We live in a period of unrest and war out of which many political leader try to gain more power. Jesus the King shows through his life, message and deeds that he is not a king to use power and authority, but he is the king of peace, love and mercy.
At the end and at the beginning, a specific topic will be discussed today in the liturgy and in the readings of the service. This theme is: Christ is King. In the first reading from the book of Daniel we heard that one has eternal and imperishable dominion over all peoples, nations and languages, which will never perish and that this Lord is the Son of Man, who is the Christ for us. The biblical reason for this announcement on Christ the King Sunday, as we heard in the Gospel, is the arrest, trial and condemnation of Jesus. It’s actually not a nice occasion to make a future-oriented announcement.
But on this sad occasion the hope of the reign of God is announced with the freedom of the children of God in the Kingdom of God giving us an eternal hope and a firm confidence. The Kingdom of God has no geographical borders, just as the Church has no geographical borders and it is without military and without weapons. We know from history that geographical boundaries became smaller or larger depending on how much blood was shed and how much violence was used. But the kingdom of God is a kingdom beyond all borders, in which all living beings feel comfortable and all living beings get their rights, although different types of living beings are intended as food for others. But rule in the Kingdom of God remains as the King of the Heart, who bears witness to others through healing the sick, caring for the homeless, the poor and refugees, and suffering for others. This is Christ, the Messiah, we wait for him in Advent, the expectation begins with the recognition of him as King of the heart.
In the gospel of today Pilate asked Jesus a few questions. The first one was: “Are you the King of the Jews?”
The second one: “ What did you do?”
The third one: “Are you a King?”
Jesus reacted to the first question with a counter question: “Is that your own idea or did others talk to you about me?” It shows that Jesus did not want to give any concrete answer to the question of Pilate.
Perhaps we also confront such questions to which we want to say neither yes nor no; but find an excuse. Such beheaviour of Jesus has sufficient reasons.
The Jews had expected their king. They had different expectations about their king. Many Jews had a hope of a king who would liberate them from political and social injustice. This hope and expectations were partialy contraversial because there were some groups among the Jews who tried to establish their kingdom through weapon, terror and violence. They believed that Messiah would bring them such a freedom. Jesus did not want to support such groups and work with them.
Besides Jesus did not consider himself as a leader or king only for the Jews. His mission and ministry was not limited for such a minority group. Therefore Jesus meant that his kingly function was not in accordance with the expectations of that group.
Therefore Jesus answered the third question of Pilate, Are you a King, with an expressive yes. I am a King. Then Jesus explained the nature of his kingship.
The answer to the question “what did you do” Jesus answered with this explanation to the third question namely Jesus is the king of truth.
Jesus came to bear witness to the truth.
Several times Jesus explained who he (Jesus) was: “I am the truth, I am the life, I am the light, I am the door, I am the way, I am the true vine.
We can list everything Jesus did and said in his life to get an answer to Pilate’s second question. The proclamation of the good news of Jesus, his work to heal the sick, help the poor or feed the hungry, his work to establish peace and practice of nonviolence are answers to this question. Jesus describes these actions and words as testimony to the truth.
If we ask ourselves what is truth, we would probably describe it as fact, reality, genuineness, correctness, authenticity, or the opposite of lies and error. These abstract descriptions become more concrete when we organize Jesus’ words and actions into three essential points:
Making peace, helping the poor and needy, and preaching non-violence.
In Christianity, these descriptions are fulfilled and completed in one person, Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthians that he proclaims the truth (Eph. 4:21; 2Cor. 4:2) and in his letter to the Ephesians that Jesus is the truth. Paul speaks about the knowledge of the truth, the truth that each of us should know. The Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of truth (Jn. 14, 17, 1Jn. 5,7).
When we talk about the King of Truth, we should understand the work and message of Jesus as fulfilment of truth and as the perfect truth and worship him as King of Truth.
As King of Truth, Jesus can be our guide and helper to live truthfully in words, deeds and thoughts, to proclaim the truth and to stand up for the truth.
Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. It is the last Sunday of the church year. At the end of the church year, we look back and thank God for the blessing and grace that we were able to experience in our life of faith with the church and ask for forgiveness for our crimes. Next Sunday we begin a new church year with Advent, which is filled with the joy of Christmas and the various preparations for it; It’s not just the spiritual texts, songs and moods with lots of candlelight that awaken Advent thoughts in us, but also the secular, external celebrations, such as visiting an Advent market and family reunions, that togetherness and community experience with a view to Christmas.
I invite you to consciously end the church year on a good note and to begin the new church year with the idea of a new beginning.
Fr Joseph Pandiappallil MCBS