CHRIST, THE KING OF KINGS

XXXIV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME:

A profession of faith

We end the Year of the Faith with the celebration of Jesus Christ the King. With Thomas, after overcoming his doubt, we confess our faith: “My Lord and my God” (Jn 20:28).

Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords. In his plan of salvation, God has decided to subject everything to Christ’s rule, so that finally he can surrender everything to the Father, making it possible for God to be “all in all” (1 Cor 15:28).

Speaking of Jesus’ kingship we use human words, which may lead us to false conceptions about his kingship. The people of Israel expected a Messiah king in the manner of all other earthly kings, only much more powerful. However, in his life and in his death on the cross, he made it clear that he had no come for that. When people looked for him to be king in order to solve their problems, Jesus went ino hiding (Jn 6:15). Finally, he was proclaimed king on the cross, which sounds like a joke.

A mission of service

The kingship of David was always looked upon as a prophecy of the Messiah and this Sunday’s first reading presents two essential aspects of his kingship. First, he was chosen by God, who called him and ordered him to be at the service of the people. The political power entrusted to him is part of a mission of service. There are many who get political power for the sake of power, using and abusing their power and transforming everybody else into tools that must satisfy their hunger for glory and dominion. Nobody can stand up to them, because everybody else must be subservients to them.

A pact with the people

The text of the first reading makes it also ver clear that David was chosen by the people and that his kingship was based on a pact made between the elders of the people and himself. And he was anointed as king only after that.

The pact with the people is an essential aspect of political power. When that pact is broken, the ones exercising it loose their legitimacy.

Jesus is proclaimed king on th cross

This passage on the enthronement of David as king is used to understand the kingship of Jesus Christ, who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. 

From the Father, Jesus received a mission of service and he made that very clear in the Last Supper, teaching his disciples to serve, even by doing what was considered humiliating work, like washing the feet of the others. Jesus is king by his service and love, not by dominion and oppression.

Jesus is proclaimed king on the Cross, because it is on the cross that he showed is faithfulness and his love, and it is on the cross that he establishes a new covenant, by which a new people of God is created.

We are called to share in Christ’s kingship, but for that we must walk on his footsteps, sharing his cross.