Homily [2] Solemnity
of Christ the King of the Universe Year B- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo
Readings: Dan 7:13-14;
Ps 93:1, 1-2, 5; Rev 1:5-8 and John 18:33b-37
Partakers of the
Kingdom of Christ!
2015 has witnessed
leadership challenges, political turmoil and elections, wars, gun violence, terrorism,
rise of ISIS, Boko-Haram, conflicts among nations and world leaders. Sometimes
these could be distressful. Therefore, there can be no better and serene way to
end this year’s liturgical season than to reflect on the goodness, love, peace,
forgiveness, mercy, leadership style, justice and kindness of our maker, manifested
in the kingship of his Son Jesus- the alpha and the omega and the source of our
well-being. The readings of today remind
us of Christ’s heavenly kingdom in contrast to this earthly kingdom, the beasts of the Book of Daniel!
The 1st
reading, the Book of Daniel presents us the vision of Daniel, who personally lived
through the pains of persecutions during exiles, in the hands of cruel earthly
kings from Nebuchadnezzar to Antiochus IV. Daniel sees in his vision the
downfall of his enemy –earthly kingdoms, described as the beasts, and the rise of the heavenly kingdom.
Daniel’s vision revolves around the earthly level and the heavenly level, the
material level and the spiritual level. The earthly and material kingdoms are
connected to the 4 beasts, while the spiritual kingdom, the kingdom of the holy
ones are connected to the one like human being”, the Son of Man, namely, our
Lord Jesus Christ.
In his encounter with
Pilate, an earthly king, in today’s gospel (John 18:33b-37) Christ allows his humility,
spirituality, and leadership style to ironically speak for itself. When Pilate
said to Christ, “Are you the King of the Jews,” Christ rather would like to know
if Pilate asked the question on his own, or as a result of the fact that the
Jewish and Roman elites were already discussing the Kingship of Christ, and by implication
acknowledging Christ as King- for which reason they thought Christ be put on
trial. But, ironically, the truth of the matter is that in John’s gospel Christ
is not on trial, but Pilate and all those who refused to open up for the truth,
and the love of Christ- who in the first place was sent into this earthly kingdom
to love, to forgive, to testify to the truth and to invite us not only to
acknowledge his dominion but partakers in his eternal kingdom.
How we respond to this
heavenly kingdom would depend on how we internalize and practice the values of
Christ – the owner of this kingdom: peace, love, faith, hope, forgiveness,
humility, sense of justice, administrative prudence and kindness.
How we respond to the kingdom
of Christ would depend on how we treat one another hourly, minute by minute, or on daily basis, irrespective of our
position in familial, traditional, civil
and ecclesiastical leaderships- “When I was prison did you come to visit with
me” (Matt 25). How we respond to this kingdom would depend on how we practiced
the Beatitude:
“Blessed are the poor
in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the
earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will
be filled. Blessed are the merciful for they will receive mercy. Blessed are
the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they
will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’
sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God” (Matt 5). Therefore, as we acknowledge Christ and his universal
Kingship today, let us pray and strife to be partakers of the kingdom of Christ,
and practitioners of his values.
