Christ the King

11-23-2025Weekly ReflectionFr. Albert

This Sunday, The Feast of Christ the King, marks the closing of Year C of the Liturgical Calendar. This special Feast reminds us that over and above being the Universal King, Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church. His Divine reign stretches out from the alpha of time to the omega. There is no other true King, for God is One. Today's First Reading from the Second Book of Samuel spoke of the elders anointing David as the king of Israel. King David was an image of things to come. At the same time, we must keep in mind that there were two distinct differences. Both Jesus and king David were anointed as kings. Both Jesus and king David ruled over a twofold kingdom.

King David ruled over Judah and Israel. Christ the King rules over a twofold kingdom, His kingdom in Heaven to which belongs all the saints who have departed from this world and the Kingdom on earth to which belongs all those who have been baptized.

Both king David and the Lord Jesus were shepherds. The Almighty Father who chose David to shepherd His people Israel is the same God who chose Christ the King as the Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep. The first distinct difference between the kingdoms of David versus the Kingdoms of Christ the King are: while David ruled over a twofold kingdom, they remained as distinct entities. Christ the King rules over a twofold Kingdom that is called the Mystical Body of Christ. In this age, the two kingdoms of Christ are growing together to form One Body. Through the Sacrament of Baptism, the believer is admitted into the kingdom of Christ on earth as a first step towards admission into the eternal kingdom of God in Heaven.

The second distinct difference between the kingdoms of David versus the Kingdoms of Christ the king are: Both kingdoms of Kingdom David were physical in nature. Both Kingdoms of Christ are Spiritual in nature. Regarding the Heavenly Kingdom, Jesus said, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, My followers would be fighting to keep Me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, My kingdom is not from here."

In the Gospel, Jesus replied to the thief, " Truly i tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." Jesus did not tell the thief that he would be "before" Him as a servant. He said, you will be "with" Me. in other words, the presence of the thief alongside Jesus would not be one of a slave or servant but of one who would be sharing in His royalty. The thief was called to be one of the many who would follow the Firstborn, Christ the King.

In life, we have a choice. We could like the soldiers who mocked Jesus. we could be the criminal on the cross who kept deriding Jesus. or we could be like the repentant thief who said, "We indeed have been condemned justly for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." As we continue with the celebration of today's Holy Mass, let us be thankful to Christ the King for having called up to partake in His eternal Kingdom. Let us always remain loyal to Christ who is the Head of the Body, the Church.