Homily for Solemnity of Christ the King, Year C

Leo Tolstoy, the Russian writer who is regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time, wrote a story about a character called "Martin the Shoemaker." Martin was a lonely, aged shoemaker who, in a dream one night, was promised a visit by Jesus on the next day. Eagerly all day he waited for the arrival of Jesus. But all that came to him were a poor, elderly street sweeper, who was shovelling snow, to whom Martin gave some hot tea. Then came a mother and her baby who were shivering, to whom he gave food and warm clothes. Then came an old woman, an apple seller, who was arguing with a young boy who had stolen an apple. Martin made peace between them, paid for the apple, and helped her carry her heavy basket.

As night fell, Martin was disappointed that Jesus had not appeared. However, the individuals he helped that day appeared to him in his room and vanished, one by one, and Martin heard the voice from his dream, quoting the Gospel of Matthew: "Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." Martin realized that by showing kindness and hospitality to the strangers in need, he was in fact welcoming Jesus into his home, and his heart was filled with peace.

This story teaches us something important: Jesus is a King who goes about in the disguise of the poor, the sick, and the marginalized. We need to look carefully to recognise him because his kingship is not like the kings of this earth.

What a strange and beautiful king Jesus is. He did not have people bowing backwards from his presence, but instead he bowed and washed people's feet. Jesus did not have a royal sceptre, but he did have a towel with which he dried feet. He had no army, but he did have disciples. He didn't sit on a royal throne but rather on a donkey's back. He wore no crown of gold but rather a crown of thorns. Jesus did not take life as kings do but gave life.

He did not set boundaries, but rather he included in his kingdom sinners, tax collectors, foreigners, and good thieves. He did not wield the sword but was merciful and preached mercy.

What Does It Mean to Call Christ Our King?

In our democratic age, we have largely lost the sense of what it means to have a king. So what does it mean to call Christ our king?

Jesus is not a king in the literal earthly sense that David was anointed king of Israel at Hebron, as we heard in our first reading today from the Second Book of Samuel. Even so, the Old Testament sense of the king being a shepherd of God's people is a positive understanding which certainly fits in with the kingship of Christ. And just as David shared the same flesh and blood with those who anointed him at Hebron, Jesus is flesh and blood of us, who make him our king.

Jesus is not a king in the sense that the religious leaders of Israel had in mind as they jeered at him from the foot of the cross. Nor is Jesus a king in the way the Roman soldiers, who mocked him while he hung on the cross, understood kingship. Nor is he king in the political sense that was intended by the inscription that was over him, "This is the King of the Jews."

It is another of those beautiful Gospel ironies that in the moment when Jesus hangs on the cross, when he is bruised and beaten, when he is so obviously lacking any authority and power in the human understanding of those concepts, when he seems utterly and completely defeated by the hatred of his enemies, that one man recognises him as king.

That man, the good thief, recognised the innocence and goodness of Jesus. He saw the power of Jesus reflected in his sacrificial love. He knew that, though hidden from the common eye, there was a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of justice, love and peace, that was summed up in the person of Jesus, and was waiting to break through into human history, and he asked Jesus for salvation. Jesus, in this moment of agony and anguish, shows his true kingship. He invites and assures the good thief of eternal salvation in his kingdom.

What Truly Rules Our Hearts

Who or what is king in our lives? We should examine what consumes our time, energy, and thoughts. What do we spend our resources on? What fills our imagination? These answers reveal what truly rules our hearts. How often do we simply do what suits us, on our terms? How often do we seek the path of what is convenient and self-serving? The answers to these questions will be the best indication of what is of paramount importance to us, of what we put first in our lives, of what is king of our lives. These questions are the true measure of whether Christ is our king.

What does it mean then to make Christ the king of our lives? Here are three things. Firstly, our life does not belong to us. To make Christ our king is to acknowledge that despite all appearances, despite our human weaknesses and selfishness, and the advice of modern psychology, our life does not belong to us. St Paul says, "You belong to Christ and your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit." Again, in another place, St Paul says, "We do not live for ourselves alone; if we live, we live for the Lord." So, we belong to the Lord. And in a strange and wonderful way, contrary to all expectations, our greatest peace and happiness come from this living the kingship of Christ over our lives.

Secondly, to have Jesus as the king of our lives means that we are prepared to stand up for him. Be prepared to witness to the kingship of Christ in your life. The old saying holds true: "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." Stand for Christ. There was nothing half-hearted or uncertain about Jesus and his mission. The old tradition of Confirmation preparing us to be soldiers of Christ is right. Be a witness for Christ. To stand with Christ and stand for Christ is to share in Christ's mission.

Thirdly, to make Christ king of our lives is to live the values and commandments of his Kingdom. We must live Jesus' command to live in and through love. To know our need for mercy and to be merciful to others; to seek to do the will of God and not our own, is to acknowledge the call of obedience on our lives, and to make Jesus king.

So, to make Jesus the king of our lives requires a radical choice for him and surrendering our lives to him. Why would we do that? Well, to say yes to Jesus the king, is a response to his extraordinary love for us, that he forgives us our sins and offers us eternal life. He remembers us in his kingdom.

You could say that the whole past year has prepared us for this moment. We have prayed over the message of Jesus' life and his teachings. Now at the conclusion of the year, we are called to proclaim with our lives that Christ is King.