A Tale of a Few Kings
As Christians we believe in the New Testament fulfillment of so many Old Testament prophecies, the most important, of course, being that Jesus Christ is the long-awaited Messiah and Savior.
The connections between prediction and realization in the two great Testaments of Scripture are sometimes subtle and often very bold.
The Feast of Christ the King is both bold and intricate. It is rooted in the Old Testament story of King David who was anointed as the king by the prophet Samuel who was sent by God to do so. Historical facts about David are slim but scripture tells us that Samuel used oil (chrism) to ritualize the beginning of his reign. A striking similarity between the kingship of Christ and that of David is that in both, people were hungering for a new king. The Jewish people welcomed a very powerful yet not perfect king. We welcome the eternal and universal king.
David was from Bethlehem, the place from which the Messiah would come. Jesus is born there and his birth stirs great anxiety for the insecure king Herod and great expectation from kings far to the east.
Nothing like a new King to arouse a lot of commotion!
As Jesus grows, there are events such as his moment in the temple at age 12, astonishing even the wisest spiritual leaders and eliciting amazement and love from his parents. His public ministry, story-telling, miraculous deeds and healing portray the unfolding, not only of the King, but more importantly the Kingdom. He is interrogated about his title King shortly before his death and provides a challenging response. He is belittled by Roman soldiers because of the title and the same title “King” is posted a foot or two above Him as he agonizes and dies on the cross.
Then our eternal King shows the ultimate power – the power of life over death. This power can never be matched by any earthly king. However, the title approximates the impact. It uses a physical reality to capture a spiritual one.
Jesus is never anointed with chrism as David was. But the term rolls off our tongue like a last name – Jesus Christ. Christ, Chrism and Christos are the terms that are rooted in Anointing. Oil has both physical and spiritual properties.
Jesus is the CHRIST, the anointed one, the true one for which the entire world hungers. The people give him the title KING, and even though we mark this feast with a title for him, let’s never forget that His Kingdom is more important than His title. His anointing is not an event, it is the ongoing reality of His indescribable and hopeful impact on our world.
So, we see that much kingliness comes together for us on this feast that draws another Church year to a close.
Upcoming BE MORE Events
Please see the website and/or the kiosk in the narthex for resources for our continuing BE MORE Spiritual Fitness journey. I am honored to preach at all Masses on January 13/14 and then lead a presentation on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 titled “BE MORE…Like Christ.”
Fr. Greg Boyle, SJ will join us on Monday, February 26. Fr. Boyle is the founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang intervention, rehab and re-entry program in the world. He is a very passionate and inspiring speaker.
Fr. Michael Sparough, SJ will lead our Parish Mission on March 5 & 6, 2024. Again, please connect through our website for the most up-to-date information on our BE MORE events and resources..