The Gospel of Luke 23:33-43 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing. The people stood by, watching Jesus on the cross; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Some notes about the Feast of Christ the King” Christ the King Sunday, instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925, was initially a response to growing secularism and nationalism. The Pope sought to remind the faithful of Christ’s ultimate authority over human affairs, transcending political and social boundaries. This feast day was intended to reaffirm the spiritual sovereignty of Jesus, countering ideologies that threatened to overshadow religious values. The timing of Christ the King Sunday, placed at the end of the liturgical year, is symbolic. It serves as a reminder that Christ’s reign is eternal, encompassing all time and creation. This placement underscores the belief that Jesus’ kingship is not confined to the past or future but is a present reality. The liturgical calendar’s culmination with this feast day invites believers to reflect on the entirety of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, and to recognize His ongoing influence in the world.
Let us Pray: Loving Father, I bless and thank You that Your love was so great that You sent Jesus to be my Savior and that His loving forgiveness includes me. I pray that forgiveness may be a quality that I seek to develop so that I show forth the love of Christ in my life to His praise and glory, AMEN.
Christ the King Sunday marks a transition from one year on the Christian Liturgical Calendar to the next. It’s the beginning of Advent, the beginning of our journey to the birth of our Lord and Savior. it ushers in the movement from harvest of the fall season to the cold and quietness of winter. This transition can evoke feelings of excitement and anticipation for some and anxiety for others, This Sunday concludes the season after Pentecost where we emphasize the call to the church to live out the Christian faith, to continue the ministry of Jesus, and to embody the gospel in the world. On this last Sunday of the Christian calendar, we come back to proclaim what we anticipated from the beginning: the sovereignty of Christ our King. This Gospel reminds us of the glamour and splendor of God. We need to train ourselves to look for signs of Jesus’ reign. His real identity we can see is not a secret for we know how to find Him. This is the real message of this gospel. Let God open up your hearts and let Him work in ways He only knows. Everything is under control because of God. As this passage is read on Christ the King Sunday, Jesus’ kingship is not marked by grandeur but by self-giving love. His throne is a cross, his crown one of thorns. He reigns not by domination but by relationship and grace. And as Jesus forgives those who wrong him for, as he says, “they do not know what they are doing.” Can we step back, recognize what we are doing or not doing, and make a concerted effort to change?
Let us Pray: O Christ our King, enthroned not in palaces of gold but upon the wood of the cross, we bow before Your majesty that wears a crown of thorns. You rule not by force, but by love; not with armies, but with mercy; not through fear, but by the power of self-giving grace. This we pray in your Name Amen.
Reflections by Bob 