Viva Cristo Rey! Long live Christ the King. This was the battle cry of The Catholic resistance fighters during a time of fierce persecution of the Church in 1920's Mexico. Thousands of Catholic lay faithful, priests and nuns were martyred for the faith. What was it about Cristo Rey, Christ the King, that inspired them, gave them courage and hope?
Reflection of the Feast of Christ the King by Dr. Scott Hahn "Week by week the Liturgy has been preparing us for the revelation to be made on this, the last Sunday of the Church year”.
Jesus, we have been shown, is truly the Chosen One, the Messiah of God, the King of Jews. Ironically, in today's Gospel we hear these names on the lips of those who don't believe in Him—Israel's rulers, the soldiers, a criminal dying alongside Him.
They can only see the scandal of a bloodied figure nailed to a cross. They scorn Him in words and gestures foretold in Israel's Scriptures (see Psalm 22:7-9; 69:21-22; Wisdom 2:18-20). If He is truly King, God will rescue Him, they taunt. But He did not come to save Himself, but to save them—and us.
The good thief shows us how we are to accept the salvation He offers us. He confesses his sins, acknowledges he deserves to die for them. And He calls on the name of Jesus, seeks His mercy and forgiveness.
By his faith he is saved. Jesus "remembers" him—as God has always remembered His people, visiting them with His saving deeds, numbering them among His chosen heirs (see Psalm 106:4-5).
By the blood of His cross, Jesus reveals His Kingship—not in saving His life, but in offering it as a ransom for ours. He transfers us to "the Kingdom of His beloved Son," as today's Epistle tells us.
His Kingdom is the Church, the new Jerusalem and House of David that we sing of in today's Psalm. By their covenant with David in today's First Reading, Israel's tribes are made one "bone and flesh" with their king.
By the new covenant made in His blood, Christ becomes one flesh with the people of His Kingdom—the head of His body, the Church (see Ephesians 5:23-32).
We celebrate and renew this covenant in every Eucharist, giving thanks for our redemption, hoping for the day when we too will be with Him in Paradise." End Quote
So, no matter the circumstance, the suffering, no matter who is president, King, emperor, no matter what a parliament or congress does, even if the whole world turn out against us, we have hope! In the end, while this world will cause us suffering it will not last, Christ alone will. If we put our trust in him and not in princes, if we look to his promises and not to those of the world, then we too shall one day experience the fulfillment of our hope and the sufferings of this world will appear as they truly are, mere straw compared to the Glory of the world to come.
Viva Cristo Rey!
Long live Christ the King!
Father Robert Letona