In spite of the fact that we fought a war with England to become an independent country free from the monarchy and royal rule, we can still understand the concept of royalty. We are free, but we are not without responsibilities towards our country along with enjoying the rights guaranteed us in our Constitution and Bill of Rights. But the Solemnity of Christ the King takes us beyond all that, for Christ's kingdom is not of this world.
Today we celebrate what we often call the "kingdom of God." But to understand that properly, we need to let go of our preconceived notions of what a king and a kingdom are, turning to the Scripture for a new definition.
In our first reading from the Prophet Daniel we hear the end of a longer vision in which Daniel sees the nations of the earth depicted as wild animals. These beasts emerge from a great sea - a symbol of evil. They have come to oppress God's people. But in the vision, we see a Son of Man approaching the throne of the Ancient One. As this Son of Man approaches God, he receives dominion and power that will last forever. It is an everlasting dominion that cannot be overtaken by evil. Jesus' rule or dominion is for all time.
In the book of Revelation, John takes the notion a step further. He tells us that Jesus' dominion is one of love and forgiveness.. Jesus, our eternal king, is the one who has freed us from our sins by his blood. He is our savior. Beyond that, he has molded us into a kingdom of priests for his God and Father - priests who offer the perfect sacrifice of the Eucharist in praise of God. Again, John emphasizes that Jesus' dominion will last forever and that all people -even those who killed him - will see him as King.
Finally, in our gospel from St. John, we hear the story of Jesus' conversation with Pontius Pilate. It is a conversation that John carefully crafted so that Jesus, as king, declares the true meaning of kingship. His is a kingdom that does not threaten the powers of this world, for it is not of this world. Jesus is truly a king, but not one as the world defines a king. He is Lord of heaven and earth.
What this means for us, for those baptized into Christ, the powers of this life are secondary to the rule of Jesus. Our first and most important realty is that Jesus is the Lord of our lives and this takes precedence over any other allegiance.
Further, it means that we have to keep our focus on the Gospels and the Church that Jesus gave us so that we can get true direction for our Christian lives. We cannot look to any other source for our ultimate guidance.
Finally, it means that we are highly privileged to be able to claim membership in God's kingdom where we all serve as "priests" offering fitting praise to God. Offering the Eucharist is not simply an obligation; it is a right, for we are a holy nation, a royal nation, a people set apart for God.
The Solemnity of Christ the King marks the end of liturgical cycle of feasts and celebrations. We start anew with Advent and Christmas. But first we stop and celebrate the fact that all of this means that we share in the glory of our God. As you approach the Eucharist, remember that we are plunged once again into the mystery of Jesus' death and rising, and then rejoice in and relish our dignity as sons and daughters of a loving God who has gone and will go to all lengths to show his love for us and share his life with us.
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