November 20
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
“Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.”
Reflection
The readings for the final Sunday of the Liturgical Year, otherwise known as the Christ the King, were not chosen in the same way as other Sunday readings in Ordinary Time.
Today’s feast celebrates the authority and actual power of Jesus Christ by creating images that help us understand some of the characteristics of the kingship of Christ. These images allow us to understand kingship in a way that we do not understand earthly kingship.
As we know, earthly kingship is about absolute authority over their subjects. There are times that this power has even shown itself as a slave vs. authoritarian relationship. This is not, and cannot be so with the kingship of Jesus Christ! Jesus came to serve. We must remember that Jesus while fully human is also fully divine. He has not appointed himself but God the Father has appointed Him to serve, not be served.
We can describe Christ as the Eternal Shepherd and Commander, the King of Israel, the Image of the invisible God, the Firstborn of all creation, the Source of all created things, and Head of the body, which is the Church. We also know Christ as the Crucified King that is Firstborn or the dead!
On this last Sunday in our liturgical year, we understand Christ from the infant birth as the newborn King to the Firstborn of the dead. These images helps us understand the progression and person of Christ, both human and divine in service to the people of God. May our worship of Him this day consider these images in preparation for another Advent Season of anticipation, as we move toward welcoming the newborn King once again into our lives.
Peace,
Fr. John
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