Give Thanks to the Father

The Church marks the very end of the Church year with the Feast of Christ the King. It's not about pomp and pageantry; it's about reality—the reality of a heavenly king who has issued a firm invitation to eternal joy if we but give Him our hearts. It's a reminder that earthly leaders and monarchs may fail us and cause our world to suffer. But we can take comfort in the fact that God is still in charge of this earth's final outcome.



One of the best statements of our faith, and most consoling supports for our hope, is found in Sunday’s second reading which urges us to "give thanks to the Father….for He has delivered us from the powers of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption (and) the forgiveness of sins - and, in Him, all things hold together." He tells us to keep our eyes fixed on the Kingdom that He has promised to those who cling to Him in faith and in obedience to His laws.


In the first reading, we see the origins of the Kingdom of David who was chosen by the northern tribes for his outstanding qualities of leadership and ability to unify the Israelites. He was the shepherd king, the caring and forgiving king, who prepared the way for the Messiah-King, Jesus, the Son of David and the Son of God. His Kingdom is a kingdom of Peace and Love, a Kingdom of Justice and Truth.


The Gospel narrates in detail the horrible insults hurled at Jesus by His enemies as He hung, helpless on the Cross. They came from the Romans who saw Him as a threat to imperial power. They came from Jewish religious leaders who feared that He would replace their authority. Their taunts and jeers have been repeated endlessly down the centuries by all who have refused Him the obedience of their minds and hearts.


Sunday’s feast is a call for all Christians to renew the allegiance they owe their King. It is not a question of a one-time commitment. He demands our total attention and our whole energy - each day, each hour. We are called—by our faith, by our prayer, and by our good works—to bring the whole world under His loving power.