Ruler of the Kings
of the Earth
2 Sam 5:1-3; Colos
1:12-20; Lk 23:35-43 (C )
“He will judge the world with
justice, and the peoples with equity”
Today we celebrate the great solemnity of Our Lord
Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, a feast that stands like a crown on the
final Sunday of the liturgical year. Although it sounds ancient, this feast is
surprisingly modern. Pope Pius XI established it in 1925 through his Encyclical
Quas Primas (In the first). The world at that time was shaken by rising
nationalism, totalitarian regimes, and the growing belief that humanity could
save itself without God. People placed their faith in political ideologies, military
power, and human progress. Pius XI saw clearly that when Christ is pushed out
of public and personal life, confusion and violence take his place. So he
instituted this feast to remind the world that only Christ is the true King who
brings peace, justice, dignity, and freedom.
Today’s Scripture presents us “the ruler of the kings
of the earth” (Rev 1:5), completely unlike the rulers of this world and “one
like a Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven” (Dan 7:13) to establish an
indestructible kingdom beyond time, history, and creation. But most strikingly,
we see Jesus reigning not from a golden throne but from the Cross. His crown is
made of thorns, his robe of precious blood, and his scepter of a nail-pierced
hand. And yet, from this throne, he exercises his kingly authority: “Today you
will be with me in Paradise” (Lk 23:43). His kingship is not domination but
self-giving love, not coercion but compassion. The Church teaches that Christ
is King by nature, the only Son of God, who conquered victory over sin, the
powers of darkness, and death. He transforms souls that enlighten families,
communities, and societies. He liberates everyone by his precious blood,
sustaining them through the Eucharist and their minds. The early Church Fathers,
St. Augustine and St. Ambrose said that Christ reigns in a kingdom of truth
where no lie can enter, restoring the divine image in each person.
Today, many
false kings claim our attention with political ideologies, social media
platforms, material success, and even our own ego. These kings promise freedom
but often deliver emptiness and addiction. Only Christ the King offers what the
human heart truly longs for. In a world of violence, he is the Truth, peace, and
reconciliation. In a world of loneliness, he is Emmanuel (God with us). In a
world of moral confusion and despair, he is the Way and hope. To proclaim
Christ as King in today’s world is to refuse the dictatorship of relativism, the
slavery of consumerism, and the illusion of self-sufficiency. It is to declare
that our lives belong not to passing trends or shifting ideologies but to the
eternal Lord of history. As we end the liturgical year, Christ the King invites
each of us to a very personal reflection: Who truly reigns in my life? Christ
does not impose his kingship upon us. Like the repentant thief, we are invited
to say, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And like a true
and merciful king, Jesus responds, “Today you will be with me in Paradise, the
blissful heaven.
May Christ reign in
our hearts, in our families, in our Church, and in our world.
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