At the
twilight of the First World War, the socio-political and economic atmosphere in
the world was a turbulent one. Secularism was on the increase and there was an
uprising of precarious dictatorships in Europe and beyond. Long before this
historical setting, Christ was seen and revered as the Universal King in the Christendom. However,
this idea was waning owing to the pernicious influence of the First World War on Christianity in particular and religion at large. Majority
of men and women had thrust Jesus and his authority out of their private and
public lives. Respect and reverence for his Kingship was waning in the midst of
political and socio-economic unrest. This was the historical context that in which Pope Pius XI introduced the feast
of Christ the King in 1925 to reinstate people’s faith, reverence and
allegiance to the kingship of Jesus; that world leaders should learn from Christ
the perfect exemplar of leadership, and that we must allow Christ to reign in our
minds, hearts, wills, and bodies for peace to reign in the world.
Christ’s Kingship and authority was prophesied
in the Old Testament. Isaiah portrayed him as one whom “government is upon his
shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, God the almighty,
the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace. His empire shall be
multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace. He shall sit upon the throne of
David and upon his kingdom; to establish it and strengthen it with judgment and
with justice, from henceforth and forever" (Is 9:6-7). In Jeremiah, he is the "Just seed that
shall rest from the house of David— the Son of David that shall reign as king, and
shall be wise, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth" (Jer.
23:5). In Daniel 7:13-14, he was given “power and glory and a kingdom: and all
peoples, tribes, and tongues shall serve him. His power is an everlasting power
that shall not be taken away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed." These
O.T prophecies are reaffirmed by the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:32-33, "the Lord God shall give unto
him the throne of David his father, and he shall reign in the house of Jacob
for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end".
Furthermore, Jesus himself publicly stated
before Pilate and Jews that he is the king. This was the epitaph which Pilate
placed on the wood of the cross thereby confirming the kingship of Jesus. In his
last discourse with his disciples, speaking of his kingly authority, Jesus declared:
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matt 28:18).
From time past, kings have risen and fallen
who wanted to rule and dominate the world and to make their dynasties
last forever. Centuries have come and gone, kingdoms
and empires have risen and fallen, the memories of kings and emperors in their
splendor and power have gone extinct but the kingdom of Christ stands firm
forever. Christ the universal king is the same yesterday, today and forever. The
difference lies in the fact that he chose a path less travelled by earthly
kings—the part of love, humility and service. He is the king who came to serve
and not to be served. A king who stooped so low as to wash the feet of his
subjects. He is a king whose only crime was love; who humbled himself and
accepted death, even death on cross. At the cross, his merciful love opened the
gate of heaven for a criminal who was nailed with him.
Our world
today which is enveloped by materialism is suffering from what I call “memory
loss of divine authority”. That is to say that many, in the chase of wealth,
power and influence, have overlooked the authority of God in their lives. Obsessive
and excessive inclination to material things and human beings things give them
the power to control us. Little wonder, many serve money and can do any
atrocity to have it. What about those who have sold their souls to the “false
king”—the devil? Today God is calling us to come into the kingdom of the king
whose dynasty shall last forever—the Prince of peace.
The feast
of Christ the king reminds us that no matter what we think we are, where we
rule and dominate, all shall one day stand in judgment before the King of kings
and Lord of lords. It is a call for all of to remember that we are all subjects
of the King of the ages. It is call for the world leaders to imitate the ideal
kingship of Christ. No matter who is in the seat, Jesus Christ is the king. We
pray that God will touch the hearts of our earthly leaders that they may understand
that they are but mere stewards of the Jesus Christ the ideal King, until one
day we all shall finally gather in his heavenly kingdom where he lives and
reigns forever and ever.
A KING LIKE YOU
Walking Working and in a land I was born
Times and tides have come and gone
I search and crave but I’m yet to find
A king like you so merciful and so kind
Your words like gentle drops that hit
The young green on a summer’s heat
Like the dry land touched by the rain
In our parched hearts come and reign
The scepter is held by musketeers
And so our eyes are down in tears
On the jackal’s head lies the crown
The wise is led astray by the clown
I beseech you in your glory to rise
Dry the river flowing from our eyes
Cast your light once more in this grave
For a king like you is all we now crave.
