Homily for
November 25, 2018
Feast of Christ
the King
Royal Standards
St.
Ignatius of Loyola, in his “Spiritual Exercises,” invites people in their
prayer to meditate on what he calls the “Two Standards”. Picture this scene –
you are standing in a field in between two large groups of people. Each group
is huddled around a flag. On your left stands a group huddled around a flag
called “The World” and on your right is a group gathered around one that is
labeled “Jesus Christ”.
St.
Ignatius then asks us to choose. We can’t stay in the middle – we have to pick
one side or the other. So we start to examine the sides. On the world’s side,
they have cookies…and nice clothes…and everyone seems good-looking and successful.
On Christ’s side, they are joyful, but their clothes aren’t that nice, and they
don’t seem like the “cream of the crop”.
Then you
see this group’s leader – Jesus Christ. But He looks nothing like a king. He
stands before Pilate, beaten, scourged, falsely accused, hated by all. Would
you join such a king? Would you belong to such a kingdom as that ragtag group
of misfits?
Our
readings today reveal two contrasting views of Christ’s Kingship. In the
Gospel, we see Jesus as we saw Him on earth – merely a human being, and a weak
and powerless one, at that. He has to stand, powerless and innocent, before Pontius
Pilate, a corrupt and bloodthirsty earthly king. But in the first reading, we
see Jesus crowned with honor, triumphant over His enemies, reigning with
complete power and authority. He answers to no one; His victory is complete.
We must
follow Christ in His first humble Kingship if we wish to reign with Him in His
glorious kingship. In many ways, these two aspects of Christ’s Kingship (humility
and glory, the Cross and the Resurrection) mirror the life of every Christian.
Because of grace, we are truly glorious! We will someday reign with Him and
radiate holiness that we never knew possible. In the Old Testament, Moses’ face
actually shone because of his closeness to God; but in eternity, our entire
selves will be radiant with glory. But that glory is hidden now, and Christians
have to live a life of humility, patience, embracing the Cross and following
after the Lord Jesus.
This
means we cannot submit to following the crowd who is gathered around the flag
of “The World”. The World wants the glory here-and-now. The World professes
pride, not humility; pleasures, not sacrifice; power, not service; hatred and
division, not love. You have all promised at your baptism to reject Satan and
all his works and all his empty promises – these are the empty promises that
they are talking about. Glory, pleasure, pride, victory here on earth. Lots of
fun for seventy or eighty years. But we follow a religion that makes no such
promises for this world – rather, our hope is in the Kingdom to come.
This
feast of Christ the King was established in 1925 by Pope Pius XI, and he
established it during a time of great turmoil. Italy had just fallen into the
fascist government of Mussolini who in 1925 officially became Italy’s dictator,
and the Communists had just come to power in Russia. World War I had just ended
as well. These tumultuous times displayed to the world the type of authority
that the worldly flag endorses: harsh and atheistic authority, concerned only
with power and hostile to anyone who disagrees.
In
contrast, Pope Pius XI wanted to remind the world that political authority is not the ultimate authority in the world.
Instead, look to Jesus Christ as the ultimate King: a humble, loving, compassionate
King, Who lays down His life for His sheep. His Kingdom is not of this world –
and neither is ours!
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