Father Albertus Herwanta, O. Carm
The solemnity of Christ the King presents a profound contrast between two very different kinds of kingdoms: the earthly, political dynasty of King David and the eternal, cosmic sovereignty of Jesus Christ. The liturgical readings for this feast trace a clear trajectory, moving from a human monarchy to a divine reign defined by transformative love, ultimately revealing a kingship that subverts and redefines all worldly notions of power.
This kingship was not won by the sword but established through the profound sacrifice of the Cross, "making peace by the blood of his cross."
Our journey begins in the Second Book of Samuel with the political anointing of David. The tribes of Israel come to him, acknowledging their shared bloodline and, crucially, his military leadership: "it was you who led out and brought in Israel." David's kingdom is formally established through a sacred covenant made "before the Lord." Yet, for all its divine sanctions, it remains a human institution. It is a kingdom defined by geographical borders, military campaigns, and the complex governance of a fallen world. While it points toward a future, greater fulfillment promised by God, it is inherently limited and incapable of achieving that ultimate redemption on its own.
This promised fulfillment is spectacularly revealed in the hymn from the Letter to the Colossians, which completely explodes our understanding of kingship. Here, Christ is presented not merely as a ruler over a single nation, but as the "image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." His sovereignty is not territorial but cosmic in scale; "all things were created through him and for him." He is simultaneously the source, the sustainer, and the ultimate purpose of all existence. This kingship was not won by the sword but established through the profound sacrifice of the Cross, "making peace by the blood of his cross." His ultimate authority, therefore, is rooted not in dominion, but in his primacy in love and redemption.
The King is crowned not with gold, but with thorns; his throne is the brutal wood of the Cross. In his moment of extreme agony, flanked by convicted criminals, his divine power is manifested in an unexpected way: through radical mercy.
The Gospel of Luke then brings this vast cosmic reality into shocking and intimate focus. The King is crowned not with gold, but with thorns; his throne is the brutal wood of the Cross. In his moment of extreme agony, flanked by convicted criminals, his divine power is manifested in an unexpected way: through radical mercy.
His words to the penitent criminal, "today you will be with me in Paradise," serve as the ultimate revelation of his kingship. He does not use his power to save himself; he uses it to save others. He reigns not by crushing the guilty, but by pardoning them. His power is perfected in utter vulnerability, and his victory is achieved through total self-emptying love.
In conclusion, the Kingdom of David was a shadow cast forward in time, while the Kingdom of Christ is the eternal substance. David's kingdom was maintained by force and political savvy; Christ's is established by grace and sacrifice. David ruled from a palace throne; Christ reigns from the Cross.
On this feast day, we are thus called to acknowledge not a distant, political sovereign, but the very heart of all reality—a King whose fundamental law is love, whose scepter is mercy, and whose throne is the wood of the Cross, from which he draws all humanity to himself in an eternal embrace. (*)