30/10/2022
𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐉𝐄𝐒𝐔𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓, 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆
Last Sunday of October
Today’s Gospel is taken from the Passion of John, and presents the time when Jesus is handed over to the authorities. Betrayed, tortured, and bound, the Son of God is made to face the humiliating verdict of the Sanhedrin, who by the Roman governor, delivered the sentence - His ultimate sacrifice for our salvation. In the manner this predicament precludes the resurrection, His subsequent triumph over death, the gospel reminds us of the triumphs we ought to secure for Christ the King, whose feast we celebrate today.
Pilate’s interrogations speak volumes on the volatility and irrationality of states and governments that are not directed by God’s precepts. When Pilate questions Jesus, he appears to be clueless as to why He was brought to him. He is under immense pressure from the Pharisees who, despite being seen serving in the Temple, are of hollow faith, being unrecognizing of the Savior whose birth was long foretold by the prophets. Pilate would eventually leave to the jeering crowd the final decision: the mentality of the self-serving mob winning over and releasing the thief. We see in Jesus’ trial the uncertainty of such governance; the Jews, having turned their back on the men sent by the Lord, have once again sought the wisdom of the gentiles; in a few generations, they, like their ancestors in Babylon, would see their people scattered once more, by the very Romans to whom they entrusted the fate of Christ.
When Jesus speaks of His kingdom not being of this world, we are reminded of the primacy of the salvation of our souls over the accumulation of material wealth. While we may form ourselves as we spend our mortal lives here, the question of where we will spend eternity - either heaven or hell, without anything in between, should hold greater importance, and it is with this in mind that one’s life should be conducted. Jesus further rejects the notion of an earthly kingdom by responding that His followers did not rise up and save him; though in His three years preaching the Word, He gained a significant following, they remained silent witnesses to the faith as they knew what was in store; the Lord had spoken several times about His impending Passion. By embracing the crown of martyrdom, many of Christ’s early followers recognized the importance of the health of the soul over that of the body. For what use are riches, distinctions, and praises on earth when your one’s soul is stained with sin?
Yet in the end, Christ confirms He is King, reigning in splendor from heaven, and from His model we should form our societies. He has come to bear witness to the truth, and as baptized Catholics, it is our duty to share this faith to all corners of the world, in acts as great as devoting oneself to the holy orders, or raising families, or even as simple as praying for the dead and donating one’s money to the poor. Not only do individuals and families have this, even our governments must actively defend the liberty of the Church and uphold her rights above all else. Governments of all forms have several responsibilities to the Church: to render public worship, to uphold Her laws through legislation, and to aid Her in accomplishing her functions. The Social Reign of Christ the King, as it is called, reminds us that all authority is derived from God, and calls for our authorities to rule in a manner befitting a Catholic society. Chaos will dominate without Christ at the center of our lives.
Reflection by Basil Angelo Viloria
Image: Christ the King from the Ghent altarpiece (1420s-1432), Hubert and Jan van Eyck
