Christ the King
As we celebrate the feast of Christ the King of the Universe, the Church, through the prescribed gospel, presents to us the image of Christ who is the King of mercy and pardon. The gospel presents before us a not a king who sits on a throne, but the King who is hanging on the cross in the midst of two criminals crucified with him. By pointing at the inscription above Jesus’ head, “This is the King of the Jews” (23:38), Luke wants to tell us that Christ is really the King who does not save himself, but gives himself; who showers his gift of pardon and awards paradise to the repentant criminal hanged beside him (23:43); who saves even the worst of repentant sinners begging for mercy like that criminal. While dying on the cross, he shows his Kingship over all people by his offer of forgiveness and universal reconciliation.
As we acclaim Christ as our King today, we should keep in mind that Jesus’ crucifixion did not take place on an altar between two candles as we commemorate it during the Holy Mass today, but between two criminals sentenced to death by crucifixion. Luke’s passion narrative presents a crucified Messiah who establishes his Kingdom amidst mocking and brutality. Normally subjects and soldiers lay down their lives to protect or save their king; but here is a King who dies a disgraceful death in order to save his subjects. His throne is the cross; his crown, the crown of thorns.
In today’s gospel text we see three categories of people: the Jewish leaders and soldiers who scoff and mock Jesus (23:36); the unrepentant thief on the cross who challenges him to show his actual power and save himself and also save both of them (23:39); and the repentant thief who admits his and his companion’s guilt but proclaims Jesus’ innocence (23:41). We can notice the striking contrast between the attitudes of the last two: the hardened and unrepentant thief who mocks and challenges Jesus to show his actual power and save himself and also save his companion if he were the real Messiah; and the repentant thief who rebukes him by admitting the guilt of both of them, but proclaiming Jesus’ innocence (23:39-41). Acknowledging his own sins, he just surrenders his heart to Jesus’ infinite mercy.
Today’s gospel clearly depicts how even in the midst of terribly unbearable suffering, Jesus continues his ministry of seeking out the lost and saving them. That is is why even while hanging on the cross, he reaches out to a repentant criminal (sinner) with his gifts of pardon and salvation by declaring: “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (23:43). By awarding him the gift of Paradise (that is, salvation), Jesus wants to tell all sinners like you and me that we can regain or re-enter the Paradise which was lost due to the sin of our first parents (Adam and Eve). Christ the King becomes the new Adam who re-opens the gates of Paradise for anyone who welcomes his Kingdom with trust in his divine mercy and a repentant heart. Thus, he becomes a King of our hearts by winning over the hardness of our hearts with his compassionate mercy. If the infinite compassion of Christ flowing from his cross could melt the heart of a hardened sinner and lead him to repentance, why not ours?
In real life we could be either like soldiers and unrepentant thief, or repentant thief. The latter proved that true repentance was never too late. His was a clear case of God’s readiness to pardon even a hardened sinner who repents at last on death-bed. We are often tempted to approach the matters of faith purely on the basis of rational or logical arguments like the unrepentant criminal. He must have argued in his mind how foolish his companion was to think a criminal like him could award paradise to anyone. Instead, with a simple faith he could have said like his companion: “What about me, Lord? Please remember me also when you come into your Kingdom!” Whom do we represent: the repentant or the hardened sinner? If repentant, with a deep humility let us often repeat: “What about me, Lord……?” We have to combat constantly against two great spiritual enemies: hardheartedness and doubts of faith.
Today’s feast of Christ the King invites us to surrender ourselves to the loving dominion or authority of God and make a choice: either to allow Christ the King to rule over us with his qualities of compassion, pardon and salvation, or become hardhearted by allowing evil and criminal tendencies to rule over us till the end. Do we allow Christ the King and the values of his Kingdom to rule over our hearts, or the evil ways of the world? Are we loyal ‘soldiers’ of our King who are willing to work for his Kingdom in which mercy, pardon, reconciliation and magnanimity will be the guiding principles?
If we claim Christ as our King, in our social life also it is our duty to spread and dispense the same qualities of mercy and forgiveness towards sinners, outcasts, social offenders, wrongdoers, etc., and do something for their liberation. By doing this sort of life-promoting mission in our own little ways, we become loyal ‘soldiers’ of our King, who came to seek out and save the lost (Lk 19:10). But this sort of mission may sometimes make us victims of the type of mockery, abuses, humiliation and insults Jesus suffered during his passion and death. As the soldiers and the unrepentant criminal did, people may challenge us to prove our power to bring about quick solutions to the burning issues of modern society. But if we trust in God, occasionally we may get a few people like the ‘repentant thief’ who will support us and tell others that we have not done anything wrong to deserve harsh treatment or judgement.
A Prayer
We hail you, Christ our King. As sinners, we humbly accept your total rule over our lives with repentant hearts. Be a true King of our hearts by winning over the hardness of our hearts with your divine mercy, forgiveness of sins and salvation. Amen.