Roc Homily – Feast of Christ the King… (B) 2015

Though we live in a democratic society, I would suggest that the worlds of empire and royalty are actually near and dear to our hearts… I don’t know about you, but for all practical purposes, I want to rule the world… my own tiny little world, oh and yours, too. Can I get an Amen!!!

Today’s gospel is fraught with irony about kings and kingdoms. And Jesus rejected attempts to make him king. Note…

John 6:14f (NRSV) — 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

It is a different story when he was put on the cross (INRI), however.

Our vain attempts to procure dominion over self and others derive from a disease of the soul, a disease based upon the fear that LIFE won’t go “my way” coupled with the demand that it does… This fear affects all our dealing with God and others… Noticing the dissonance let us notice the dissonance between Christ the Crucified & our desire/need to rule, dominate, be invulnerable…

Feast of Christ the King of the Universe

Homily by Roc O’Connor, SJ, associate pastor of the Church of the Gesu  (November 22, 2015 @ 6:00 pm Mass, Sunday)