Jesus, Our King
Short reflection on liturgical timing
Recently I read an article (if I remembered what it was I would link to it!) that examined how we Catholics celebrate the feast of Christ the King of the Universe just one week before beginning Advent, where we celebrate that same king’s arrival as an infant in a feeding trough. It was a juxtaposition that intrigued me, that the Church would place these two very different images of Jesus so closely together in our liturgical year. It as well brings to mind the Gospel reading from last Sunday:
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, " says the Lord God,
"the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty."1
While this is not from the end of St. Mark’s Gospel, it does mark the end of our readings from him in the lectionary. The Alpha and Omega are the bookends of the Greek alphabet. It is like when we describe something encompassing as being “A to Z.” Here a few things come to mind:
-Jesus’ kingdom is present from the moment of his conception at the Annunciation, and its presence continues even now through the Church he established.
-Just as Jesus’ kingship encompasses the whole of the liturgical calendar, so it should encompass the calendar of our lives - from our Baptism until the day we meet our King on his throne in heaven.
–There is nothing about our lives or in the universe that does not fall under Jesus’ kingship. It was the very Word of God who created all things here on earth and unto the stars.
The two images of Christ, a sleeping infant and a righteous judge, are two images of the same divine person, who rules over all that is. The very reason he gives us both descriptions is to help us understand that even though he has great, infinite power, he is willing to humble himself in every way in order to come into your life. He both sits at the right hand of the Father, and is willing to be held in Mary and Joseph’s hands as a baby. Even more, he comes to us as a piece of bread and is placed in our unworthy hands.
Advent is a time of preparation. I encourage you to make your faith central in these next four weeks to honor the coming of our Lord into the world. Take advantage of the opportunities you have at your parish, like a penance service or Eucharistic adoration, to prepare for him a throne within your own life.
