The liturgical year transitions during the next two weekends, as Year C ends and Year A begins. We celebrate The Solemnity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Christ the King) followed by The First Sunday of Advent. The readings draw us into the mystery of Jesus as our king, as well as the necessity to be prepared for his coming.
The King of Kings (2 Sm 5:1-3)
The two Books of Samuel found in the Old Testament chronicle the history of Israel’s leadership transitions from judges to kings. The reading from the Second Book of Samuel, Chapter 5, picks up when David becomes the second king of Israel. He is referred to as a “king after God’s own heart,” (1 Sam 13:14) meaning he was a man of deep faith and love of God. David was a leader with a shepherd’s heart, one who raised up the lowly, protected the people, ruled over the land and strived to please God, even though at times he sinned. He recognized his deep need for God’s mercy and was grateful for such grace. He was the one chosen by God who from his lineage would come the perfect king of kings.
Image of God (Col 1:12-20)
Who is the king of kings? St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians begins with details to answer this question. He opens with gratitude to God in making us “fit” to receive the light of Christ, who saved us from the darkness of sin, and shone the glory of his kingdom in “redemption and forgiveness.” St. Paul delivers a powerful message of Jesus being the “image of the invisible God.” When we see Jesus, we see God. Jesus is the glue of the universe, binding together all that is of heaven and earth. He is the head, the beginning, the first of new life, giving peace by the blood of his cross which we kneel before.
The cross of the king (Lk 23:35-43)
The passage from the Gospel Luke is the crucifixion of Jesus. It is quite a surprising reading when celebrating Jesus as our king. The cross, upon which hung the king, the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed one, was the way of fulfillment of the promises reaching back to King David. Jesus delivered the suffering people from the exile of sin and opened the way to return to the kingdom of God through his sacrifice of himself on the cross.
Pilate ordered the providential inscription posted above Jesus’ head crowned with thorns. Jesus heard the jeers of those who passed and hung between two criminals who manifested the separation between doubt and faith. One questioned Jesus as Christ and remained lost. One proclaimed Jesus as Christ and received forgiveness and eternity. One doubted. One believed. In moments of sheer anguish, where do I stand: in doubt or faith?
What king would take upon himself the faults of his subjects and willingly die to save them all? Our king, Jesus Christ, did. What king would endure the scourge of the Roman soldiers, wear a crown of thorns, be nailed to a cross, suffocate and die for our transgressions? Our king, Jesus Christ, did. What king will forgive our sins and grant mercy? Our king, Jesus Christ! What king will remember you by name and invite you into his eternal kingdom? Our king, Jesus Christ!
Stay awake (Is 2:1-5)
Hence, wakefulness is prudent. The First Sunday of Advent awakens the promises revealed by God to the prophets of old. Isaiah tells of the vision of the establishment of the God’s house atop a high mountain where many will climb to receive from God “instruction and how to walk in his path.” The importance of listening and learning from God remains an important part of our faith. We hear the word of God when we listen to Jesus and come to know his ways. Consistent reading and praying with the Bible are pathways to “walk in the light of the Lord.”
Armor of light (Rm 13:11-14)
St. Paul’s letter to the Romans issues a “wake up call,” and calls for a turning away from the laundry list of disorderly conduct he proposed which places one in the darkness of sin. He urges us to put on the armor of light, that being Jesus. When one is clothed in the darkness of sin there is no protection against the enemy. Yet, when one “puts on Christ” one’s entire being, body/soul, is defended against sin.
Ark of Faith (Mt 24:37-44)
Lastly, in the Gospel of St. Matthew, Jesus compared the present age to Noah and the flood. Those who lived a life of frivolity and disorder ignored the signs were carried away. They had not prepared. Yet, Noah, with his family, built the ark by faith, and were spared. They were not only awake, they were ready. Jesus tells us he will come again. We believe Christ will come again. Am I ready? Am I awake?
Advent: Preparing with joyful hope
Advent is a wonderful time to renew our preparedness for the coming of Jesus. We look forward to Christmas, the humble birth of Jesus, and prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of time. There is joy in each.
The treasure of Advent is the willingness to embrace this season with prayer. It could be as simple as praying daily mediations, adding time for quiet, music or committing to family rituals with grace before meals, setting up an Advent wreath, or the Jesse Tree, or praying the Joyful Mysteries of the rosary. This is a precious time to encounter Jesus in prayer and sacraments, ritual and community. It is an invitation to pray for peace, unity and grace.
Make advent a time to prepare for the coming of our king, Christ the Lord, who “showed us his love and granted us salvation” (Ps 85).
Come let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
Dow is the director of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis for the Diocese of Baton Rouge.