Your Kingdom Come

The last Sunday of the Church’s liturgical year is a celebration of the Feast of Christ the King. This feast, instituted 80 years ago, honors Jesus Christ as the Lord of the Universe. He reigns in our wills and in our hearts. He is our king, our lawgiver, our judge. All power belongs to him, all must obey his commands and none may escape his judgment (cf Pope Pius XI, Quas Primas, Dec. 11, 1925, 7, 15).

His human life showed no kingly trappings. He was born inside a cave with a manger for a crib. He lived in no palace, and while foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, he had nowhere to rest his head (Mt 8:20). He behaved as a servant, washing the feet of his disciples. His royal crown was a plait of thorns, and for his throne, the Cross. “Jesus came into the world with nothing; so too, with nothing —not even the place where he rests — he has left us” (Escriva, Way of the Cross, 14th Station).

Christ affirmed himself as a king: “I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world,” to “proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God” (Jn 18:37; Lk 4:43). Yet his “kingship is not from the world” but “among you” (Jn 18:36; Lk 17:21), that is, within us, in our minds and hearts. Everyone is welcome to his kingdom: the poor in spirit and the persecuted, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Mt 5:3, 10); he came to call not the righteous but sinners (Mt 9:13). He warns though, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Mt 7:21).
His invitation is to share our life with him and enjoy the riches of his kingdom. The kingdom Jesus Christ is a kingdom of love, peace, light, forgiveness and joy. I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (Jn 13:34-35). Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid (Jn 14:27). I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (Jn 8:12). This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins (Mt 26:28). If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete (Jn 15:10-11).

Jesus addresses to us the same question he asked Simon Peter. "Do you love me?" and we are challenged to respond as the apostle did: "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you" (Jn 21:17). He awaits us to embrace Peter’s confession of faith. “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God" (Jn 6:68-69).

“The program of every Christian is to follow the Lord, the Way, and the Truth, and the Life, in order to possess the Kingdom which he has promised and given” (Pope John Paul II, Homily, Nov. 22, 1998). Holiness consists in this: Prefer nothing to the love of Christ (cf Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, Jul. 20, 2005). Christ promises the ultimate reward for whoever follows him. “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me has eternal life” (Jn 6:47).

Pope Benedict XVI urges us: “Every Christian is called to enter into profound communion with the Crucified and Risen Lord, to adore him in prayer, meditation and above all, in devout participation in the Eucharist, at least on Sunday, the little ‘weekly Easter’. In this way one truly becomes his disciple, ready to proclaim and to witness at every moment to the Gospel's beauty and power of renewal” (Angelus, Jul. 31, 2005).

Our Holy Father also stresses our duty to spread the kingdom of Christ. “Anyone who has discovered Christ must lead others to him. A great joy cannot be kept to oneself. It has to be passed on. Help people to discover the true star which points out the way to us: Jesus Christ! Let us seek to know him better and better, so as to be able to guide others to him with conviction.” (Homily, Aug., 21, 2005). If we let Christ reign in our soul, we will serve everyone, for only by serving can we know and love Christ and make him known and loved (Escriva, Christ is Passing By, 182). Let us pass on the kingdom of love, peace, light, forgiveness and joy in our homes and wherever we happen to be.

Marana tha -- Come, Lord Jesus (1 Cor 16:22). Your kingdom come on earth as in heaven.