Homily on the feast: “Christ the King”

This feast of Christ the King,  was added to the Church calendar, in 1925     

The meaning  of this feast is clear:  all of creation, in this world and beyond, is subject to Christ. No one, and nothing is greater.

But looking at the news, I was wondering, how many people understand and  really believe that?

Read the headlines. Scan social media. Check the comments on Facebook or Twitter.  Listen to our politicians.                                                                                      The overwhelming sense you get is, that many of us today are not ruled by Christ the King. We may be ruled by something else. By fear. By mistrust. By power. By cliques and politics. 

There is  also a certain number  of people in the United States and elsewhere ,who believe that need ,to wall off the world. Turn away refugees, those who are fleeing violence and terror. 

We are Catholic Christians.  We stand for compassion. We stand for mercy. We stand for human dignity. Our King, is Christ .

How do we reflect on that?  

 We must try to follow  Christ's greatest commandment: “Love one another.”   And to  honor his teaching:   “When you welcomed a stranger, you welcomed me.” 

The Church must offer  her love and assistance to all people who need help  respecting in each of them, the dignity of the human person created in the image of God.” because the Church is a  hospital for the broken and welcomes everyone.

Christ is our King. He suffered. He hungered. He worked. He wept. He bled.    And: he was a refugee.

We must  help those who are helpless.   We must support each other.   

The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference. Indifference is an evil thing. And I believe that indifference becomes the detriment of relationships, marriages, children, churches, and  corporations. 

       As I have said a few months ago, the ministry of encouragement which a few Popes have been spoken, has been underestimated  by many Christians. People care more about their own cohorts .

Some years back, I read an interview of a catholic nun  in Iraq. She described the horrific bombing  of her village during the war. The neighbors who lived near her convent, were all Muslim. They were terrified. The sisters let them stay in the convent, and even opened one of their rooms for the Muslims to use for their daily prayers. As the sister explained: “We try to  help them because because  we are Christians. Our King, is Christ. As  Christians, we must serve the Lord, our king, and assist any human being with love and compassion.”(Times magazine)

This Sunday, on this feast, we acclaim that. But we need to give witness to it.   

Let us  try to stand beside the weak the helpless and the forgotten. Let us walk the talking by practicing what we acclaim.  We must stand for life. We must stand for hope. Hope is the only medicine of a soul that's sick ,tired and wounded.

Christianity is a way of life. And  being a christian is more than a label. We may claim to be Christians but do we  have Jesus, in our hearts? 

To call ourselves Christians is  easy. To be and act ,as Christians, is a very difficult task for all of us.

Rev. Constantin Siarapis.  (Prof.Emeritus)