CHRIST: THE KING WITH A DIFFERENCE

HOMILY FOR CHRIST THE KING - Year C

Theme

CHRIST: THE KING WITH A DIFFERENCE

R1: 2 Sam 5:1-3

R2: Col 1:12-20

Gospel: Lk 23: 35-43

 

In today's first reading, the Israelites recognize David as king of Israel after Saul. They pledged homage to him. David accepted their allegiance and ruled over them. After the death of David, Solomon took over as king, kept the tribes of Israel together until sometime later during the reign of Rehoboam, some tribes broke away. From that time of separation, Israel has been praying for a king; a messiah who will come to unite the tribes again. 

With the birth of Jesus, God answered Israel’s prayer of having a messiah who will unite them. Unfortunately, the Israelites refused to recognize him or pay allegiance to him as they did to David. They killed him at last because of their wrong expectations of him.

After the resurrection of Christ, Christianity started spreading  even though some members of the early Church found it difficult to understand the kingship of Christ, they also had wrong expectations of him. Like in the church of Colossae in the second reading, some members  believe that heaven is occupied by spirits and forces superior to Christ. This led to the composition of the hymn by Paul, which acknowledges Christ’s supremacy over all creatures and as the first born from the dead, has everything subjected under his rule and has opened the gates of heaven to all and stands as the supreme judge of all. 

This failure of acknowledgment of Christ’s kingship is also present in our today’s world and Church, greatly dominated by wrong expectations. This is symbolized in the gospel reading with the division of the three groups present at the foot of the cross of Jesus; the crowd, the leaders and the soldiers.

The crowd: These were confused seeing all that happened. They were not responsible for Christ’s death. They were filled with wonder, waiting to be told what had happened. They were thinking Christ would fight their battle, why did he die if he was the Messiah?

These represent those who have not accepted Christ because they are waiting to be enlightened about him. They have many wrong assumptions of  Christ. Today is the day we should preach Christ to them by our actions and by our words, letting them know that Christ's kingship is for love and peace and not for battle and war.

The leaders: 

These people recognised David as king but refused to accept Christ as the Messiah and in fact killed him because he wasn’t the kind of kind they wanted. They had many expectations of him; if He is the Messiah, let him come down from the cross. They expected Him to preach in their favour but unfortunately His teachings set their hearts on fire, he preached against their way of lives.

This represents the many people who recognise world leaders who of course know the truth but have allowed selfish interest to win them over. They are not comfortable with Christ and his Church, they attack, fight and try to destroy all that Christ has led down for his people. Let us be careful and not let our personal interest and worldly gain make us lose sight of God’s kingdom. 

The soldiers:

Through the instructions of the leaders and the bribe they have collected, these hardened their hearts and killed Jesus.

Have we sold our consciences because of the peanuts we get from people? Have we become wicked and  act in hatred to God and his people? Have we listened more to wrong advice of friends, neighbors or leaders and thus reject God and his teaching? Today is a day to get up and go back to God.

Like the criminal on the right side of Christ, Christ is ever ready to give us the last chance to come back to him. Christ stands as the beginning and end, the supreme judge of all. If only today we would listen to his voice and turn back to him, he would remember us in his kingdom.

Homily by:

Rev Fr. Chukwuemeka Vincent Livinus, SMMM.