Christ the King - Year A

Christ the King – Year A

Story

A story was told about a Religious Sister who also happens to be a nurse. She and some of her Sisters from the same religious order founded a hospital in Hawaii to treat patients that contrated leprosy. 

One day, a group of reporters met with the Religious Sisters for an interview. They were given a tour of the hospital. After the tour, one of the reporters said to her: “Even if someone gave me a million dollars, I just couldn't do what you do for the people.” The religious nun responded: “I couldn't do it either. But because of Christ, I would do this for nothing.” 

Today is the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year. Next week, we begin a new liturgical year with Advent. On this last Sunday, the Church throughout the world gather together to renew their commitment and service to Christ as King. 

There are three stories of kingship in the Bible. 

The first story is found in the book of the Prophet Samuel. As you may know, the concept of kingship is developed and understood much later for the chosen people in the Old Testament. In the beginning, they had tribal leaders, then patriarchs like Abraham, and then judges. But when the chosen people of God saw their neighboring countries all have a king, they also wanted a king. And they requested (actually demanded) the prophet Samuel to give them a King.

In 1 Samuel 8

Then the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him: “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” This news disturbed Samuel greatly. Nevertheless, Samuel prays about their request. He receives an answer from Almighty God.

“And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day; with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods; so they are doing to you also.” 

Essentially, God says to Samuel: “Samuel, don't take it personally. They are not rejecting you. They are rejecting me.” 

Almighty God was, is and always will be their king. But for them, God is invisible. The chosen people wanted a visible king. Someone that is human, someone that they could see. They wanted to see their king anointed by the prophet, sitting on a throne, and wearing a crown on his head. 

Prophet Samuel warns the people what will happen if they have a king. “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equiptment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to work. He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.” 

In other words, your king will take...take...take...take...and take some more, and you will be his servants. So, do you still want a king? The people refuse to listen to logic. Because of their envy of other nations, they replied: “No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles. The people rejected Almighty God as their king. But in the fullness of time, God will send them his beloved Son, born of the blessed virgin, the word made flesh, a visible King.

The second story about kingship is around the time of the birth of Christ, the Christmas Story. During that time, Caesar Augustus was probably the most powerful person in the entire world. Also known as Octavian, he was the nephew of the great Julius Caesar. Before Octavian became emperor, Rome's civil war incur strife, poverty, and moral depravity. Octavian changed all of this when he became emperor. Octavian is regarded as a Messiah, but in a political sense.

Peace, security, wealth, justice and morality all came with a price. The price was to allow Octavian to become Emperor of Rome. But then Rome would no longer be a Republic. It would become an Empire. The senate was worried that all power will be given to one person, and that is why they took the life of his uncle, Julius Caesar. No individual citizen of Rome is to be greater than the Republic. So when Octavian became Caesar Augustus, a Roman Emperor, the citizens saw the death of the Republic and the birth of the Roman Empire.

Caesar Augustus did not believe in the prophecy about the coming Messiah. But he also prepared the way for the Messiah. To fund his regime, he taxed the people heavily. He ordered for a census to take place. For this to happen, the people had to return to their place of birth.

Joseph was from Bethlehem, the city of King David. He and the Blessed Mother with child in womb, traveled from Galilee to Bethlehem. The prophecy is that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem, the city of King David. 

The child to be born will be more powerful than Octavian (Caesar Augustus). His reign will be forever through the generations. He will secure peace and salvation for the people. His kingdom will have no end.

The third and final story of kingship has to do with a key biblical figure named Pontius Pilate. Pontius Pilate was put in charge of Judea when Christ was handed over to be crucified. Pontius Pilate did not personally want Christ to be crucified. Even his wife forbid him to do so, because she had a dream that Christ was innocent. So Pontius Pilate ordered for the scourging at the pillar, hoping that the people would feel sorry for Christ, and spare his life. The soldiers who were place in charge, however, took it too far. They went over-the-top in scourging Christ. Furthermore, to ridicule him, they quickly put together a bunch of branches with thorns, and place them on his head (the crown of thorns). EvenPo Pontius Pilate was shocked when he saw the aftermath. 

Pilate met individually with Christ and asked him: “So you are a king.” Christ replies: “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If it belong to this world, my attendants would fight to keep me from being handed over. But my kingdom is not of this world.”

When Pilate presented Christ to the people, hoping that they will change their minds, the people shouted out louder: “Crucify him.” Pilate ask the people: “Shall I crucify your king?” The people respond: “We have no king but Caesar.” The people repeat history, like during the time of Samuel, rejecting God as their King.

When we renew our commitment and service to Christ as our King, it is a bold and courageous act. We are not making the same mistakes as our ancestors. We are not repeating history. The King of Kings is a good king, one who loves and cares for his people. A king who is willing to lay down his life. An Eternal King who keeps his promises. “I will be with you always until the end of time.” 

Glory be...