Viva Christo Rey! (Long live Christ the King!)

To all my friends, happy feast day. I write this on the night of the grand solemnity of Christ the King, the very last Sunday of the liturgical year.

What a beautiful way to end the old and begin the new. The Alpha and the Omega as today’s scripture reading proclaims; the beginning and the end.

In him, all is complete; our struggles, our hopes, our fears and trepidations, our dreams and purpose in life…all of these things find their ultimate meaning and fulfillment in Christ the King, whose sovereignty is eternal, and whose domain lies in the hearts of his people.

As this night draws to a close and the dawn of advent beckons, the whole paschal mystery renews itself for our sakes, accompanying us like a faithful lover through the seasons and times of our lives, sustaining us, loving us, encouraging us on our journey to the promised land.

No, we are not alone. And no, we should not be afraid. As children, many of us were afraid of the dark, of not knowing what lay hidden in its shadows. As adults, we continue to cower at the uncertainties of life, of not having any guarantees of success or happiness. It seems fear dogs our very steps, paralyzing us with worries, anxieties, and sometimes despair over our losses and failures.

At the heart of this fear is often loneliness. But the Church’s calendar reminds us that Christ the evergreen is always with us, never leaving our sides. Indeed he carries us in the warm embrace of his love, through the ups and downs and hopes and pains of this life. And at the end of this liturgical year of messianic birth, poverty, work, persecution, hope, suffering and death, he emerges triumphant as Lord and King.

All of human experience is captured in this man Jesus, who takes upon himself our own human tragedies and triumphs, and redeems us in his great passion, resurrection and glory.

The Latin word for “passion” means to undergo, to encounter in all its bitter dregs the fullness of our human experience. The greatest passion of our Lord was not so much the scourging, thorns and nails, but rather, it was taking upon himself the whole darkness of our human pain and despair, which he continually undergoes, redeems and transforms in his solidarity with us.

In truth, his victorious crown was won not for Himself, but for us whom he lifts up in his coronation as his beloved children and heirs to his kingdom.

How often have we seen portrayed in fiction; that great champion of the underdogs, that courageous saviour of the downtrodden, that hero who takes up the cause of those he fights for and wins? He suffers for them, gives his life for them and finally triumphs for them, seeking their freedom and fulfillment as the ultimate prize.

This my dear friends is the kingship of Christ - a crown worn not just in majesty and splendour, but glorious in humble service to those he loves.

Behold the servant king, whose reign is made magnificent by his love and service to his subjects.

And because “our God reigns”, as the hymn rightly proclaims, we have nothing to fear, since all our weaknesses, sadness and frailties are taken up in his mercy, and given hope, meaning and victory; both now and forever. The darkness of despair cannot stand up to the light of his crown, and if we let him – he who faithfully journeys with us year after year, day after day – he will fill us with courage and princely dignity, no matter what sadness assails us in life.

This king ascends his throne to be made a greater servant, unlocking the treasuries of his grace and riches for us, beckoning us come to him in confidence and joy, since as St. Paul reminds us, we have a royal champion and advocate who gave his life for us, that we may live free from fear.

Christ has raised us from servants to friends, and from friends to sons and daughters. Remember this famous quote? - “The Son of God became the son of man, so that the sons of men may become sons of God.”

Rejoice therefore sons and daughters of God. The feast of Christ the King is also the feast of us all who have been made royal and princely in his blood.

In his kingship, let us hold our heads high and face life courageously with God as our champion, and Christ as our King.

Viva Christo Rey!