Amid gloomy predictions about the
economy and the precarious state of our religious liberty, after weeks of Gospel
readings on the End Times, along with
the autumnal passing from warmth and verdure to bare branches and crumbled
brown leaves, it is easy to feel a little despondent these days.
Anyone
already concerned about our society might even wonder if a calamity of some
sort is no longer avoidable but almost certain now. What, if anything can be
done, to protect our country—or if that’s too much to ask—to protect one’s own
family and loved ones? What will the world be like when our children and
grandchildren are grown?
Next Sunday’s feast reminds us
that we are not abandoned but have reason to hope. That day is the Feast of
Christ the King. Christ has won the victory already; we know how it all will
end. The only thing left to be determined is who will elect to be on
his winning team. Put that way, it seems an obvious choice, but in this world,
where the most important things are invisible, choosing the winning team can be
tricky: it looks so much like the losing team.
Kingship isn’t a popular concept
in America; we tend to view a king as a potential or eventual tyrant. But the
King of the Universe is altogether different. Though He certainly has the right
to demand our obedience and allegiance—being our Creator and Redeemer—He prefers
His subjects to choose Him, to elect Him their King. He doesn’t force Himself
on anyone.
The Chief Rebel, on the other hand,
beguiles us into thinking that, like him, we can be servants to no one—be our
own kings. But being also the Father of Lies, he is deceiving us on this point.
If we voluntarily leave the service and protection of our Lord, if we reject
His Kingdom, the Prince of this world will happily enslave us in his.
The best-kept secret is that God’s
Kingdom is not only future and eternal, but can be had even now. “The Kingdom
is at hand” for anyone who wants it. Anyone can have a corner of the Kingdom
here and now. All one has to do is to make Christ the King of one’s heart.
Making Him King means obeying
Him and loving Him with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, and all
your strength. To do this is a process—a
lifelong process—that requires His assistance and our continual effort and getting
up again and again and going on after falling.
Making Him King of your heart
leads to making Him King of your home. But even that is not enough, for our King
yearns to bring all people into His realm. We—His feet and hands and voice on
this earth—must help in this effort.
How do we do this? How do we
reach people with the truth, persuade them to elect Christ as their King? We
must attract them by being His true ambassadors. We must bring a corner of the Kingdom wherever
we go.
One recurring joke in our family
is my husband’s penchant for responding, “Love,” to any question, since “Love
is the answer.” While it is not really the answer to such questions as, “Where
is the concert?” or “What time is dinner?”
love is truly part of the answer to every eternal question.
The way we attract people to the
Kingdom, the way we give witness to our King, is to imitate Him, to let Him
live within us, to love as He loves.
If we keep asking for His help,
keep receiving His gifts of grace in the sacraments, keep working on becoming
like Him, we will radiate peace, will maintain a deep abiding joy in the midst
of difficulty, will demonstrate His Love. And that will draw people, intrigue
people, for everyone wants true joy.
Our only hope for this world is
the same as our hope for the next. Becoming holy is a win-win proposition, for
now … and for ever.
Christ our King, Your Kingdom
come!