Our Lord Jesus, the King of the Universe
Christ the King and the Judge
Brethren, on this Sunday we celebrate the solemnity of Christ the King of the whole universe. This solemnity marks the last Sunday of the liturgical year. The Church liturgical year is set up in such a way that we ponder the entire life of Christ in different seasons and at different times. Advent is a preparation for the celebration of the first coming of Christ that also focuses upon the final coming. Christmas is a time to celebrate the Incarnation when the Son of God was made manifest to the world through His birth. Lent and Easter focus upon the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, and Ordinary Time presents us with the many lessons and miracles of Jesus’ public ministry. Additionally, there are many special memorials, feasts and solemnities by which we intensely focus upon some particular person or aspect of our faith. Each feast and season is meant to help us delve more deeply into the mystery of faith that we celebrate.
This year's solemnity of Christ the King, we reflect on Christ as the King of the whole universe but also on Christ as the Judge who will sit on his throne on the last day to separate the sheep from the goats just as a shepherd separates sheep from goat at the end of the day after grazing. At the end of time Christ our good shepherd will separate those who heard his voice and entered his sheepfold from those who were stubborn and hardened their hearts to hear his voice and enter his sheepfold. Those who belonged to his sheepfold will enter the kingdom of God and those who will be outside will be condemned to eternal damnation and fire.
Of course, this will look contradictory to what we know of Jesus as the most merciful of all and that his mercy endures forever. But then we have to remember always that Jesus' mercy doesn’t mean he ignores justice. "Mercy differs from justice, but is not in opposition to it," wrote Pope Saint John Paul II in his 1980 encyclical, Dives in Misericordia (Rich in Mercy). Therefore, all of our life is, in a sense, preparation for the judgment we face at life's end. That is when we go before Our Lord and give account for everything we have done or failed to do. No excuses will be accepted, no more "second chances" given. Would I be ready to face the Lord this very day? If not, why not? What facet of my life do I need to change right now?
Jesus the King and judge gives us a quick criterion of belonging to the sheep side. We shall only be judged according to the way we loved. The sheep to be saved are the people who helped others, who showed mercy, who didn't turn a cold shoulder to someone in need. Our Lord doesn't praise them for their many prayers so much as for their good deeds. Prayer is important, of course. But it's not enough. Christ wants our love for him to be reflected in our love for others. Oddly, many of those to be saved will not have realized that it was Christ they were helping. Do I see Christ in those who need help? Do I see Christ in my family members? My co-workers? The demanding boss? The unpopular classmate? The smelly beggar?
Christ is in everyone we meet and when we become good to them, we are actually being good to Jesus. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.) wrote, "Christ is at once above and below - above in Himself, below in his people. Fear Christ above and recognize him below. Here he is poor, with and in the poor; there he is rich, with and in God. Have Christ above bestowing his bounty; recognize him here in his need" (excerpt from Sermon 123, 44).
When Martin of Tours (316-397 AD), a young Roman soldier who had been reluctant to fully commit his life to Christ and be baptized as a Christian, met a poor beggar on the road who had no clothes to warm himself in the freezing cold, Martin took pity on him. He immediately got off his horse and cut his cloak in two and then gave half to the stranger. That night Martin dreamt he saw a vision of Jesus in heaven robed in a torn cloak just like the one he gave away that day to the beggar. One of the angels next to Jesus asked, "Master, why do you wear that battered cloak?" Jesus replied, "My servant Martin gave it to me." Martin's disciple and biographer Sulpicius Severus states that as a consequence of this vision "Martin flew to be baptized" to give his life fully to Christ as a member of his people.
If we do not recognize that Christ is in everyone we meet especially in the poor, the needy and the marginalized, we commit sin of omission, then we fail to recognize Christ who comes to us daily and end up belonging to the goat side and then we will be lost and condemned. It's scary to think that those who will be lost were not necessarily "bad people." In this passage, Our Lord doesn't chide them for doing wicked things. He doesn't accuse them of starting wars or peddling drugs or committing acts of terrorism. Rather, he faults them for the sin of omission, for things they didn't do. "You gave me no food …. You gave me no clothing." We may think ourselves good Christians because we don't cheat on our taxes or look at pornography or miss Mass on Sundays. But acts of charity are key, too. We should do these without neglecting the others.
Therefore, brethren, on this Sunday, let us become more aware that our final judgement by Christ the King of heaven and earth is based only on our capability to love when we are still here on earth. Our help to people should be motivated only by the love of Christ. Every good deed done for the love of Christ is actually done to Christ. If we want to reign with him eternally in his heavenly kingdom, we have to feed the hungry, help the sick, the naked, those in the prison and such others.
Let us Pray
Lord Jesus, be the Master and Ruler of my life. May your love rule in my heart that I may only think, act, and speak with charity and good will for all.
Happy Solemnity and Be Blessed.
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