Lk.23:45-43
Today we keep the Solemnity of Christ the King. Does Jesus want to be known as a King? When we pass through the public life of Jesus, we see several occasions wherein, Jesus keeps clandestine about his kingship. When people wanted to make him their King, He withdrew himself from them. When demons proclaimed his true identity as the Son of the Most High, He silenced them, occasions like transfiguration, He instructs his disciples that keep secrecy concerning what they witnessed and experienced. This title ‘Jesus the king of Jews,’ was attributed to Jesus by Pilate to mock him. May be no other kind had a shameful death despised by his people and close collaborators. He never had an earthly kingdom then, in what sense Jesus become the king?
I think we find an answer to this question on mount Calvary. The conversation between Jesus and thieves lead us to understand this query. One of the thieves condemns Jesus whereas; the other recognizes his mistakes and pleads for Jesus’ mercy. Isn’t it quite strange? once during our Lectio Divina, one of my companions shared a beautiful insight that he did not believe in the sudden conversion of good thief, he continued to explain his arguments – This thief might have been present when Jesus was giving his discourse, of course not for listening to Jesus but for his passionate work, stealing. There is a possibility that he might have touched by the words of Jesus, anyhow, he postponed his conversion. In the end, on the cross, it happens. Nevertheless, his act demands great faith because all those who were there, including the good thief all knew that Jesus had to surrender to death in a matter of time. Yet, he asks Jesus with great confidence: ‘remember me in your kingdom’ and Jesus assures him that he would be with him in paradise.
What is our response to His kingdom? Jesus presents good thief as our model. The title good thief itself is an irony. How can a thief be good? The person reminds us that our shortcoming that is not a block to be part of the kingdom of God provided we should have true repentance and acknowledge God as the beginning and the end of one’s life. He prays: ‘remember me in your kingdom.’ He knew that he would die; he is not praying to save Him from this terrible death instead of saving him from eternal damnation. It was a sincere plea to make him also part of his kingdom. Jesus did not reject his plea, he did not pose any counter questions or conditions nothing but extending unconditional forgiveness and an unfathomable gift of eternity with him.
The celebration of this feast is a reminder about the true identity of Jesus. We should not understand Jesus merely as a king like any other earthly king. The kingship of Jesus is extended to the entire cosmos. St. Paul in his letter to Philippians Says: “At the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philip. 2: 10-11) Everything is created in Him, with Him, and through Him. His kingship tells us that His kingdom is not limited to this earth alone and he need not fight a battle to establish a kingdom because the entire cosmos belonged to Him. The kingdom that Jesus preached is reality begins here on earth and culminates in the beatific vision. It is not limited to Christians alone but it includes all who seek God with a good conscience and pure desire. As we celebrate the solemnity of Christ the King let us acknowledge Jesus as the beginning and end of our life, with a repented heart and earnest desire, knowing that He is the only King whose reign extends to the eternity…