HIS REIGN IS UNIVERSAL

HOMILY FOR THE 34TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B

SOLEMNITTY OF CHRIST THE KING...Jesus Christ is still at the centre, His reign is Universal

Today, as in every 34th Sunday of the liturgical year, the universal Catholic Church celebrates the Kingship of Christ whom is her Messiah and her King. This feast comes at the last Sunday of the Ordinary Time, Sunday before Advent (a period of waiting for the promised Messiah). 

The feast celebrates the conception, “that Christ is a Universal King”. 

The understanding of the word ‘universality’ connotes an existence that prevails, extends, applies everywhere and involves everyone and in all times. We began the liturgical year with Him and today we are solemnly ending it with Him as the King. Being universal, He is the King of Kings and the Lord of lords. The Church acknowledges this universality, hence, the institution of this solemn feast by Pope Pius XI in 1925 (93 years ago) promulgated on December 11, 1925 in his encyclical Quas Primas (Latin: In the first).

According to the Pontiff, Jesus Christ is King by two rights: the right of nature and by the right of conquest.

Meanwhile, the idea of Christ’s Kingship dates back to the earliest days of Christianity which was manifested in his works, signs and wonders that He performed.

This universality is made most evident in the first reading of today from the Prophet Daniel 7: 13-14 where “all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; His dominion becomes an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away…” and in the second reading from the Book of Revelation 1:5-8, “every eye will see him, everyone who pierced him, and all tribes will wail on his account…who is and who was and who is to come” (Rev. 1:8) – He is still at the nucleus of everything and incorporates all.

What sense can this solemn feast make to us in this generation? Just as the fear of communism and secularism gave rise to the institution of this solemn feast, this feast with Jesus at the centre of it all will assuage the fear of many who are today living in the fear of many things (real or imagined) in our present time. 

There is every need that we appropriate this feast and make it ours by proclaiming Jesus as the central and/or Universal King. We still live in fear in our present day. People live daily in fear. Others have been cast to the end or even outside the social margins, there is hope in sharing in the Kingship of Christ and we do not need to feel like outcasts. There are still many others who are in doubt and question the Kingship of Christ and His Supremacy just as in the Gospel periscope of today; Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King?” (John 18: 33). This feast further reminds us of the preeminence of Christ even in our tough and complicated generation and country.

It was Pope Saint John Paul II who said that "man can build a world without God but that this world will end by turning against him.  Just as  it will be foolish as Psalm 14:1 said to think there is no God above, so will it be to think that Jesus Christ the King is not in the Centre. Hence, on the next level we need to realize that He is and ought to be invited to the centre of the individuals, families, society, government, and nations.

The centre of our spiritual life (He is one without whom no one can be holy and see God) - John 15:4-5

The centre of our material life (He is one without whom no one lives and moves) – Acts 17:28.

The centre of our social life (He is one without whom we cannot interact) – Romans 12:5

The centre of our political life (He is one without whom no power exists just as the era of communism wanted to make people believe) – Matt. 28:18.

As we celebrate the King Jesus Christ today, we pray with the Church that God who has restored all things in his beloved Son, the King of the Universe will set the whole creation free from slavery and cause all mankind to render service to His majesty and ceaselessly proclaim His praise.

CHRISTUS VINCIT, CHRISTUS REGNAT, CHRISTUS IMPERAT – 

Christ conquers, rules and reigns.

Reflection by:

Rev. Fr. James Onyebuchi Adawai, SMMM