Solemnity of Christ the King - November 20, 2011: To Reign Is to Serve

The Mass Readings for the Solemnity of Christ the King - November 20, 2011 (Year A):

"And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.'" (Mt 25:40)

The Solemnity of Christ the King always hails the last Sunday of the liturgical year.  Before the new liturgical year opens with the first Sunday of Advent, we celebrate the kingship of Jesus Christ over all creation and His power over every authority, including our worst enemies, evil and death.  Ultimately, the feast calls us to open our lives more widely to Christ so His reign may be clearly visible in the way we think, in the decisions we make, and in the way we use our bodies.

The Gospel reading for this year's feast of Christ the King reminds us of an article of our faith that we tend to forget, namely, that Christ will come to earth once again at the end of time and there will be a final judgment; or in the words of the Creed: "He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end".  But what strikes me about this Sunday's Gospel is the central position that service plays in the final judgment.  It might seem rather simplistic, but it's crucial to observe how often Christ speaks of kingship and authority in the framework of service: to reign is to serve!

If we stop and think of those individuals who serve the poor, clothe the naked, give food to the hungry, and visit the ill and imprisoned, one name usually stands out among others: Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.  Mother Teresa served and spoke about the poor everyday, but never without mentioning love or God.  She understood poverty, and the deepest, most pressing needs of humanity, so when she spoke, the world listened - at least with intrigue.

This Sunday's Gospel reminds us that the charity and service demanded by Christ are far more than vague sentiments of compassion for the poor and needy.  We must serve them in reality.  And while we ponder concrete ways in which we can live this Gospel, I'll conclude with a few quotes from Mother Teresa that might inspire an even deeper reflection on the state of poverty present in every nation throughout the world: "Christ said, 'I was hungry and you gave me food.'  He was hungry not only for bread but for the understanding love of being loved, of being known, of being someone to someone."; "Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat."; "Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty."; "He was naked not only of clothing but of human dignity and respect, through the injustice that is done to the poor, who are looked down upon simply because they are poor....Do we go out to meet those? Do we know them? Do we try to find them?"

(Photo of the "Rex Regum" courtesy of Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P.)