Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (QUAS PRIMAS) (Wikipedia). The feast takes place on the final Sunday of ordinary time. It brings the liturgical year to a conclusion.
Jesus redefined the word, ‘king’. He turned the definition inside out.
Jesus became our King (John 19: 19-20) in the Valley of Tears when he forgave us (Luke 23:34) after we crowned him with a crown of thorns (John 19: 1-3) and put him on his throne, the Cross (Matthew 3:13-15). Rally ‘round the Cross!
To reveal God to us, Jesus infiltrated the Valley of Tears, alone, riding a Cross, armed with no weapon but love. He was caught in hostile territory behind enemy lines. For his trespass, we executed him. He forgave us. Forgiveness is one of the fruits of love. Forgiveness is the vehicle that Jesus chose to reveal God to us. To know forgiveness is to know God.
Rally ‘round the God who forgave us even though we tortured and killed him.
Rally ‘round the transcendent God who was willing to wash our feet (John 13:1-17).
God launched an invasion into the Valley of Tears (Hail Holy Queen). "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the dogs of war" (Shakespeare). God, however, did not send a military general at the head of an army bristling with weapons into the Valley of Tears to wage war against the infidels (Matthew 26:53). He sent something more powerful than an army (Isaiah 55:8-9). Instead of an army, He sent a Love Note.
Jesus parachuted into the Valley of Tears to bring the war against evil to his enemies. He did not invade the Valley of Tears at the head of a powerful army (Revelation 12:7-12) armed to the teeth. He invaded the Valley of Tears alone, riding a Cross, with no weapon but love. He came to recruit an army of heroes from among the children of Adam and Eve to stand with him shoulder to shoulder, cheek to jowl, in the scrum at the line of scrimmage as comrade-in-arms fighting together in the war against evil as part of a glorious band of sisters and brothers. He invaded the Valley of Tears to bring us the technology that defeats evil (Luke 7:47). He demonstrated that the technology works by using it himself on the road from the Crucifixion to the Resurrection. He donned the jet pack and flew to show us that we, too, can fly. Love is the medicine that inoculates us against evil. Jesus took the medicine and exposed himself to the evil that we did to him to show us that the medicine works. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the medicine works. Inoculate yourself with it. Evil is a contagious disease. Don’t let evil infect you. The seeds of evil do not grow in the soil of love. Love is toxic to evil. Love smothers evil was water smothers fire.
Jesus redefined what it means to be King. He turned the definition of King upside down. Once again, he confounded our expectations
Jesus parachuted into the Valley of Tears to bring the war against evil to his enemies. He did not invade the Valley of Tears at the head of a powerful army (Revelation 12:7-12) armed to the teeth. He invaded the Valley of Tears alone, riding a Cross, with no weapon but love. He came to recruit an army of heroes from among the children of Adam and Eve to stand with him shoulder to shoulder, cheek to jowl, in the scrum at the line of scrimmage as comrade-in-arms fighting together in the war against evil as part of a glorious band of sisters and brothers. He invaded the Valley of Tears to bring us the technology that defeats evil (Luke 7:47). He demonstrated that the technology works by using it himself on the road from the Crucifixion to the Resurrection. He donned the jet pack and flew to show us that we, too, can fly. Love is the medicine that inoculates us against evil. Jesus took the medicine and exposed himself to the evil that we did to him to show us that the medicine works. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the medicine works. Inoculate yourself with it. Evil is a contagious disease. Don’t let evil infect you. The seeds of evil do not grow in the soil of love. Love is toxic to evil. Love smothers evil was water smothers fire.