Homily
Solemnity of Christ the King
St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas
26 November 2017
Daily Readings
Today's a good day to get over yourself! Yes, I'm talking to you, and I'm talking to me.
Today's a good day to get over yourself. For you are not the center of the universe. You cannot create the meaning of your existence. Even if the meaning of life is inside you, it was put there as a gift that you received. For you are not necessary. You are not God. You are not the King of the universe. Are you catching my drift? And neither am I.
We can try to worship ourselves, but it's a dead end. Everyone who has tried has failed. And believe me, almost everyone has tried it! Yet we know that we are not God. Religion is thus a universal human phenomenon. We know that we must ultimately place faith and obedience in something and someone outside of ourselves. Manufacturing the meaning of life out of nothing and subjectively is a luxury of the so-called smart, the prideful or the laxy. It leads nowhere. However, discovering the meaning of and rule of life outside of ourselves is instead a great adventure. Worship we must. What we worship is up to us.
Today's Feast rejoices that the King of the Universe has revealed himself! Just as LeBron is known as the king of basketball. Michael Jackson the king of pop. Elvis the king of rock. Simba the king of the jungle, the Royals were truly royal in 2015, the Chiefs are not yet kings of the NFL, etc. - so the king of the universe is universally known. That king is Jesus Christ, who is also Lord of our hearts. Today is a celebration of great joy, for the universe in all its awe and wonder has revealed its full meaning and rule of life, in a person who shares our human nature!
Today the Church rejoices that just as all creation is received as a gift, so the universe also receives and proclaims its King. The great news is that our need for a King, and our need to be kings, is simultaneously fulfilled in Jesus Christ. What is more, our joy grows deeper because we not only have an unstoppable King, who can and will conquer all sin, death and evil. We also have an irresistible king, whose power grows when he lays down his life in merciful and sacrificial love.
That's right, dear friends. Today we exalt a king that we worship not simply because we have to, but every moreso because we want to! Today we show the world our king, a most irresistible and beautiful king. For the rule of this king that commands universal obedience is the law of merciful and sacrificial love. If it sounds too good to be true, let me repeat that again. The fundamental law of the universe, that holds it together and makes kings and kingdoms prosper, is the command of our king to love one another just as he first loves us. This law is embodied in our king who chooses always and everywhere to be poor, vulnerable, dependent and obedient. The law is enforced by the parable of the sheep and goats, where those who most resemble Christ, and who do not have the proud luxury of pretending to be kings themselves, are the judges of the universe.
So again, today is a really good day to get over yourself. Don't be a NONE because you are proud and lazy. So you don't get to be a king unless you act like the true king. Nobody is going to feel sorry for you. Instead, exalt in the great news of today's Feast. We could not have created a King for ourselves better than the lamb who has been slain for us His subjects. Worthy is this King. Holy is this King! Bow down before Him not because you have to, but because you want to. Amen.
Solemnity of Christ the King
St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas
26 November 2017
Daily Readings
Today's a good day to get over yourself! Yes, I'm talking to you, and I'm talking to me.
Today's a good day to get over yourself. For you are not the center of the universe. You cannot create the meaning of your existence. Even if the meaning of life is inside you, it was put there as a gift that you received. For you are not necessary. You are not God. You are not the King of the universe. Are you catching my drift? And neither am I.
We can try to worship ourselves, but it's a dead end. Everyone who has tried has failed. And believe me, almost everyone has tried it! Yet we know that we are not God. Religion is thus a universal human phenomenon. We know that we must ultimately place faith and obedience in something and someone outside of ourselves. Manufacturing the meaning of life out of nothing and subjectively is a luxury of the so-called smart, the prideful or the laxy. It leads nowhere. However, discovering the meaning of and rule of life outside of ourselves is instead a great adventure. Worship we must. What we worship is up to us.
Today's Feast rejoices that the King of the Universe has revealed himself! Just as LeBron is known as the king of basketball. Michael Jackson the king of pop. Elvis the king of rock. Simba the king of the jungle, the Royals were truly royal in 2015, the Chiefs are not yet kings of the NFL, etc. - so the king of the universe is universally known. That king is Jesus Christ, who is also Lord of our hearts. Today is a celebration of great joy, for the universe in all its awe and wonder has revealed its full meaning and rule of life, in a person who shares our human nature!
Today the Church rejoices that just as all creation is received as a gift, so the universe also receives and proclaims its King. The great news is that our need for a King, and our need to be kings, is simultaneously fulfilled in Jesus Christ. What is more, our joy grows deeper because we not only have an unstoppable King, who can and will conquer all sin, death and evil. We also have an irresistible king, whose power grows when he lays down his life in merciful and sacrificial love.
That's right, dear friends. Today we exalt a king that we worship not simply because we have to, but every moreso because we want to! Today we show the world our king, a most irresistible and beautiful king. For the rule of this king that commands universal obedience is the law of merciful and sacrificial love. If it sounds too good to be true, let me repeat that again. The fundamental law of the universe, that holds it together and makes kings and kingdoms prosper, is the command of our king to love one another just as he first loves us. This law is embodied in our king who chooses always and everywhere to be poor, vulnerable, dependent and obedient. The law is enforced by the parable of the sheep and goats, where those who most resemble Christ, and who do not have the proud luxury of pretending to be kings themselves, are the judges of the universe.
So again, today is a really good day to get over yourself. Don't be a NONE because you are proud and lazy. So you don't get to be a king unless you act like the true king. Nobody is going to feel sorry for you. Instead, exalt in the great news of today's Feast. We could not have created a King for ourselves better than the lamb who has been slain for us His subjects. Worthy is this King. Holy is this King! Bow down before Him not because you have to, but because you want to. Amen.
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