Pastor's Corner: Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the universe

Here we are at the end of another year!

Nope it is not New Years Eve, but this Sunday, Nov. 21, marks the end our Catholic Church year. The end of our Church calendar. The name we give to this solemnity is the same as the title for this article “Jesus Christ King of the Universe.” That is a big title. As a church we believe that God is omnipresent, everywhere and in all things. When we couple this belief with the reality of the Trinity, we can then see how we can say that Jesus is indeed King of the Universe.

The Scripture readings for this Sunday are Daniel 7:13-14, Revelation 1:5-8 and John 18:33b–37. These are three very diverse readings, giving us very different perspectives on the image we hold concerning what it means or looks like to be King of the Universe.

The reading from the book of Daniel provides us with an image of King that is in total control of everything. A king that will never lose his power and all people and nations serve him. In verse 13 of this reading this king is referred to as “One like the son of man.” This is a title that Jesus uses in reference to himself in Matthew 8:20, again in Mark 8:31 and again in 8:38, again in Luke 5:24 and 6:5 as well as at least six different references in the Gospel of John. This image of king presented in Daniel seems to be at odds with the life that Jesus lived while on earth. This then leads me to really think about — what is it that we are celebrating on the solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe?

In this Sunday’s scripture from the book of Revelation we again are confronted with an image of king that holds total power over all people. Here is the image of the “Alpha and the Omega,” … “the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty.” This image of king from the book of Revelation like the reading from the book of the Prophet Daniel causes me to question what kind of king we are celebrating this Sunday.

The reason I question is because of the Gospel reading we will listen to this Sunday. The reading from the John 18:33b-37 presents us with a very different image of who Jesus Christ the King of the Universe is. In his conversation with Pilate, Jesus tells us his purpose for being and the kind of king he is “For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Jesus, this king we acknowledge this Sunday, is a king who is sent to serve God and God’s people. He shows us the true image of God. As Jesus himself states in John 14:9 “whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”

Our King Jesus is a king who does not lord it over others as the kings of the gentiles do. Jesus is not a king who exhibits military might and power. He is not a king who is concerned with nationalism and borders. Jesus is concerned with one thing testifying to the “truth.”

The only truth that exists is God. The God and Father that Jesus serves and proclaims is the God of grace, mercy, love and forgiveness! These traits are the image and likeness of God that Jesus exhibits throughout his entire ministry. This is the kind of King we acknowledge this coming Sunday on the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King of the Universe. This is the King we acknowledge as our King. The grace, mercy, love and forgiveness that Jesus employed and lived is how we are called to live.

As Christians, we are baptized disciples of Jesus. This carries with it a great responsibility. In our Catholic Christian tradition immediately after we are baptized, we are anointed with Sacred Chrism, this is an oil with a sweet aroma. With this anointing we become the sweet smell of Jesus in the world. This anointing carries with it the mandate to live as Priest, Prophet and King. The same kind of King that Jesus is — with our lives we are to manifest the truth of God, we are to live the grace, mercy, love and forgiveness of God.

For the last several weeks, our Sunday readings at Mass have provided us with examples of how to live as disciples of Jesus, how to live as children of the King of the Universe. We have been shown by the life of Jesus presented to us in the Gospels how to live the grace, mercy, love and forgiveness of God. If we choose to do this, we will be confronted by the same kind of resistance Jesus was. We will come face to face with people who do not recognize or accept the truth of God. What are we to do then?

To answer that question, we must again look to Jesus as our example who, as he was being crucified, said, “forgive them Father, they do no know what they are doing.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t know if I am strong enough to do that, so I only have one option — to trust myself to My Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe and trust in the gift and presence of the Holy Spirit to strengthen me.

Blessings

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Deacon Tim Maroney

St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church