Today is the Solemnity of Christ the King. Pope Pius XI established this solemnity in 1925 in response to secularism, a way of life that expels God out of human thinking and living; human beings live as if God does not exist. The purpose of this feast is to re-enthrone Christ and to proclaim, strikingly and effectively, his kingship over individuals, families, society, government, and the world at large.
Strategically, this solemnity is on the last Sunday of the liturgical/Church’s year, which enables the solemnity to have two faces, one looking forward and the other looking backward. Looking backward allows us to acknowledge the Kingship of Christ over the preceding year, and looking forward enables us to look up to Christ for the coming year. He is the Alpha (the first letter of the Greek alphabet) and the Omega (the last letter of the Greek alphabet); he is the beginning and the end. We look backward to ask for pardon for those areas in which we did not surrender all to the Alpha and the Omega, and we look forward in hope, having learned from our experience of the preceding year.
The Gospel reading is part of John’s account of the Passion Narrative. On this day, as we look backward to this year that is coming to an end, we reflect on how our sins contributed to Jesus’ suffering and do penance for our sins. At the same time, we also look ahead with hope to our future, strengthened by Jesus, the King of the Universe.
This celebration wakes us to the consciousness of the ephemeral nature of this world. As one year is ending, a new year is beginning. Conscious of this world’s transitory/passing nature, we must not hold on to the things of this world, for they will all pass away. The passing nature of this world brings to mind the frustration we face in our struggle to demystify the mystery behind the insatiability of human wants. We ask: why does satisfaction always look like a mirage? Why do we keep wanting and never satisfied? Scripture tells us that we were created in the image and likeness of God, and one thing we share with God is the imperishability of our souls. God created our souls to be eternal and imperishable; as such, nothing that is perishable can satisfy that which is imperishable; nothing that is temporary can satisfy that which is eternal. That is why food/drinks will promise satisfaction, but not long after consumption, we are hungry/thirsty again. We have a similar experience in relationships. You have a crush on that lady/man, and you continue to crave her/his attention. When eventually you get it, you feel like, “Waoh, this is my World!” But not long after you get on the same page, you wonder, “Is this all the beauty/handsomeness I saw at a distance?” “Where is that charm?” The truth is that the origin of all our longing is the soul, which is eternal and can only be satisfied by the Eternal. As long as God (Eternal) is not in that food/drink/relationship, we will never be satisfied. St. Augustin again summarized this when he said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” My Dearly Beloved in Christ, as we end of this Liturgical Year, let us look back and see any areas in our lives where we did not give Christ the space to reign. In this coming year, let us entrust all that we are and have to him, for it is in him that we have the assurance of everlasting victory and peace.
Homily for Solemnity of Christ the King Year B 2024
Thank you Father and God bless you for inspiring God’s children and drawing us closer to God.
You are welcome. God bless you.
Thanks for the reminders Fada!
You are welcome. Happy Thanksgiving.