REFLECTION Sunday´s Gospel

Christ the King (Year C, 21 Nov 2010)
Fr James McTavish, FMVD

Viva Cristo Rey!
(The cry of Fr Pro before his execution)

Well done. You have survived until the last Sunday of this liturgical year, year C. Next Sunday will be the first Sunday of Advent, the first day of cycle A. Anyway whether we are in cycle A, B or C the last Sunday of the Year is always the celebration of Christ the King! This feast was instituted in 1925 by Pope Pius XI to remind us that our hearts should only have one King: Jesus. All four Gospels note ‘the fact that on the cross Jesus had the words written above his head “This is Jesus, King of the Jews.”

In the gospel today (Luke 23, 35-43) we see Jesus being treated in a most unkingly fashion. He is mocked, jeered, laughed at and his authority is challenged “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.” How does Jesus react? We have a King who is meek and humble of heart. The two thieves either side have contrasting reactions. One reviled Jesus saying "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us." Perhaps in this challenge we can hear our own voice echoed – if you don’t answer my prayers I will stop praying, if you don’t take this suffering from me then I will be in a bad mood with you and ignore you, if if if...It is easy to become the King. At the seaside when I was growing up we would build a sand castle and chant “I’m the King of the castle and you’re the dirty rascal!” How easy to make ourselves King. Elvis was known as the ‘King’ but in or little way it is quite easy to impersonate Elvis, making ourselves King and ousting Jesus from his rightful place as King of our hearts.

The so-called good thief shows us true respect for Christ the King. Once there was a famous celebrity being interviewed talking about his life as a pop star, his songs, the band and all that. The interviewer came to the final question “Ok, and for the final question, what are the last words you would most like to hear” He surprised me and the interviewer when he said “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” These are the exact words that the good thief heard. How beautiful. HE was a very good thief. Imagine, he stole the heart of Jesus in his dying moments. But these words of Jesus can also be extended to each one of us as paradise is this union with God, it is to do his will, today. St Paul said that today is the day of salvation. But as the procrastinator said “maybe do tomorrow what you can do today.”

Who is actually the King in my life? If it is food then it is burger King, if technology, CDR King (electronics firm here in Philippines), if I spend my life watching movies then King Kong. One danger in life is when the only factor deciding everything is my feelings. It is interesting to reflect on the role of feelings in our daily lives. One extreme, especially after one has suffered, is a kind of hardening of the arteries, an indifference or coldness. But it is actually inhuman to totally deny our feelings. On the other hand it may be imprudent to let my feelings decide everything for me. What can be a happy balance?

Four centuries before Christ, Aristotle was grappling with this question and in his book of Ethics came up with the so-called ‘Doctrine of the mean’ which helps one avoid the extremes, which would be vices, and pursue the middle path, which would be a virtuous response. The example of anger may help. There are some hot-headed types who fly off the handle at the slightest provocation. Here the words from the book of Proverbs could be helpful – “a patient man is worth more than a hero, he who rules himself and his temper is worth more than a warrior who takes cities” (Proverbs 16,32). However the other extreme of repressing anger is to be avoided also – as Aristotle noted those that repress anger “are hard to reconcile and keep their anger for a long while, because they repress the feeling...they keep the weight on their minds: because it does not show itself, no one attempts to reason it away, and digesting anger within one’s self takes time. Such men are very great nuisances to themselves and to their best friends.” (Nicomachean ethics, Book IV, V, 1126a). That is why much of our moral life is, as Alisdair MacIntyre notes, “an education sentimentale.” This renowned contemporary moral philosopher writes that “virtues are dispositions not only to act in particular ways, but also to feel in particular ways.”

When Christ reigns it gives a certain stability to a person – they are more constant, less likely to be so affected by the waxing and waning of various emotions and more interested in what the Lord is telling them in their prayer. After all, the reality is Christ. He is the King of the Cosmos as St Paul observes astutely in his letter to the Colossians. He is the head of all principalities and powers. I was talking to a businessman this week who told me that in his office he places various chocolates as food for the supposed ghosts there. I reminded him that as a Catholic to never forget that Christ is the head of the cosmos and all powers and principalities are inferior to Him. Whenever these fears come upon us who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters of course, the ghost buster extraordinaire, the Holy Spirit, none other than the Holy Ghost himself.

And who can forget the beautiful testimony of many martyrs like Blessed Miguel Pro, going to their death with “Viva Cristo Rey!” (Long live Christ the King) on their lips elegantly professing that only one King sat on the throne of their hearts, Jesus. Let us remember that as Christians we are called to participate in the kingly mission of Christ, to build up the Kingdom here on earth. I cannot finish without sharing some of my joy to be working with the deaf in Manila. Two friends, Carol and Marie, are very inspiring as they dedicate to spreading the Kingdom of God, to helping many deaf children to receive an education. The gospel is being fulfilled as we speak – “the deaf here.” Perhaps we can reflect ‘In what way am I building the Kingdom?’ If Christ truly reigns in us we will see it in the spread of the Kingdom. Let us ask for this grace! Viva Cristo Rey!