Christ the King

If Christ is King, what is he the King of? What is his kingdom all about? What is the “Kingdom of God,” and when is it? This phrase, “Kingdom of God” appears over 80 times in the Gospels, yet these questions do not have simple answers. Jesus responds to Pilate, yes he is a King, but even his answer seems a bit cryptic, mysterious.

We know that the Kingdom of God is something to strive for. We know it is more difficult to enter it if you are rich. We know it is easier to get into it if you are childlike. We know his kingdom belongs to the poor, the humble, and those persecuted for the sake of righteousness. It is not “here” or “there” but rather, it is among us.

The Gospels gives us some insight into the Kingdom of God—and it raises some questions as well.

In the parables of Jesus, the Kingdom of God is like a treasure, which a person finds in a field. He finds what he was not necessarily looking for but knows immediately that he must possess it even if it means selling everything he has.

The Kingdom of God is like a great pearl. In this story the merchant knows exactly what he is searching for. When he finds a pearl of such extraordinary beauty, he sells all that he has, in order to have this very costly pearl.

So what have we learned? Sometimes, like the man in the field, you find the Kingdom of God without looking for it, but you discover with joy that it is something you must have. Sometimes, like the merchant, the very thing you look for, the Kingdom of God is exactly what you find, and when you discover it, it is what is most important in your life.

What is it that we can catch a glimpse of here and now on earth? What did these people in the parables find? What is it they saw? You see, I want to know what did the man in the field find that filled him with such joy and excitement that he went out and sold everything he had to buy that field. I want to know that joy—that excitement. I want to be filled with that kind of joy.

If the fullness of the Kingdom at the end of time is when we live in that perfect world that God had intended us to live in, where there is no class or race or ethnic discrimination, where there exists an unquestioning trust in God and God’s Love, where all people live with selfless love of others, where love conquers sin, where wholeness conquers sickness, where peace conquers suffering, where life conquers death, where hope conquers despair, where redemption conquers damnation, where community conquers loneliness, then, even now, we can glimpse at the Kingdom of God.

When you visit someone that is sick to offer comfort and help, we see a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.

When you welcome the stranger, the foreigner, we see a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.

When we open our hearts and our lives to feed the hungry, we see a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.

When our liturgical and music ministers work so hard to provide beautiful liturgies, we see a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.

When we work to educate our children, form them in the sacraments, provide care in our hospitals and clinics, we see a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.

When we choose love and forgiveness over hatred and revenge, we see a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.

2000 years ago, the majority could not handle this, and brutally executed him. They believed that loveless power would triumph over seemingly powerless love. But the King lives on. And those who believe, celebrate his unique reign and kingdom today.

Is Jesus your King? Is the Kingdom of God your treasure? Will you listen to the truth of the voice of your king?