Christ the King: A Servant on the Throne

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In a month where so many Christians are fighting on Facebook, and in real life, with each other over everything from red coffee cups to Syrian refugees and everything in between — where every day we turn on the news and see more of the same: hate and anger, pain and suffering — it becomes very easy for us as Christians to get caught in the web of negativity, allowing ourselves to become part of that negative narrative.

After a very long two weeks, I found myself caught up in all of it. I was on Facebook and Twitter adding fuel to the fire and feeding into the endless cycle. I reached a point where I found myself wanting to delete my social media accounts and escape it all — all the while seeing why today is such an important day. Today, the day that we celebrate Christ the King.

I am here today preaching at this beautiful church, in front of some great people, and in front of my spiritual advisor and one of my mentors in ministry. As I look out, I see a church that has walked through some very tough times in the past two weeks, a church that has come together as one family, emulating what this day is all about — a day that reminds us that when Christ the King is the center of our lives, then no force on earth can stop us.

Now I know in some circles that "Christ the King" is not a popular or welcome term, and some think that we should throw out the word *King*. After all, it is a symbol of times past, of an old and oppressive era. But this is an ironic sentiment, because it is in the mystery of Christ's kingship that we have the very root of our spiritual liberation. So what is this day? What is Christ the King Sunday, and why do we have a day set aside to celebrate it?

Christ the King Sunday is placed on our church calendar at a point in the liturgical season when we are finishing one season — a season of exploring who Christ is or was — and entering into another, a season of expectation for the hope of a coming Savior. But the Church did not always celebrate this feast day. As a matter of fact, it is relatively new to the church calendar and came about in a time when the world was in need of a reminder of who Christ was.

Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King in 1925 for the universal Church by issuing the encyclical *Quas Primas*. He was concerned about the increasing denial of Christ as King due to the rise of secularism. At the time of *Quas Primas*, many Christians began to have doubts about Christ's authority and existence. This was a time when many of the European nations were being taken over by secular governments and ideologies, drawing many people away from the Church and the Church's teachings. So in his encyclical he reminded Christians of Christ's primacy as the King of the Universe.

The encyclical told us how we as Christians could make Christ the King of our lives. It read:

"The faithful, moreover, by meditating upon these truths, will gain much strength and courage, enabling them to form their lives after the true Christian ideal. If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth; if all men, purchased by his precious blood, are by a new right subjected to his dominion; if this power embraces all men, it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from his empire. He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or, to use the words of the Apostle Paul, as instruments of justice unto God."

We see that things have not changed much in the past ninety years. Words like *dominion* and *empire* and *reigning* are offensive to people. I said earlier in my message that many in the Church wanted to get away from the term *King* because it represented too much of the old and oppressive ways, but I challenge them — and really all of us — to be reminded of who Jesus truly was.

Jesus was the Son of God who humbled Himself by becoming human and dying on the cross. Many people in Jesus' time were disappointed. They wanted a king who would come with a vengeance and destroy Rome. They wanted William Wallace, the famous Scottish warrior who fought for Scotland's independence from the British Crown — but instead they got Mr. Rogers. They got a man who was willing to allow Himself to be sacrificed in our place, who allowed Himself to be broken and beaten, and it was in His weakness, at that moment, that He became strong. It was at that moment, when He forgave those around Him, that He got His power. Jesus was King — He was *the* King — but a king like no other. Jesus, instead of demanding His subjects serve Him, served His subjects.

You ask what Christ the King Sunday is about. It is about picking up where He left off. It is about loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. It is about welcoming those in who are less fortunate, week after week. It is about going out into our communities with the greatest story ever told and offering the hope of our King.

Christ the King Sunday is not about some God sitting on a throne in heaven dictating to His people. Christ the King Sunday is about the God who is living inside of each and every one of us. This Friday on my way home from work, I was driving through downtown Youngstown. As I was driving I noticed people running from tree to tree and light post to light post. They were tying scarves and gloves to them. They were tying them there for people in need — regardless of race, regardless of gender, regardless of religion. There was no litmus test for these items; there was no requirement other than being cold and having a need. This is the spirit of Christ the King in action.

Today is about being empowered in our moments of doubt and weakness to keep true to His call — to feed those in need, to clothe those in need, to welcome in the stranger. Christ the King Sunday is about loving God, it is about loving your neighbor, and it is about changing the world.