Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
I would like to share with you the Sunday, Nov. 21, homily written by Transitional Deacon Tran Dinh, who is currently serving at St. Mary’s Church in Victoria, Texas.
Deacon Dinh’s home parish is St. Anthony of Padua in Palacios, Texas. He will be ordained a priest for the diocese January 8, 2022.
This Sunday we celebrated the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King of the Universe. The readings for Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021 were: Daniel 7:13-14; Psalm 93:1, 1-2, 5 (1a); Revelation 1:5-8; and John 18:13b-37
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
The recent history of the world, in some ways, is quite dim. Dictators and leaders of countries have cost the lives of millions. Think of the two World Wars of the last century. In the first World War, over 8 million people were killed. In World War II, over 40 million lost their lives. It doesn’t take much searching in the history books to find events of violence at the hands of earthly leaders that cost the lives of so many throughout the world.
In 1925, just 7 years after World War I, Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King which we celebrate today. He prayed that the world would stop giving in to this nature of tearing each other apart, but instead that we would be united under the one true ruler, Jesus.
Today is the last Sunday of the church year. Next week begins Advent, the beginning of a new church year. The Church has now placed the Feast of Christ the King on this last Sunday, wishing that, in the end, all people will be gathered into the Kingdom of God, a kingdom of truth, peace and love.
On the Feast of Jesus Christ, King of the universe, the whole world has only one King, one ruler. Our universal king does not sit on a throne, in the largest or richest city, but hangs on a cross. A true king does not have to rule by brute force. He rules by love. Our true king has no one territory on the world map, but instead is seen in His people’s hearts and in their actions.
The kingdom of Jesus is the kingdom of Truth: “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Living according to the truth is not easy, because honest people are often seen as weak. But only those who dare to speak the truth, accept the truth, and live it place themselves under the rule of Jesus.
The kingdom of Jesus is also the kingdom of Love: “For the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Loving ourselves, loving relatives and friends is easy; Loving strangers, loving enemies, is really difficult. But God is the King of Love. This love is the common land that we live in.
Today, with the Church, let us come to worship, honor, praise and give thanks to Jesus Christ, King of the universe, and Lord of Lords, a gentle king, a king whose power is self-sacrificing love, forgiveness, humility and service.
