Christ the King Feast History and Homily

Christ the King Feast History and Homily

Christ the King Feast is a comparatively recent addition to the church's liturgical calendar. It was introduced by Pope Pius XI in 1925, but why at that time did Pius XI introduce a feast dedicated to Christ the King?

History of Christ the King Sunday

Pius XI first encyclical letter had been published a few years earlier in 1922. That encyclical was called in Latin ‘Ubi arcano Dei consilio’ which means ‘When, in the inscrutable designs of God’. It was written just a few years after the end of the First World War. And the Pope then wrote, “Since the close of the great war the nations of the earth have not as yet found true peace” and he goes on to say, “that conditions have become increasingly worse because the fears of the people are being constantly played upon by the ever-present Menace of new wars, likely to be more frightful and destructive than any which have preceded them.” How prescient were those words!

With the rubble of war still lying about him the Pope begged people to look rather to the peace of Christ in the kingdom of God.

In 1925 Pius XI published a follow-up encyclical establishing the Feast of Christ the King he again wrote about peace and notes that the evil present in the world was due to the fact that the majority of people had thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law out of their lives and he went on to say that as long as individuals and States refused to submit to the rule of our Savior there would be no really hopeful prospect of a lasting peace among nations.

What was happening in the world at that time? well recall in 1922 the fascists had seized power in Italy, by 1933 the Nazis had gained absolute power in Germany and some years earlier the Bolsheviks had seized power in Russia. All of those regimes were hostile to God to religion and to the church.

This cartoon by Michael Leunig is an interesting commentary on what was happening in the world at that time. God speaks from the heavens thou shalt not kill. The Prophet copies down the words. Then the Prophet conveys God's words to the people thou shalt not kill. But humanity is rebellious. The Prophet is killed as God looks down upon the world in dismay. And then God is shot having murdered the Prophet and cast got down from the heavens.

The crown now belongs to man. He is now supreme, he alone is king such is the kind of world that the Soviets the Nazis and the fascists sought to establish.

Bible Verses for Christ the King Feast

The homily for the Feast of Christ the King. The gospel for this Sunday comes from the Gospel of St Luke chapter 23 verses 35 to 43. With the feast of Christ the King we come to the end of the church's liturgical year.

Homily for Christ the King Feast

With the end of the liturgical year we say farewell to St. Luke but before bidding him farewell let's reflect upon how Luke portrays Christ the King. Now remember that we have a three-yearly cycles of readings. In the lectionary year A is the year of Matthew, year B is the year of Mark but for the Feast of Christ the King and year B we have a guest appearance from the Gospel of St. John and then in year C which today comes to an end we have a reading from the Gospel of St. Luke.

In year A, the year of Matthew we have the king sitting in judgement. Just as the shepherd separates sheep from goats so will the king separate people one from another some will be called to his right others to his left and the verdict is pronounced. It's not a simple matter of good versus evil. In this case it's a matter of doing good or doing nothing. Those who fail to reach out in compassion to their brothers and sisters are turned away. Those who reached out to the very least of their brothers and sisters are welcomed into eternal life.

In year B we have a confrontation between Jesus and Pilate, the Roman governor. It's the centrepiece of the passion story in John's Gospel. It represents a clash of kingdoms. The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Caesar. So Pilate asks are you the King of the Jews. This question shows that Pilate has seen through the ploy of Jesus accusers. He knows that they're bringing him to trial on a political charge. The Romans reserved to themselves the right to appoint client Kings in their empire. To claim that title independently of Rome is tantamount to leading a rebellion and hence, deserving the death penalty.

Jesus replies mine is not a kingdom of this world. Now Jesus isn't saying that his kingdom belongs to a purely spiritual realm. His reference is to its origins. It has come from God. So he isn't talking here about the kingdoms location but about its character, it comes from God not from this world. And it does not come by violence or imperial might. Pilate replies so you are a king then and Jesus replies yes I am a king.

Why is Jesus called Christ the King?

So by way of mockery Pilate has the charge for which Jesus is to be executed placed on the cross, Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews. It's written in three languages Hebrew, Greek and Latin.

In John's Gospel, Jesus the King reigns not from a throne but from the cross the symbols of his kingship are not crown, orb and sceptre but thorns, nails and cross. This image of Christ crucified is certainly not what a passerby would have witnessed on that first Good Friday. This image portrays a theological truth, Jesus Lord and King although dying on the cross nevertheless reigns triumphantly from the throne of the Cross. He has destroyed the power of sin and death. And the shedding of his blood has set us free.

As we come to the end of year C in the liturgical sigh, we have St. Luke's account of the crucifixion of Jesus. The Evangelist tells us that Jesus was crucified between two criminals but it's only St. Luke tells us what the criminals who are executed alongside Jesus say to him. One of them told Jesus, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us as well” but he's rebuked by the other criminal “Have you no fear of God at all? You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong. And he then turns to Jesus and says, “Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

And in Luke's gospel the last words that Jesus speaks to another human being before he dies are words of welcome to this criminal who was crucified alongside him, “Indeed I promise you today you will be with me in paradise.”

The Kingdom of God

Now this has been an enduring theme in Luke's gospel. Jesus welcomes the outsider. He is the very embodiment of God's hospitality, many times in Luke's Gospel we have Jesus at table with all manner of people. That in itself is a parable, not a parable in words but a parable in action.

This is what God's kingdom looks like and the reaction of people like the Pharisees had, this man welcomes sinners and eats with them. They are exactly like the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son when the younger brother comes to his senses and returns home after squandering his inheritance. You'd think that his older brother would be happy but he's not resents the extravagant forgiveness his father has lavished upon his brother. It's not fair he says, it's not right.

That same kind of resentment is evident in Jericho when Jesus tells Zacchaeus the chief tax collector that he must stay at his house. How did the people of Jericho react? They all complained when they saw what was happening. He's gone to stay at the house of a sinner. Again bitter resentment at the welcome and hospitality that Jesus extends especially to those who many consider to be outsiders people like Zacchaeus.

And the parable of the Good Samaritan again found only in Luke's Gospel is a story that Jesus tells in response to the question ‘who is my neighbor’. A priest and a Levite pass by the man who'd been left to death for dead by robbers. He who was a fellow Jew. It is the despised Samaritan and outsider, as far as Jews were concerned, who in this story is the true neighbor.

Also read
Who is God
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Farewell to St. Luke's Gospel

As we bid farewell to Luke, let us recall what we find only in Luke's Gospel. The emphasis upon the hospitality of Jesus especially at table, a true parable of God's kingdom. The despised Samaritan the outsider who is the true neighbor, the father who lavishes his unconditional love and forgiveness upon his wayward son, the hospitality extended to Zacchaeus another outsider and finally today the last words Jesus speaks to another human being before his death words of welcome to yet another outsider, “This day you will be with me in paradise.”

Conclusion and the message

Luke's gospel presents us with a model of discipleship. The community of disciples should extend the same generous hospitality and welcome as their Lord and Master, Christ the king.