Homily for the Christ the King, Year B: (Dan 7:13-14; Rev 1:5-8; Jn 18:33b-37) Within the monastery of Subiaco in Italy, where St.

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1 Homily for the Christ the King, Year B: (Dan 7:13-14; Rev 1:5-8; Jn 18:33b-37) Within the monastery of Subiaco in Italy, where St. Benedict lived in a dark cave on the side of a mountain before it became a Benedictine monastery, has numerous frescos on its walls that depicted the live of Christ and the saints. One of more striking frescos of Christ shows Him rising from the dead, but His body is still covered in blood and scourge marks. While I was unable to discover the artist s inspiration for this depiction of the risen yet still slain Christ, it struck me as an appropriate image of Our Lord on this feast of Christ the King. We are presented with two contrasting yet complementary images of Christ the King: That of the majestic Son of Man, arrayed in heavenly glory, the Alpha and Omega, the judge of the living and the dead, the one to whom belongs all power, dominion, honour and glory. The other is of Christ bound and beaten before Pilate, seemingly powerless as he faces the Roman judge and is asked to explain his kingship, one that is not of this world.

2 The Church invites us today to consider Christ in both his heavenly glory and his human suffering to help us understand that the kingship of Christ is two-fold: We believe that His Resurrection and Ascension to the right hand of the Father assures us that He is truly the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who will judge all on the last day when he appears in all his glory; that day on which CS Lewis said all will be powerless to do other than kneel before the Lord and be subject to his just and merciful judgment. But we are also asked to consider that the kingship of Christ also embodies his desire to be a servant king, the one who stood humbly before Pilate to show that his kingship is embodied in his willingness to washes the feet of others, in being close to the outcast and poor and rejecting the riches of this life with their empty and passing pleasure that prevent His reign to take root in our hearts. Where can we encounter the kingship of Christ? May I suggest that our relationship with Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist will reveal how the reign of Christ the King can be present in our lives.

3 Because the Lord has yet to return in His glory, coming upon the clouds of heaven as the Prophet Daniel tell us, we must seek to behold the glory of the Lord in those means that Christ has provided for us to know that He is near. It is our encounter with Christ in the Eucharist that will affirm us that one can behold the glory and dominion of Our King in this life and receive the eternal food that will prepare us to reign with Him in the Kingdom to come. If this is true, then why do many not see the Eucharist as the most glorious manifestation of Our King on this earth? For many, the opportunity to receive the Eucharist frequently or to pray in front of the Tabernacle can be truly transformative in one s life of faith. St. John Paul II used to lay prostrate in front of Our Lord present in the tabernacle in the private chapel of the Apostolic Palace and was said to spend long periods of time in silent thanksgiving after he had received Holy Communion, despite the unbelievably busy schedule he had as the Pope.

4 Too often we deny ourselves the opportunity to experience the glory of our King, hidden under the veil of bread and wine, by taking very little time to prepare ourselves to receive Him. All of us can improve how it is that we prepare for Mass. First and foremost, when was the last time we went to confession? Our Church teaches that we must make a confession once a year, though we are encouraged to go more often. The Church also teaches that if we have committed a mortal sin, we must go to confession prior to receiving the Eucharist if we are to properly and not sacrilegiously receive Him. Whether it was skipping Mass one Sunday, some sin of lust or another grave offence, we must go to confession before we approach the altar to receive Holy Communion. If we have long neglected to do so, we may now know the reason why Holy Communion has become an empty and mundane experience instead of an encounter with the King of Glory, who allows us to taste in the Eucharist what eternal life will be like when we reign with Him forever in heaven.

5 Another way we can make our reception of Christ in the Eucharist an experience of his glorious kingship is to savour the time have after receiving Holy Communion. Our Lord will be sacramentally present in our bodies for as long as it takes for the human body to break down the Host and Precious Blood within us. This means we have anywhere from minutes that we know Christ is within us. In a sense, each of us becomes the throne upon which he reigns! How then do we spend this time? In particular, after everyone who is able to receive Holy Communion and the priest returns the Body of the Lord to the tabernacle and then purifies all the sacred vessels, each of us has an opportunity to take a few moments in silent prayer to speak with Christ who reigns within! Ask Him to help you savour this time, not worried about what you are doing after Mass or what those around you are doing. Steal those precious moments to close your eyes and speak to the Eucharistic King who now reigns upon your heart!

6 It is in those moments that Christ makes himself vulnerable, like He was before Pilate. He is within you and invites you to love Him and not neglect Him with all the other concerns and worries of the day. And even if for some reason you were not able to receive the Eucharist at this Mass, you can still make this time one of intimate prayer with Him. Ask for Him to spiritually enter your heart and help you to return to Holy Communion once again. It may just be those few, silent minutes that we take to speak with Christ that can transform your life. I was given my call to the priesthood after I had received Holy Communion and prayed silently as a priest purified his paten and chalice. Allow Him to speak to you in a similar way. Imagine Him as He was before Pilate, asking you to console Him, follow Him and extend His reign upon this earth. He will provide you with the strength to live this Christian life well, looking to serve others, and able to rejoice in the measure you share Christ s suffering.