King of Eternity

Gospel – Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

I – The Most Authentic of Monarchies

When we peruse the pages of the Old Testament, one of the episodes of the chosen nation’s history especially attracts our attention. What is its true meaning?

At a certain point, the Israelites began to feel inferior to other peoples who were governed by kings, while they lived in a theocratic regime, guided by God through the judges. Accordingly, they asked Samuel for a monarch. The prophet was filled with indignation, but they contended with him, and their wishes were ultimately granted. Finally, the time arrived to establish the new regime and God Himself ordered Samuel to anoint Saul as king (cf. 1 Sm 8:4-22; 9:17; 10:1).

The monarchy thus instituted was born of an infidelity; the divine words explaining to the last judge of Israel the motives leading the people to act in this way leave no room for doubt: “For they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being King over them” (1 Sm 8:7). Therefore, the chosen nation no longer wished to be governed directly by God. The qualities of the personage chosen, moreover, seem to be rather earthly and natural ones: “There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he; from his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people” (1 Sm 9:2). Judging from the description, physical appearance and a thirty-centimetre advantage in height over the others sufficed for Saul to receive the title of supremacy.

Might God not have inspired in the depths of the Israelites’ souls the desire of a royalty to be instituted in an unprecedented manner on the face of the earth, related to eternity?

Nevertheless, we can speculate as to the causes of this occurrence. Might God not have inspired in the depths of the Israelites’ souls the desire, perhaps implicit, of a royalty to be instituted in an unprecedented manner on the face of the earth – a royalty that was somehow related to eternity? Might they not have hoped for a king far beyond all human imagination?

Under the influx of such an inspiration, the elders’ formula of supplication to the prophet should have been far different: “Samuel, intercede for us before God! The kings who govern the other nations are miserable, egoistic, and self-worshipping men, who despise human nature and seek to enslave their subjects in their service for their own personal glory. Ask the Lord for a monarch such as has never been given to any people! May he be, among us, a reflection of divine goodness! May he reign over us as would God himself and be the most beautiful manifestation of our theocracy.”

But they, obsessed with the desire to “be like all the nations” (1 Sm 8:20), were unable to interpret the stirring of grace. Much to the contrary, they materialized it, saying merely “appoint for us a king to govern us” (1 Sm 8:5); they demanded the humanization of that which God certainly wished to give them, with immense abundance, in the supernatural realm.

However, God would take advantage of this infidelity to carry out the greatest of wonders, incomparably superior to that which the Hebrews desired. Once the monarchy in Israel had been founded, and, later, a new dynasty established, starting with David, from it would be born the true Sovereign – not only of the Jewish people, but of the entire universe. A King of divine majesty and grandeur, whose origin is lost in eternity, who descends from infinite heights to save us; a King who gives His precious Blood for His subjects: Christ the King, whom we celebrate on this Solemnity.

II – Solemn Proclamation against Relativism

Pope Pius XI¹ teaches how, throughout history, the feasts of the Holy Church came into being and were added to the Liturgical Year, instituted and organized by the infallible Chair of Peter with the objective of benefitting the faithful, according to the necessities of each age.

Thus, in venerating the martyrs, from the earliest times, the Liturgy encouraged fidelity; the people were exhorted, by example of the martyrs, not to deny the Faith under any circumstances. Later, when the persecutions were overcome by the work of grace, and Christians entered a period of peace, the commemorations extended to virgins, confessors, and widows – countless figures that enriched the Church. Then the feasts of Our Lady emerged and, at the end of the Middle Ages, when fervour for the Blessed Sacrament was diminishing, a celebration was established especially for the purpose of adoring the Sacred Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ under the Eucharistic Species. Subsequently, when a rigorist coldness had taken hold, owing to the errors disseminated by Jansenism, the festivity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was instituted. An injection of enthusiasm and the rekindling of hope in eternal salvation was its effect.

Finally, on December 11 of 1925, as a terrible and overwhelming wave of laicism was making itself felt, invading all countries and leading humanity to turn its back to God, at a time in which many Catholics were offering their blood in defence of Christ and His Church, Pope Pius XI² used the power conferred to Peter with the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and proclaimed with his infallible voice: Christ is King! The Encyclical Quas primas, establishing the feast of the royalty of Our Lord Jesus Christ at the end of the Liturgical Year,³ was especially significant as an opposition to relativism and atheism: it declared to the world that everything has its end and its beginning in Christ, King of the Universe.

III – Jesus Declares His Royalty

In the first reading (Dn 7:13-14) of this Liturgy, Daniel’s vision shows us Our Lord Jesus Christ in the manifestation of His regal grandeur: He “received dominion, glory, and Kingship; all peoples, nations, and languages serve Him” (Dn 7:14a).

By establishing the feast of the royalty of Our Lord Jesus Christ at the end of the Liturgical Year, Holy Church declares to the world that everything has its end and its beginning in Christ, King of the Universe

Indeed, He is the glorious King, crowned in eternity and holder of authority over all of creation. But, paradoxically, the Gospel of St. John presents the figure of this King in a situation of humiliation, with His hands bound, about to be scourged, crowned with thorns, condemned by His own people, slain and crucified. This is where one of the most beautiful dialogues of the whole of Scripture takes place.

The governor interrogates the All-Powerful One

By his question, one perceives that the governor had already heard the denunciations of members of the Sanhedrin against the Divine Prisoner (cf. Mk 15:3; Jn 18:28-30) and desired to know His intentions. Was He planning to ascend to the throne of Israel and incite the Jews against the dominion of Rome (cf. Lk 23:1-2)? Had He, in fact, arrogated the title of Messiah, when acclaimed by the multitude as Son of David, upon entering Jerusalem a few days earlier (cf. Mk 11:9-10)? And yet, this Man whom the Roman beheld was so respectable, virtuous, composed, and submissive! Could He really be a revolutionary?

The question which Jesus returns for Pilate’s is filled with symbolism. This latter places himself as absolute lord over Jesus, since he is going to judge Him. Now, Jesus is All-Powerful; if He so wished, He could cause his interlocutor to return to nothing, and could even erase him from human memory. He knows that the Jews have calumniated Him and that the governor is acting under pressure exerted by them, in fear of being damaged by their intrigues before the Emperor. And so Jesus answers him calmly, placing the problem before him, as if to admonish him: “Does this come from you or are you afraid of the calumnies that they will make against you?”

Before Pilate, representative of the supreme power of the age, Jesus provides an utterly supernatural vision of Himself and of His royal authority, which will be hated and persecuted across history

“With these words” – comments Theophylactus – “Jesus insinuates that Pilate is a partial judge, as if to say: ‘If you say this on your own, present the signs of my rebellion; if, however, you heard this from others, open an ordinary investigation.’”⁴ And St. Augustine emphasizes: “Jesus knew well both the question and answer that Pilate would give Him. He willed, though, that it be expressed in words, not for His knowledge, but so that what He desired us to know would be written.”⁵

Jesus, sign of contradiction

The governor will yet argue, alleging that he is not responsible for the imprisonment of Our Lord, who was handed over to him by the Jews themselves. This was the occasion chosen by Jesus to declare Himself King, despite being in circumstances which suggested the opposite. He had entered into Jerusalem acclaimed as King, but this acclamation corresponded to a low, naturalistic, and earthly conception of royalty. The nation wanted to triumphantly carry a potentate of this world, a political messiah, who, aided by miracles, would obtain for it a strictly human salvation: the elimination of taxes and supremacy over the Romans.

Toward this materialistic mentality, Our Lord will be a rock of scandal and sign of contradiction (cf. Lk 2:34). Before Pilate, representative of the supreme power of the age, He will provide a very different vision – the only valid one – of Himself and of His royal authority. This utterly supernatural vision will be hated by not a few throughout the course of history, but will endure as a sign of Christianity until the end of time.

The omnipotence of the truth

Someone might conclude that, with this revelation, Jesus renounced His dominion over the world. Such a conclusion would not make sense, since He is the Almighty, to whom the entire universe is subjected. Rather, He wished to remind us that He is, before all else, the God-Man. St. Thomas explains this, mentioning St. John Chrysostom’s thought on the present Gospel passage: “You ask if I am King and I say that I am. But I am through a divine power, since for this I was born of the Father, of an eternal birth, God from God, and King from King.”⁶

Therefore, the true scope of his declaration is this: “My Kingdom is not like that of the governments of this world, or according to its maxims.” Furthermore, as the Author of grace and, in a special manner, by the Redemption He will carry out, Jesus is the King of hearts. He came to offer men supernatural sonship, which would not consist in adoption according to human concepts, but in a real participation in His divine nature, as the Apostle St. John would later say: “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are” (1 Jn 3:1). Yes, sons of God, heirs of the celestial throne and princes of an eternal dynasty!

Our Lord is King of hearts, for He came to the world to offer men supernatural sonship, which consists in a participation in His divine nature

Pilate understood something of the meaning of Jesus’ response. Insecure and frightened, perhaps he received a grace from the Saviour Himself. And so he manifested the misgiving which filled him before that majestic and incomparable Accused, who proclaimed Himself King of eternity.

³⁷ So Pilate said to him, “Then You are a King?”

Once again Jesus does not deny His royalty, and He articulates the final and most sublime of His affirmations in its regard: the Only-begotten of the Father has not come to govern by force, but by the omnipotence of the truth. He brings the explanation and the meaning of the entire order of creation, thereby initiating “a Kingdom of truth and life, a Kingdom of holiness and grace.”⁷

In closing the dialogue – registered in all its minutiae by the Beloved Disciple – as a final invitation, Jesus “undertook to persuade Pilate to unite himself to those who were receptive to His teachings.”⁸ It was as if He asked him: “And you, Pilate, will you listen to My voice?” The Roman governor, however, did not wish to heed that calling and condemned the Just One, motivated by attachment to his office. Let us hear the voice of the Truth and adore the Divine King who today inspires us, through the Liturgy, to meditate upon the foundations of His royalty.

IV – The Threefold Basis of Jesus’ Royalty

King by divine nature

“The Lord is King; in splendor robed; robed is the Lord and girt about with strength. And He has made the world firm, not to be moved. Your throne stands firm from of old; from everlasting You are, O Lord” (Ps 93:1-2), sings the Responsorial Psalm of this Solemnity of Christ the King. In effect, as the Only-begotten Son of the Father and the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, He existed from all eternity and created the universe as His Kingdom, over which He has the right to govern, being the absolute Lord of Angels and men, and the Dominator of hell, among other titles. Consequently, the first reason for Jesus’ royal power is His divine nature. Before all else, He is King because He is God.

And yet royalty is not attributed to the other two Persons of the Trinity, nor does the Catholic Liturgy have a feast to reverence the Father or the Holy Spirit as King, although They were associated with the Son in the entire work of creation. Why?

King as Man

In order for someone to be king – in the strict sense of the term – it is indispensable for him to have the same nature as his subjects. Now, among the Divine Persons, this characteristic is only found in the Son, since only He became incarnate, conserving in His humanity the plenitude of the divine nature. From then on, besides being Creator and Lord, He became our Head.

Being King by divine nature and because of all of the prerogatives inherent to the Incarnation, Jesus also acquired the title of royalty by right of conquest, as Redeemer

And what was the first throne of His royalty? Mary Most Holy! In her maternal and virginal womb, the Almighty assumed a human configuration; He became in fact King and began His reign.

But it was necessary for the glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ, as Son of Man, to be complete and, accordingly, although He had received the title of King through the Incarnation, it was fitting that He also conquer it through the Redemption.

King by right of conquest

Created in grace and enjoying God’s friendship in Terrestrial Paradise, Adam and Eve nevertheless sinned, abandoning the marvels of participation in divine nature. In consequence, Heaven was closed and man began to be conceived in sin, deprived of supernatural life. All of humanity, enslaved and condemned to spiritual death, was caught in satan’s snare.

However, ever since the Word of God resolved to become incarnate, His Sacred Heart, both divine and human, filled with goodness, mercy, and love, was moved by His affection for each one of us as if for an only child. Defeating the devil, He repaired the offence caused by the transgression of our first parents, freed us from original stain and opened for us the doors of blessedness; He re-conquered and returned to us, in great measure, that which was lost in Paradise, bringing us the extraordinary reward of the Sacraments, especially Baptism and the forgiveness of sins, unsurpassable goods because they are eternal, to sanctify us and elevate us to His nature.

Moreover, instead of becoming incarnate in a glorious state, He assumed a mortal body, and even suffered necessities, anguish, and want for us, throughout His earthly existence. Having the power to operate the Redemption of the human race with a simple act of will – or at His birth, by just a smile directed at His Most Blessed Mother! – He wished to fulfil His mission, undergoing the unspeakable torments of the Passion and giving up His very life. He permitted all the existing hatred against God to be unleashed against Him; He accepted being condemned by a totally unjust judgement and allowed Himself to be led to His death on the Cross by executioners whom He had the power to destroy and annihilate in an instant.

Finally, with His Resurrection, He attained ours and, having ascended to Heaven, He unceasingly offers His sacrifice to the Father for all eternity. Thus, He who was already King by His divine nature and because of all the prerogatives inherent to the Incarnation, acquired the title of royalty even more authentically as Redeemer, by right of conquest.

The plenitude of royalty

Yes, Our Lord Jesus Christ is King, and His empire is established in two phases. In the first, that of this world, His field of action is the Holy Catholic Church and His objective the sanctification of souls.

Our Lord’s jurisdiction is exercised within hearts through grace and, seemingly, it leaves men to act according to their desires, as long as they are still in the state of trial. It legislates through papal infallibility, it judges in the confessional and it executes its decrees in a discreet way. However, this Kingdom is invincible, as He himself affirmed when He promised immortality to His Church, saying “the powers of death shall not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18), as was also foretold in the prophecy of Daniel: “His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, His Kingship shall not be destroyed” (Dn 7:14b).

Beyond not being destroyed – notwithstanding all the attempts of its enemies – the Holy Church will continue to produce countless fruits of ever-increasing quality over the course of the centuries. But its final and most beautiful attributes will shine at the end of the world, on the day in which the Divine King will consummate His victory over death, sin, and the devil, and will be glorified as the most faithful Son of the Father.

At the end of the world, all people, both good and evil, those bound for Heaven and those condemned to hell, will see the ostensive glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ as King

Then will commence the other phase of His Kingdom. Accordingly, in the second reading (Rv 1:5-8) for this Solemnity, the Book of Revelation sets us before a horizon replete with grandeur, which culminates in the Final Judgement: “Jesus Christ is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and the Ruler of kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His Blood […], to Him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen” (Rv 1:5-6). All peoples – both the good and the wicked, those bound for Heaven and those condemned to hell – will see the glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ as King, now in a clear and ostensive way.

“Behold, He is coming amid the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. All the peoples of the earth will lament Him. Yes. Amen” (Rv 1:7). Creation having been re-established in its perfect order, He will restore it to the Father and will say: “Here is the power which I acquired. I deliver the universe once again into Thy hands.” At that moment, our King will have received the plenitude of royalty by right of conquest.

V – We Are of the King’s Lineage

The Solemnity of Christ the King, while inviting us to turn our attention and our hearts to this grandiose panorama, requires us to be conscious of special responsibilities in our life.

Since we participate in divine nature and have become children of God through Baptism, even His royalty is rightfully ours, among other privileges, for, besides being courtiers of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of kings, we belong to His family as His true brothers, elevated to the category of princes. He wants to make us partakers of the felicity which He possesses from all eternity as the Only-begotten Son, enjoying conviviality and familiarity with the Father and the Holy Spirit. In addition, He will associate us in the manifestation of His magnificence when He comes at the end of time. This is our nobility.

Therefore, if we are overjoyed at belonging to the same lineage and to the royal family of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we are obliged, as temples of the Most Holy Trinity, to take this filiation to its ultimate consequences in our daily existence.

Lord, I am Thine!

What do we implore in the Collect, in the Mass of the Solemnity of Christ the King? “Almighty ever-living God, whose will is to restore all things in Your beloved Son, the King of the universe, grant, we pray, that the whole creation, set free from slavery, may render Your majesty service and ceaselessly proclaim Your praise.”⁹ May creatures glorify Thee in Thy regal grandeur! A subject, in order to glorify his sovereign, must, before all else, be faithful to his laws and counsels.

Let us rejoice at belonging to the same lineage and to the royal family of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and let us take this filiation to its ultimate consequences in our daily lives

The Laws of my King are found in the Ten Commandments and in the Gospel, as well as in my interior, through the moral sense which I received from my infancy. I need to be entirely upright concerning these Laws, and to persevere in the grace of God, seeking to practise virtue to the utmost, with an ever-increasing aspiration for perfection and sanctity, for nothing offends this King more than sin. If, on the contrary, I choose the ways of vice and deform my own conscience to live in indifferentism, I renounce my participation in His royalty and will follow other kings: the devil, the world, and the flesh.

On this magnificent Solemnity of the royalty of Our Lord Jesus Christ, my soul pervaded with all of these marvels, blessings, and graces, I wish to turn to Him and say: “Lord, I am Thine! I am Thine! In spite of my debilities and weaknesses, reign in my heart, in my thoughts, and in my sentiments. Reign in my soul through Mary Most Holy, the throne which Thou didst choose for Thy birth – Queen because She is Thy Mother, and my Mother also.” ◊

Notes

¹ Cf. PIUS XI. Quas primas, n.21-23.

² Cf. Idem, n.25.

³ According to the determination of Pope Pius XI in the Encyclical Quas Primas, the Solemnity of Christ the King should be celebrated on the last Sunday of October: “The last Sunday of October seemed the most convenient of all for this purpose, because it is at the end of the liturgical year, and thus the feast of the Kingship of Christ sets the crowning glory upon the mysteries of the life of Christ already commemorated during the year, and, before celebrating the triumph of all the Saints, we proclaim and extol the glory of him who triumphs in all the Saints and in all the Elect” (Idem, n.29). In the current Liturgy, however, it is celebrated on the last Sunday in Ordinary Time.

⁴ THEOPHYLACTUS, apud ST. THOMAS AQUINAS, Catena Aurea. In Ioannem, c.XVIII, v.33-38.

⁵ ST. AUGUSTINE. In Ioannis Evangelium, tract. CXV, n.1. In: Obras, vol. XIV.  (Ed.2). Madrid: BAC, 1965, p.565.

⁶ ST. THOMAS AQUINAS. Super Ioannem, c.XVIII, lect.6.

⁷ SOLEMNITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE. Preface. In: THE ROMAN MISSAL. English translation according to the Third Typical Edition approved by the USCCB and confirmed by the Apostolic See. Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 2011, p.508.

⁸ ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM. Homilia LXXXIV, n.1. In: Homilías sobre el Evangelio de San Juan, vol. III: 61-88. Madrid: Ciudad Nueva, 2001, p.260.

⁹ SOLEMNITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE. Collect. In: THE ROMAN MISSAL, op. cit., p.505.