The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe A

What will be decisive before God’s judgment?

The last Sunday of the church year – Sunday of Christ the King, it is time to remember that time, science, sports, culture remind us to live in the presence of Jesus Christ, who rightfully deserves our respect, fidelity, love … Christ the King – a title that also Although royal titles disappear, rather belongs to the past, the Church remembers a title that does not lose its relevance, value, meaning for us who believe in Jesus Christ.

Remember Mark Twain’s book, The King and the Beggar. The book’s story tells how two boys who look like each other exchange each other and change the place where they lived until then. Prince Edward, Prince of Wales, swaps his place with Tom Candy, a poor street boy. What can a change of dress do? It will change their whole lives. Tom learns luxury, comfort, destruction, and more, and Eduard learns the misery, hunger, dirt of children and people. When confusion occurs again, they both have experiences they would never have dreamed of. Therefore, when Edward became King of England, he had experiences that his teachers would not teach him.

The book reminds us of another, more serious event, when the Son of God, out of love for people, took the nature of man and became like us in everything but sin, so that by his death, we may obtain the lost inheritance of the sons and daughters of Heavenly Father. Jesus himself reminds us of the conditions that will apply until the end of time on earth, which when we fulfill, we will hear from his mouth: “Come, bless my Father, take possession of the kingdom which is prepared for you from the creation of the world” (Mt 25:34 ), and if we do not meet his conditions, we will also hear from his mouth: “Depart from me, cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angel” (Mt 25:41).

Scripture is not a fairy tale book that would lose its meaning over time. It is not addressed only to selected, chosen, some people. And in the Gospels, we read that Jesus Christ himself confirmed his title of King when he answered Pilate’s question, “Are you a King of the Jews?” When he accepted man’s nature, he personally experienced everything that belongs to our human nature after inherited sin. He lived among us in the human body from birth and was placed in a manger in the Bethlehem barn until his death on the cross and burial. He knew the woman he was born from; he was born. He knew people of all strata and states, their sins, and the consequences of sins. He knew this so that, as the only Son of God, he could satisfy God the Father for all people’s sins and thus reconcile people to the Father. Who could have done more for us? Who rightfully deserves the greatest respect, the title of King? Only Jesus has the right to the title of Christ, the King!

This King respects the gifts he and our Father have given us. Those gifts are our reason and free will that determine whether we will hear from Christ the King once: “Come, bless my Father, take possession of the kingdom that is prepared for you from the creation of the world” (Mt 25:34), or: “Give up …” (Mt 25:34). Jesus redeemed us without us, but in order to participate in God’s kingdom, we must work with him. We have received orders, the social law of the Church. Because Jesus lives in each of us, he could say: I was hungry, thirsty, wayward, naked, sick, in prison. And how we treat our brothers and sisters, we consciously and voluntarily decide our actions. When we want to hear from the mouth of Christ, “Come, blessed of my Father, take possession of the kingdom which is prepared for you from the creation of the world” (Mt 25:34), we need to feed Jesus in brothers and sisters, give them a drink, But when we have not filled Jesus in our brothers and sisters, we will not give them drink, we will not squeeze them, we will not sell them, we will not visit them, and we will not come to them;, 34). Our yes or our definitely not. What you did, or what you didn’t do to one of my little ones, you did or didn’t do to me.

We give the title of Christ King to the Lord Jesus because our speech has no other more appropriate expression. This title is broader, more comprehensive, more meaningful than we can imagine. Through Christ, the King, the meaning, the goal of our life, is more visible in the world. For our good, during the last Sunday of the church year, we pay attention to Christ the King. Through him, with him, and in him, we receive gifts, graces, blessings when we can receive them.

In the biography of St. Nikolas of  Flüe, a hermit tells the story of being in church with his native Peter on Sunday. As they returned home, Peter told Nicholas: “I had a strange vision today. When the priest came to the altar, a tree began to grow in the temple center, which spread out into a bushy tree above all. He flourished at the words of transformation. Beautiful and fragrant flowers began to fall on all present. On their heads, they remained as beautiful and fragrant as they had fallen, and on their heads, others faded faster or slower. That’s how people took them home from the Holy Mass. “Then St. Nicholas said to Peter,” You haven’t seen anything special. We receive special graces during every Holy Mass. It was a blossoming tree and its flowers. Everyone is offered plenty of graces. Flowers and fragrance. Whoever carries how much depends on each person personally, on the state of his soul. “

Our deeds, the state of our soul, will determine our eternal reward and punishment. Even in today’s Holy Mass, we receive grace; it depends on us how much we take. Serving Christ, the King is advantageous. But we serve him through brothers and sisters. “What you have done to one of my least brothers, you have done to me” (Mt 25:40).

Perhaps one personal experience: It is from a college student who has been involved in many ways. She was a Greenpeace activist and drew attention on various occasions to the consequences of pollution and environmental destruction. She also supported gay rights and participated in a campaign to help people from developing countries. After the outbreak of war in the former Yugoslavia, she became a Red Cross volunteer and assisted in humanitarian aid. Simply put, it seemed to be wherever it was needed. Many thought of her that his love for his neighbor was simply enormous. And she thought so too. Well, some people didn’t think so. Her older parents never felt her love for her. In recent years, it has rarely served them by purchasing or accompanying them during hospital examinations. She had so many more important responsibilities that she was seldom at home. Neither did her classmates, who needed an explanation of the curriculum. She refused the service for the same reason. Neither did those who sought advice, encouragement, or perhaps only a hearing of their problem thinks of her. She was too busy with the “big things” she was doing.

She forgot the words “whatever you did to one of these youngest brothers of mine” (Mt 25:40) she forgot. She forgot that these “little brothers” are those who are closest to us at a particular moment, not only spiritually but also physically. Many times they are completely unknown, but also the closest, blood people. The girl in question certainly had good intentions. She wanted to help people. However, she had a one-sided focus that prevented her from seeing the specific needs of the surrounding people, and thus acting acts of love in an unexplored, hidden way, but in a much more concrete way. It’s different today. She understood today’s gospel and lived it by the daily ministry in her neighborhood.

Mark Twain’s book The King and the Beggar can be helpful and instructive to many. We realize that we can draw more from Jesus Christ, to whom we give the title of Christ the King. Before we begin to celebrate the new Church year, before Advent begins, let us make a place for Christ the King in our hearts, re-evaluate the ending old church year, make the right and true conclusions from it. We will use the Eucharistic celebration to ask for new graces for ourselves and our dearest.