C: Solemnity of Christ the King (24 Nov 2019) - PERSONAL KING (Lk 23:35-43)

We celebrate today the Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe, a feast instituted by Pius XI in 1925 to underscore Christ’s dominion over all possible threats and evil forces in the world. Transferring its date of celebration from the last Sunday of October to the last Sunday of Ordinary Time (done in 1970) fittingly highlights Christ’s power and control over everything as he is indeed both the Alpha and the Omega (cf. Rev 1:8; 21:6, 13).

Startlingly, though, our gospel today presents a suffering and dying king instead of somebody who is seated on a glorious throne as what we would normally expect of earthly kings. However, we know that Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world, and, so, any form of humiliation here on earth is paradoxically a form of full glorification in God’s abode (cf. Phil 2:6-11). Even the repentant thief hanging on the cross realized this on his own, saying, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Lk 23:42). His belief that a true kingdom (superior above all) is to be found in the afterlife made Jesus instantaneously assure his outright entrance into heaven: “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise”. Jesus properly described this kingdom as a kind of Paradise, a Babylonian loanword which denotes a kind of garden of perfect beauty and eternal happiness as we read in the Creation Story (cf. Gen 2:8-15).

Remarkable enough is the last act of this thief before his death. As he was being crucified as a thief, he was able to steal again… but this time stealing the greatest treasure of all, which is God’s kingdom in heaven. We, then, wonder what made him do such a feat. We notice that he called Jesus as “Jesus”. This is quite rare in the NT for, at most times, Jesus would be addressed as “Lord” (Lk 5:8), “Rabbi” (Mt 26:49), “Master” (Lk 9:49), or “Teacher” (Jn 20:16). It may be good to take a look at biblical passages where he was addressed as “Jesus” in a discourse:

· Possessed man: “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” (Mk 5:7; cf. Lk 4:34; 8:28).

· Blind Bartimaeus: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mk 10:47).

· Lepers: “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Lk 17:13).

· Blind man: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Lk 18:38).

· Thief: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Lk 23:42).

There are two significant things that we notice from this register. First is that all of these persons in the Bible who called Jesus by first name basis were marginalized by the society, either because they were considered impoverished, sinful or unclean. Yet, despite their lowly condition, they found no barrier between them and Jesus, whom they perceived as a very personal and sympathetic person who could understand their situation. This mutual friendly disposition allowed faith to grow and, subsequently, for salvation to be granted.

Second is that it was only the thief in today’s gospel who did not affix a Christological or reverential title to the vocative Jesus. We may suspect that this omission of any respectful label happened because they were both hanging on the cross and were at the point of their deaths. The thief became one with Jesus in all, and vice-versa, at this very moment. Jesus, on his part, did not only understand the thief, but could relate perfectly with his very condition. Indeed, Jesus is a wounded Savior; but this is what allowed him to easily connect with those who suffer.

We, hence, are challenged by the mystery of Christ the (Dying) King to be equally humble, simple, and persevering in life. And as leaders in our own contexts, we should learn like Jesus how to understand and suffer with the least of the society to be effective in our witnessing.

- Rex Fortes, CM