My Sisters and Brothers:
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. On this unique Feast Day of the Church, we are invited to reflect upon our understanding of who Jesus is as our “Savior,” as our “King,” and as our “Messiah.”
Echoing today’s Gospel, I believe this day can inspire us to pray together: “Lord Jesus, remember us when you come into your kingdom!” And with faith that transcends the “wisdom of the world,” we must actually do this with the “foolishness” of the crucifixion of Jesus as our reference point! For those of us who believe in the power of the Cross, we once again renew our commitment to Jesus as Lord and Savior, Messiah and King!
According to all of the Gospel narratives, Jesus’ humiliating death on the cross also included the indignity of being mocked by a lot of very worldly people–some of whom even claimed to be “religious.” These included rulers, chief priests, scribes, Pharisees, soldiers and the crowds of hostile onlookers (see Matthew 27:24-55, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 23:1-56 and John 19:1-42). In each account, these people rebuked any notion of Jesus as “Messiah,” and so they scornfully laughed at him, and they faithlessly exclaimed him to be “the King of the Jews.” And without an understanding of the true meaning of his “kingship,” nor of his identity as “Messiah,” they contemptuously challenged him “to save himself as he had saved others.” After all, the religious leaders had claimed the “king” and the “Messiah” would come to save his people, hadn’t they? At least it’s what they thought as people guided by those trapped in “false religions” and who were also schooled in the “wisdom of the world.”
The Gospels also tell us thieves were crucified alongside of Jesus, and even they jeered at him (see Mt 27:44, Mk 15:32 and Lk 23:39). According to Luke’s version (read at today’s Mass), one of the thieves “reviled Jesus” and said to him: “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us” (see verse 39). But the second thief in Luke’s account, the “repentant thief” whose name tradition tells us was Dismas, instead professed his faith in Jesus as he proclaimed: “Jesus, you have done nothing criminal . . . please remember me when you come into your kingdom!” (cf. verses 41 and 42).
Dismas’ remarkable profession of faith, so poignantly made even in his own darkest hour, gave testimony to the actual saving power and to the purpose of Jesus’ death on the cross. In fact, he had come to save his people, especially those who were the worst of “sinners.” And so, from the cross, even as he was being mocked as a powerless “king” by the unbelievers, Jesus in fact “saved” Dismas, a true believer!
This reality reminds us we too need to acknowledge and accept who Jesus truly is as our crucified “king” and “Messiah”; like Dismas, we need to repent from our own personal sinfulness, and to profess our faith in the promise of everlasting life! In this way, and even though it seems foolish to the worldly, who will mock the apparent folly of Jesus upon the cross, we who are also “sinners,” are also “saved.”
On this Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, and with the power of the Cross in mind, let’s once again profess our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, our Messiah and our King!
Unfortunately, and like those crowds at Calvary, the people of this world will never understand our faith, and they will mock it and even remind us of the apparent failure of the crucified Jesus. But like Dismas the “repentant thief,” we believe and we profess our faith in Jesus, and we know the saving power of that Cross! And so, with him we then pray “Lord Jesus, remember us when you come into your kingdom!”
Today, let’s encourage each other with this message of our faith!
Praise God! Friar Timothy
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