Christ the King 2018 – Really? A King? Are You Serious?

A friend of mine replied to my post yesterday. And he nailed it!

I always have trouble liturgically celebrating this feast… In the Gospel, Christ never acknowledged to Pilate his being a king, although he did say his kingdom “was not of this world”. “You say I am a King”- presumably because the High Priests / politicians of the time characterized his coming that way to Pilate.

1925 politics not withstanding, visioning Christ as a King today betrays the reality of his life. Kings hold court, rule, and demand things from their subjects, and protect and wage war.

Christ is and was none of that… And spoon feeding us a Eurocentric Pope’s early 20th century characterization detracts rather than affirms the universality of the Church in the America’s – where there are absolutely no Kings except in fairy tales.

Christ the King is NOT central to my faith.

Thanks!

So, why do our songs and hymns continue to celebrate Jesus Christ with royal, courtly imagery?

Alleluia, Sing to Jesus, Crown Him with Many Crowns, Praise My Soul the King of Heaven, Ps. 50: God Mounts His Throne, Rejoice, the Lord is King, Soon and Very Soon, The King Shall Come when Morning Dawns, This is the Feast of Victory, To Jesus Christ our Sovereign King…

Well, for one thing, it’s scriptural. Yet…

[Video to follow…]