.
St.
Paul in
the hymn in his
letter to the
Colossians describes theologically
the greatness, supremacy
of this great
King of the
Universe as the
Image of the invisible
God, First-born of all
creation, for in
him were created
all things in
heaven and on
earth, everything visible and
invisible. Thrones, Dominations, Sovereignties, Powers – all
things were created through
him and for
him. Before anything was
created, he existed
and he holds
all things in unity… that is the language of
his Letter to
the Colossians.
Jesus Christ is
the King of the Universe
- what about my situation ?
Is He the King of my
heart, my life and
existence ? This mighty
King of the
Universe is our
inner light, a
King who is
humble and meek and wants
to be King
in the heart of
each one of us.
The nearness of
this great King to
each one of
us is not
of our making
but grace of
God. He has
chosen to be one
among us, with us. He
should be First
in every way – the Hymn stresses.
Do I give
preference to his Reign
in me above
everything - this
is the question
everyone of us
has to ask
today as we
celebrate the Solemnity
of Jesus Christ, the
Universal King.
By - Rev. Fr. Cyriac Njayarkulam CMF
criaccn@gmail.com
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