The world where Christ the King reigns offers a different kind of world, a kingdom where Christ, the Prince of love and peace reigns, one where righteousness and justice prevails
Tomorrow is the feast of Christ the King. I would like to reflect on what such a feast means today in our troubled world.
In the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus spoke to his disciples about the time when the Son of Man arrives in glory, accompanied by all the angels, and takes his place on the magnificent throne.
All nations will gather before him, and he will distinguish them, as a shepherd separates sheep from goats.
The sheep will stand at his right, and the goats at his left.
Then the king will say to those at his right, “Come, you who are favored by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the world’s foundation.
“For when I was hungry, you gave me food; when I was thirsty, you provided drink; when I was a stranger, you welcomed me; when I was naked, you clothed me; when I was ill, you cared for me; and when I was in prison, you visited me.”
The righteous will question, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
“When were you a stranger that we welcomed, or naked and clothed you? When did we see you ill or in prison and visit you?”
The king will answer, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these, you did it for me.”
To those on his left, the king will say, “Depart from me, cursed ones, into the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
“For when I was hungry, you offered no food; when I was thirsty, you gave no drink; when I was a stranger, you didn’t welcome me; when I was naked, you provided no clothing; when I was ill and in prison, you didn’t care.”
They’ll reply, “Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, ill, or in prison and didn’t serve you?”
He’ll respond, “Truly I tell you, what you didn’t do for the least among you, you didn’t do for me.”
The righteous will go to eternal life, but the others to eternal punishment.
What does it mean for God to be righteous?
It means that God consistently acts in alignment with what is morally right and that He serves as the ultimate standard for what is right.
God has established this standard through His goodness, revealing to us what aligns with His approval as He lays down in the gospel of Mathew.
We approach the hopeful season of Advent, the Church presents Jesus to us as a king of a different kind—a king whose reign isn’t defined by earthly power or control. His humble birth, a life marked by simplicity and sacrifice, and his ultimate crucifixion stand in contrast to conventional notions of kingship.
Wherever we look today, we see conflicts, hatred, disunity and disharmony.
Every corner of the world is threatened with war and conflict whether in the South China Sea, in Myanmar, in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine.
It seems the world can offer nothing other than injustice and trouble and the king is the arms merchants and the hate mongers.
Yet, the world where Christ the King reigns offers a different kind of world, a kingdom where Christ, the Prince of love and peace reigns, one where righteousness and justice prevails.
Christ’s kingship embodies love, not earthly splendor.
There may be so much injustice, conflict and even wars in our times.
But Christ the King gives us the unique opportunity to transcend this troubled world.
For in the end, He offers as a world where justice, peace serenity and happiness will reign for all eternity, a world where sin, sickness and all forms of evil cannot penetrate but a kingdom that is suffused only with love, harmony, and contentment.
Christ, the King will reign forever, guiding and correcting us, and especially to love our neighbor, our loved ones yes but also the Other we do not know.
Christ the King calls us to become peacemakers.
Christ is the true king of troubled and all times.
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