“For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.” We just heard Jesus make this very important, defining declaration in today’s gospel. And, in just a little more than four weeks, we will celebrate the birth of Jesus. Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? But today, as we come to the end of our liturgical year, we hear Jesus testify why he was born: to testify to the truth. And, although we didn’t hear it in today’s gospel passage, we’re all familiar with Pontius Pilate’s dismissive response to Jesus: “What is truth?” As in his day, so today, we find so many people dismissing the reality of objective truth. Everyone seems to want to determine their own truth. And yet, we know that, as far as our eternal salvation is concerned, there is only one truth: Jesus Christ, the son of God, was born to save us from our sins and lead us back to God, our loving Father, who longs for us to be with him forever. And so today we celebrate Jesus as our king, in fact, as the king of all people, nations and languages, as we hear in today’s first reading.
This is the final Sunday of the liturgical year, the culmination of a 12-month scripture-shaped narrative that began last Advent and followed the life of Jesus. Over the course of this past liturgical year, we have been reminded of the reality of the kingdom of God in our midst. Jesus announced it as he began to proclaim the gospel and showed us how to live it throughout his public ministry. As we hear in today’s gospel, it is not of this world. But, it is in this world. It can be found every time we follow Jesus’ teachings to forgive seventy times seven, to pray for everyone, including our enemies, to care for those in need, to put God before everyone and everything else in our lives. That’s how we bring the kingdom of God into the world. That’s how we experience the peace of God’s kingdom in this very disturbing time. It is over that kingdom that our heavenly Father has given his only son eternal reign as king forever.
Although we don’t often think of kings, they were very familiar to the people of Jesus’ time. They were ruled by King Herod, the local representative of the Roman Caesar, and we all know that “Caesar” is just another title given to the Roman kings. And, the Jewish people of Jesus’ time had fond memories of their beloved King David; in fact, they were hoping that Jesus might be their new king. And, that’s what got Jesus into trouble with the local Roman officials. When the Jewish leaders brought Jesus before Pontius Pilate, he wasn’t concerned with their complaint that he claimed to be the Son of God. But, they got Pilate’s attention when they charged that Jesus claimed to be a king. It was Pilate’s job to keep Roman power firmly in control in Israel and any claim to political power was a threat to that control. So, as we hear in today’s Gospel, the critical question that Pilate asks Jesus is, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
You will notice that Jesus never gave Pilate a direct answer, he dodged the question over and over again and, in doing so, gave an important insight into the true identity of his kingdom. “My kingdom does not belong to this world,” he said. In fact, as you will recall from Palm Sunday, it was the people who gave Jesus the title of king. Jesus never accepted that title because he knew that the people’s understanding of an earthly king did not fully capture his role as their eternal savior. His earthly throne would be the cross, his crown would be made of thorns. Jesus did not come to overthrow the power of Rome or to re-establish the kingdom of Israel. In fact, he did not come to set up any earthly kingdom. No, he was sent by God to re-establish the heavenly kingdom here on earth, one that would be marked not by hatred, cruelty and oppression but by love, gentleness and peace. His kingdom here on earth would be present wherever the beatitudes are lived. His subjects would be the poor in spirit, the humble, the meek, the peacemakers, people who work for justice, those who are willing to suffer for their faith.
And so today, as we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King, we do well to praise our Lord, Jesus, to assure him of our absolute worship and obedience, to recognize his reign over the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ reigns in the hearts and souls of all who love him. His kingdom is not drawn on a map or guarded by weapons at the borders. Rather, the kingdom that Jesus established is to be found anywhere we freely and joyfully choose to live as he lived, in obedience to his teachings, following his example and loving both God and our neighbor with selfless and sacrificial hearts. Whenever that happens, it gives us a taste of heaven on earth. Whenever that happens, we please and honor our Lord, Jesus Christ, the King. May his truth rule our lives.