I - 2 Sam. 5: 1-3
II - Col. 1: 12-20
III - Lk. 23: 35-43
SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST HE KING
Today the Church joyously celebrates the solemnity of the Kingship of Christ our Lord. The feast was introduced by Pope Pius XI with his encyclical ‘Quas Primas’ to combat the secularism that was prevailing. Pomp, power, glory, glamour, might and majesty mark the earthly royalty. The feast tries to put the right side up in celebrating the Kingship of Christ that authority and power consists in love, kindness, meekness, gentleness, humility and simplicity. In the first reading, David’s kinsmen anoint him to be their king. In Israel, anointing was a ritual that inaugurated the offices of the prophets, the priests and the kings. The idea of ‘messianism’ started with God’s covenant with David, a promise of God to establish his dynasty forever. The Good Shepherd from the line of the shepherd David! The second reading projects that we are the partakers in the inheritance of Christ our Lord. In the Gospel reading, on his Cross, Jesus sets the essence of Kingdom: love and forgiveness. Like the thieves on the either side of the cross, we are given the freedom of choice, either to accept him and remain in his Kingdom or to reject him and restrain from his Kingdom.
With the celebration of the solemnity of the Feast of Christ the King, the ordinary time of the liturgical year ends and we are about to enter into the season of advent. This celebration is an invitation to accept the kingship of Jesus. Rid from all that is not of the Kingdom of God and make worthy of befitting into that Kingdom where freedom, fraternity and justice reign. Let us during the day keep praying like the good theif: “Jesus, remember me in your kingdom”.
