Greetings, Church fans! I’ve been asked to add the joke to the text, for those who don’t go to the video. Fair enough. As always, the video of the homily can be seen by clicking here. If you want the whole Mass, click here! Enjoy.
Christ the King, B, – What is a King?
The end of the Church calendar always ends with the Solemnity of Christ the King. For us Americans, it’s a bit more difficult to grasp the magnitude of such a celebration. We got rid of our king 245 years ago. For most of us, the only monarchy we have ever paid attention to is the British royal family, and only then with curiosity or morbid fascination.
It’s not unlike like when King and Queen Spud met with their three daughters after they all returned from the university. The first daughter approached King and Queen Spud with great excitement.
“Father and Mother, I have wonderful news! I am engaged to be married!”
“That is wonderful news,” King Spud replied. “And who is the fortunate young man?”
“His name is Joe Idaho,” she exlclaimed.
“Ah yes,” the King replied, “the Idahoes are a fine and noble potato family. You have my blessing.”
The second daughter approached as excited as the first, “Father, I also have great news, for I too am engaged to be married!”
King Spud replied, “We are twice blessed this day! And tell me, who is the fortunate young man?”
“His name is Bill Russet!” she exclaimed.
“Ah,” King Spud replied, “The Russets are a fine and noble potato family. You too have my blessing.”
The third daughter approached, and she too could not contain herself for joy. “Father, I too am engaged to me married!”
King and Queen Spud beamed with joy, “A triple blessing! And tell us, who is the fortunate young man?”
“His name is Lester Holt!” she exclaimed.
At this the face and countenance of King Spud fell. An awkward silence descended like a fog upon the chamber. King and Queen Spud looked at each other perplexed. Finally, Queen Spud said to her daughter,
“My dear, this cannot come to pass…for he is but a common tater.”
What is a king anyway? What’s his job? What does he do all day? Interestingly enough, much like the priesthood, it’s more about identity than function. It’s not so much what a king does, but who he is that sets him apart. In the ancient world right up to the end of the, 18th century, the King was seen as chosen by God and literally anointed as he took office. In this sense, Kings were also “messiahs” in the strict sense of the term which means, “anointed one.” In essence, they were the personification, the incarnation of the entire country.
So what was he anointed for? In short, the King had dominion. He had ultimate authority over the land and everything and everyone on it. But he just couldn’t do whatever he wanted. That would make him a tyrant. Instead, he was the ultimate steward. All things were given to his care and he would be judged by God at the end of his life based on how well he ruled. It was a vocation with a lot of perks, but it came with a heavy price tag.
Looking at it this way, it begins to make sense how Jesus can rightfully be called King of the Universe. He was being modest when he said to Pilate that his kingdom was not of this world. In fact, it is so far beyond this world as to be laughable. Being Divine and united with the Father and the Holy Spirit in the perfect communion that is the Holy Trinity, he is the Word that God spoke when the universe and everything and everyone in it was created. He has the ultimate dominion, who, for the good of his subjects (you and me), became incarnate of the Virgin Mary and transformed all creation by his passion, death and resurrection, indeed, by his very presence. Still, he is not Lord because of what he does; rather, what he does has meaning because of who he is.
By celebrating Christ the King, we affirm that he has dominion over our lives, confident that we shall share his glory both now and at the end of the age.