THE KING OF ALL KINGS

Power, Priesthood and the Reign

November 24, 2024 - The Solemnity of Christ, the King of the Universe

Daniel 7: 13- 14; Revelation 1: 5-8; John 18: 33b-37 

Beginning the last week of the liturgical year, the Word would dedicate this entire week to a contemplation on the end days or the day of reckoning. It is an important aspect of our Creed and an essential tenet that we declare, that we believe that the Risen Lord, seated at the right hand of the Father, who will come again, to judge the living the the dead. And how shall he come this time over? As a king! As an everlasting king, the King of all kings... teaching the world, although so stubborn not to learn, what it means to be a king in God's terms!

Any discourse on a king, especially from the semitic history and tradition, would comprise of three inevitable terms, that the Word today presents to our consideration too. And the Word clarifies the significance of those terms from the perspective of Christ, the King of all kings. 

Power - The first term that comes to our mind is "power"! Power, that defines a king. With that power the kings get things done for themselves; as Jesus would point out elsewhere they would lord it on the others and get things done. That was the case of, not only the enemy kingsof Israel, even the God-appointed kings of the people in the Old testament. As we see, they were served by the others, they even sent the others to fight for them, shed blood for their sakes, while they remained back, all on their rightful choices. 

Christ the King is totally an other type - he declared that he came not to be served, but to serve and give his life for all. He did not demand that the others die for him, but showed in his life , what it would mean doing that. The second reading today underlines this aspect as it reminds us that we have been redeemed by his blood, by the blood of the King who wishes to reconcile us to himself. The authority that stands out here is not merely power but an authoritative life model, that we are called to make our own. 

Priesthood -  The semitic kingship was intrinsically linked to the institution of priesthood that existed. We know kings were considered mediators between God and people... the pharoahs had this concept so strong that some of them went to the extent of equating themselves to God, just as some leaders wish to do today. The Priesthood there served as a point of making themselves special, more privileged and deserving honour. It protected that pride of status and looked with despise on anything that took away that special status in any way. They created themselves as someone above everyone else and protected in the citadels of religious and political power. 

Christ the King breaks that protocol - he wishes to make everyone a priest; in fact, as the second reading tells us today, by the sacrifice of himself, he wanted to make us all priests, granting us the grace of royal priesthood, by the very nature of our baptism. It was not only the Word who emptied Godself of everything, but even Jesus in his earthly sojourn and in his Christ-event, wished to empty himself of everything and make everyone special and privileged before the Lord. That is what we are - Royal Priesthood that shares in the priesthood of that King of all kings.

Reign - Not just the semitic kingship, but any king for that matter, has to have a kingdom, a Reign! Christ the King, in the Gospel, in clear and candid terms explains, that his Reign is a markedly different Reign... a Reign of truth, equality and solidarity. While the kingdoms of this earth are intent on protecting themselves, closing themselves us in security, and defending themselves from all so-called strangers and others, the Reign of Christ, opens itself, opens itself wide and large. We hear a term from Jesus today - "anyone"; in some versions, "all" - anyone who is on the side of truth! The Reign is open to all, open to anyone, provided they are testimonies to truth! That is the King we have, who is the King of the Reign of Truth and Integrity. 

As we celebrate the King of all kings today, lets us take a moment and examine ourselves whether our lives possess the same mind as our King... reaching out to everyone in service and solidarity, creating that Reign that our King came to inaugurate.