King of the Universe

Homily for the Solemnity of Christ the King

The Church’s culmination of the Liturgical Year in the Solemnity of Christ the King has multiple levels of meaning.  The obvious one is of the glorious ending of time and the judgment of the nations which invites us to think of a grand procession into the magnificence of the reality of Christ bringing all the Universe into complex harmony with the Trinity.  This vision might be accompanied by trumpets, harps, a ponderous organ and great booming drums filling us with both terror and joy as we come to the final assembly.

At another level, the readings invite us back to the simplicity of the pasture where the sheep and goats are being gathered in and separated for sending to different pastures.  The musical accompaniment to this is more like a folksong – with guitars, whistles and simple harmonies.

At still another level we might experience with St. Ignatius of Loyola the “Call of the King” that comes to us once we recognize that we are not God but that we are utterly loved by a God who desires us to share Trinitarian life and love.  This imagination might be filled with a love song, so resonantly sung as to draw each of us toward the Beloved in a life of companionship and service for all those He loves.

This particular liturgical year has been marked by a traversal of the Gospel of St. Matthew. The story that we hear today is one of the last parables before the passion narrative begins. It is the third image to which I believe our hearts are drawn to in the final days of our Year of Matthew. Jesus calls us to participate in the mission of his kingdom. Through Baptism, God has granted each of us the grace to become a companion with Jesus in his mission.  This is the call to become disciples and companions of the Lord of heaven and earth.

Today’s feast invites us to recognize the task and the glory that discipleship implies.  Christ the King is most clearly seen as the one who lays down his life on the cross for the salvation of all from the slavery of sin.  His glory is also seen in his shepherding work of care for the vulnerable, in his invitation at the death of each person to come home, and his judgement of the nations for their cooperation with His work of bringing joy, peace, freedom and health to every human being as brothers and sisters, not as inferiors or slaves.

As we complete this Liturgical Year of grace and begin the new one with Advent, yearning to be close to Jesus and his saving grace, we are called by him to collaboration with Him in His saving work.  As we look back on the year past, we must ask ourselves, “Have we grown more as disciples of Jesus?  As we look forward to the coming weeks and months, do we want that discipleship to expand and grow? Today is the day to hear his invitation to follow Him. He has given us many and diverse gifts; how can we use the gifts He has given each of us in His mission.  The King is inviting us to be part of His mighty work of bringing all humanity to freedom, peace, delight and companionship at the banquet of God’s glory and all of creation to its fullest purpose. I want to hear that invitation this late November day; I want all persons to hear that invitation and respond with a thrilling shout of “yes.” As subjects of the shepherd King, we can continue to bring His Kingdom to reign over all people.