OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE
25 NOVEMBER 2018
When
Jesus rode on a donkey into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the crowds welcomed him
with great joy, waved palm branches, laid their cloaks on the ground, and
hailed him as king of Israel. In giving
him that title, they expressed their belief that he was the Messiah promised to
Israel. They had remembered the victories
won by King David, when he defeated their enemies and established Jerusalem as
the city of peace. In calling Jesus the
king of Israel, they voiced their hopes that this son of David would save them
from the Romans, the current foreign occupiers of the land given originally to
Abraham.
A few days
later, Jesus stands before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. Pilate does not ask him if he is king of
Israel. Instead, he asks him if he is king of the Jews. He asks this question, because Jesus had
threatened the religious authorities with his preaching, teaching, and
miracles. So, they bring him to Pilate
and accuse him of trying to become a king to challenge the authority of Caesar,
and his puppet King Herod. Pilate has no
understanding of the religious questions of the people he is oppressing in
Caesar’s name. All he cares about is
keeping them from rebelling. Jesus becomes a threat, if he truly wants to be
the king of the Jews.
Jesus does not answer Pilate’s
question. However, their conversation
reveals that Jesus Christ and Pontius Pilate inhabit very different
kingdoms. Pilate’s kingdom revolves
around power, prestige, and wealth.
Pilate is interested in keeping this portion of the Roman Empire under
Caesar’s control. He is willing to use
any means, including military force and execution, to maintain the status
quo. He is even willing to ignore the
truth that this Galilean peasant is innocent of the charges brought against
him.
The kingdom
of Jesus Christ revolves around love. He
knows the truth that this governor stands before the Son of God who was present
at the creation of the world. With true
humility, he has emptied himself of the privileges of divinity and has spent
the last three years revealing the truth about his nature. His mission is not to defeat the power of the
Romans at that time in history, but to defeat the power of the evil one for all
ages.
Because of his cowardice and fear,
Pontius Pilate condemns Jesus to die a painful death on the cross. He mocks Jesus by placing above his cross the
Latin words: Jesus of Nazareth, king of
the Jews. Saint Catherine of Siena
points out that as King, Jesus behaves like a true knight who perseveres in
battle until his enemies are defeated.
His breastplate is made of Mary’s flesh that will bear the blows to make
up for our wickedness. The helmet on his
head becomes the painful crown of thorns, driven into his brain. The sword at his side will be the wound
caused by the soldier’s lance, revealing the incredible love that he has for
us. The gloves on his hands and the
spurs on his feet will be the scarlet wounds of his blood poured out for us.
Today is the last Sunday of this
Liturgical Year. Throughout this year we
have reflected on the incredible love that the Word made flesh expressed by his
miracles, the truth that he preached with his mouth, and the compassion and
mercy shown to the suffering. Now he
will give himself totally out of love on the cross. From his wounded side will flow the water of
baptism and the blood representing the Eucharist. Through baptism, we have become his Body, the
Church. Raised from the dead, he has fed
us with the Eucharist. Today, he stands
before us and challenges us to make a choice.
As we begin another Liturgical Year next Sunday, which kingdom will we
choose? Will we choose the kingdom of
Pontius Pilate and pursue privilege, wealth, power, and control? Or will we choose the kingdom of Jesus Christ
to live our baptismal promises to die to ourselves and trust that we will rise
with Christ when he comes again in glory?
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