“This is the King of the Jews”

This upcoming weekend is the last Sunday of the liturgical calendar of the Church year, and we go out with a bang: the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. And while this feast has a big, fancy title (King of the UNIVERSE!), our readings remind us of something very important: humility.

The first reading tells the story of David being chosen and anointed as King of Israel. From this human royal line is where Jesus' royal blood descends. And, if you know the stories of David and his line, their's is one filled with grandeur and faith... sometimes... But, more often than not, the Davidic line disappoints and turns against God, committing sin and seeking their own will over that of God.

And so, we arrive at the Gospel today, where we hear the story of Jesus' crucifixion from the Gospel of Luke. Nailed atop Jesus' cross is his crime, marking him as the "King of the Jews" in a way intended to mock. Jesus, the King of the Jews and of the whole Universe, is put to death by his own people, the very ones who, by blood, he does have royal rights. But, St. Paul in the second reading reminds us: "[God the Father] delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins... [Jesus] is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross..."

In other words, the royalty of Christ, who is the Son of God, the one through whom all things were made, and in whom "all the fullness was please to dwell," is not one of pageantry and grandeur, but one of humility and love. So much love, in fact, that he was willing to reconcile all things "by the blood of his cross."

The Passion of Christ was not an accident or purely a result of sinful individual humans. It was freely chosen... it was the means of reconciling us to the Father... it was the source of mercy and forgiveness of our sins. We have a King who was willing to sacrifice himself rather than live in halls gilded with gold. So, let us pray this week that our own hearts may continue to become more like the heart of Christ, who by his cross "has made [us] fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light."

Want to prepare your heart and mind for Mass this weekend? Click here to find the readings this Sunday's Mass.