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Last Sunday in Ordinary Time,
the Solemnity of Christ the King, Cycle B
November 22, 2009 Scripture Readings
First : Daniel 7:13-14
Second : Revelation 1:5-8
Gospel: John 18:33b-37
Prepared by: Fr. Stephen Dominic Hayes, OP
1. Subject Matter
• The fundamental message of John's Gospel emphasizes that Jesus' kingdom is not of this
world; that is, not all of this universe of time and space, extent and duration, that is,
something belonged to a world of limits and changeability. Rather, is kingdom is founded in
his Sonship with his Father; something belonging to the life of the eternal Trinity, and
therefore is founded on personal relationship, knowledge, and love. Jesus Kingship in its
proper not to a physical realm, but to the world of shared life which is that of the uncreated
Trinity, and those elect creatures who are admitted to the Kingdom of the Father through the
Son.
2. Exegetical Notes
• In the first reading, the prophet Daniel is granted a vision of the end of days and of universal
judgment. Chapter 9 describes in bestial figures four empires; in terms of the time of
editorship of the cup and of Daniel, this would be interpreted as that of Babylon, Media,
Persia, and the Greek Macedonian and Selucid empires, who are judged and destroyed by
the justice of God. This vision is succeeded by the advent of the "Son of Man", a figure
representing the kingdom of God's holy ones “on the clouds of heaven: (that is, from God.’
His reign, being celestial and divine, is radically different from that of the earthly powers who
have been judged. In an original literary form, this human figure is symbolical of the superior
form of the heavenly kingdom, contrasted with the bestial kingdoms of the earth. In late
Jewish apocalyptic thought thought, however, the notion of kingdom tends to be merged with
that of the king himself. This image, interpreted by the Church to Jesus in the second
reading, is used repeatedly by the Lord himself in his application of the notion of the Kingdom
of God being conjoined to that of Christ's own person and our relationship to him, a pattern
we see again and again in both the Synoptics and the Johannine material.
• The second reading shows the early Church applying the prophecy of Daniel directly to the
Lord Jesus Christ. It is he who is to receive universal dominion and power, precisely
because of the blood he shed upon the cross. In him will be fulfilled all the messianic
prophecies of the Scriptures; and the judgment he ushers in puts into condemnation not only those who condemned them in life (“ those who pierced him”) but also “all the nations” in the
sense of those who irredeemably choose a life apart from that of the people of God forming
now in personal relationship to God's Son and King, Jesus Christ. The symbolic language of
beginning and end (derived from Greek, not Hebrew usage) finds application to Christ as
beginning and end, cause and purpose for all that is. ( Interestingly enough, the ancient
Hebrew form of the alphabet called Ketav Ivri or Paleo-Hebrew, based on Phoenician
forms, has as its first letter the silent letter Aleph and as its last letter Tav, which in this
early form has the shape of a cross. This is the mark made on the foreheads of God is
faithful ones in the book of Ezekiel (9:4).
• The Gospel of this Sunday, in Cycle B, focuses on the Lord's conversation with Pilate. In this
moment, the earthly representative of Leviathan confronts the messenger of God's grace -
and the only-begotten and eternal Son of the Father, and engagement which reveals the
absolute difference between an earthly understanding of power and dominion, and that
desire for communion which flows from the heart of God. The conversation is set in the
context of Pilate's acting as the judicial representative of the Roman Empire in hearing the
Jewish leadership's complaint that Jesus is setting himself up as King against Caesar;- the
only way in which the Roman authority would take seriously the claims against the Lord. In
this moment, paradoxically, he who would act as an earthly judge finds himself before a
Word of judgment from God Most High.
• In vv.34-35, Jesus asked Pilate how he has come to formulate the charge against him; was it
his idea were someone else's that Jesus is "King of the Jews"? This question enables is
Pilate the chance to take a personal stance with regard to Jesus and his mission instead of
being merely the current conduit for the world's rage against the Son of God made man.
Pilot responds by vehemently denying any interest in Jewish religious concerns.
• At verse 36, the Lord is able to state the source of his authority, is lack of interest in the
power games that the worldly delight in playing, and shows the absolute lack of political
connection of his kingship to the affairs which are the whole life of Pilate and the Emperor
whom he serves. When Pilate persists in asking whether or not Jesus is a King, the Lord
responds by emphasize that the essence of his kingly and messianic mission is as a witness
to the truth, that which is the truth of God Most High, and the kingdom for he will make
testimony by his own martyrdom ; a kingdom which will be founded upon his Blood, in a way
familiar to Pilate and imperfectly foreshadowed in the city of Rome's own foundation on the
blood of Romulus' murdered brother Remus. It is this truth, identical with Jesus own person,
which Pilate will treat with contempt in the Gospel’s next Line “What is Truth?” The Lord has
already given that answer in John 14:6: Ego sum via et veritas et vita. The kingdom of God
breaks in the personal relationship of Jesus Christ with those whom he calls to be his
followers. As the Lord has pointed out, these do not fight to establish an earthly kingdom for
him, this is a kingdom not of this world, with its limited powers and internecine combats
concerning the limits of borders and possession of passing wealth, but has asked its heart
the rule of God over souls willing to enter into a relationship with the Son who possesses all
dominion in heaven and on earth. Christ’s is a lordship of hearts, not of earthly rule.
3. References to the Catechism of the Catholic Church• CCC 680: Christ the Lord already reigns through the Church, but all the things of this world
are not yet subjected to him. The triumph of Christ's kingdom will not come about without
one last assault by the powers of evil.
• CCC 786: Finally, the people of God shares in the royal office of Christ. He exercises his
kingship by drawing all men to himself through his death and resurrection. Christ, King and
Lord of the universe, made himself the servant of all, for he came "not to be served but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." ( Mt. 20:28)
• CCC 2105: The duty of offering God genuine worship concerns man both individually and
socially. This is "a traditional Catholic teaching on the moral duty of individuals and societies
toward the true religion and the one Church of Christ." … the social duty of Christians is to
respect and awaken each man a love of the true and the good. It requires them to make
known the worship of the one true religion which subsists in the Catholic and apostolic
Church. Christians are called to be the light of the world. Thus, the Church shows forth the
kingship of Christ over all creation and in particular over human societies.
• CCC 2819: “The Kingdom of God [is} righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”
(cf. Galatians 5: 16-25). The anti-in which we live is the age of the outpouring of the Spirit.
Ever since Pentecost, a decisive battle has been joined between "the flesh" and the Spirit….
• CCC 2820: By a discernment according to the Spirit, Christians have to distinguish between
the growth of the Reign of God and the progress of the culture and society in which they are
involved. This distinction is not a separation. Man's vocation to eternal life does not
suppress, but actually reinforces, his duty to put into action in this world the energies and
means received from the Creator to serve justice and peace.
4. Patristic Commentary
• St. Leo the Great (Sermo 4, 1 [ P.L. 54, 149]): The sign of the cross makes kings of all those
reborn in Christ and the anointing of the Holy Spirit consecrates them as priests, so that,
apart from the particular service of our ministry, all spiritual and rational Christians are
recognized as members of this royal race and sharers in Christ's priestly office. What,
indeed, is as royal for a soul as to govern the body in obedience to God? And what is as
priestly as to dedicate a pure conscience to the Lord and to offer the spotless offerings of
devotion on the altar of the heart?
• St. Augustine of Hippo (Catena Aurea). This is what the good Master wished to teach us.
But first it was necessary to show the falsity of the notions of both Jews and Gentiles as to
His kingdom, which Pilate had heard of; as if it meant that He aimed at unlawful power; a
crime punishable with death, and this kingdom were a subject of jealousy to the ruling power,
and to be guarded against as likely to be hostile either to the Romans or Jews. Now if our
Lord had answered immediately Pilate's question, He would have seemed to have been
answering not the Jews, but the Gentiles only. But after Pilate's answer, what He says is an
answer to both Gentiles and Jews: as if He said, Men, i.e. Jews and Gentiles, I hinder not
your dominion in this world. What more would you have? Come by faith to the kingdom which
is not of this world. For what is His kingdom, but they that believe in Him, of whom He says,
you are not of the world: although He wished that they should be in the world. In the same
way, here He does not say, My kingdom is not in this world; but, is not of this world. Of the
world are all men, who created by God are born of the corrupt race of Adam. All that are born again in Christ, are made a kingdom not of this world. Thus hath God taken us out of the
power of darkness, and translated us to the kingdom of His dear Son.
• St. Augustine of Hippo (Catena Aurea): .He did not fear to confess Himself a King, but so
replied as neither to deny that He was, nor yet to confess Himself a King in such sense as
that His kingdom should be supposed to be of this w world. He says, you say, meaning, you
being carnal say it carnally. He continues, To this end was I born, and for this cause came I
into the world, that 1 should bear witness to the truth. The pronoun here, in hoc, must not be
dwelt long on as if it meant, in hâc re, but shortened, as if it stood, ad hoc, natus sum, as the
next words are, ad hoc veni in mundum. Wherein it is evident He alludes to His birth in the
flesh not to that divine birth which never had beginning.
• St. John Chrysostom (Catena Aurea): If then He was a King by birth, He has nothing which
He has not received from another. For this I came, that I should bear witness to the truth, i.e.
that I should make all men believe it. We must observe how He shows His humility here:
when they accused Him as a malefactor, He bore it in silence; but when He is asked of His
kingdom, then He talks with Pilate, instructs him, and raises his mind to higher things. That I
should bear witness to the truth shows that He had no crafty purpose in what He did.
5. Examples from the Saints and Other Exemplars
• From the Christian's royal duty to bring Christ to the world comes the holy example of many
Christian kings in the conduct of their rulership. St. King Louis IX of France famously had St.
Thomas Aquinas to dinner; the Dominican remained visibly preoccupied during the meal.
Towards the end of the festivities, St. Thomas managed to disrupt them noticeably by solving
his intellectual problem; leaping up and pounding on the table he cried, "Thus do I refute the
Manichees!" He had seemingly forgotten where he was. In spite of the Saint's arguably bad
manners, the King graciously called for a scribe and pen to record the Saint’s thoughts
instead of taking offense, and in this showed himself to be kingly in a double measure. He
not only showed a Christian mastery of his own temper, but made St. Thomas' business the
King's own -the communication of Christian faith and truth. This was a benefit to his own
kingdom and to the world. Would that all our rulers find themselves so well ruled by Christ!
• Philip II of Spain, at the behest of his confessors and Dominican theological advisors freed
the Native Americans of the New World from slavery, despite the opposition of his princes
and the merchants of his empire.
• Although not a story about Saints, there is a interesting example of the power of kingship to
move and ennoble hearts that is worth remembering. Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland,
finished his life as an invalid, and on his deathbed in 1329, asked that his heart be removed
and carried into battle against the enemies of Christ in crusade, something his grandfather
had done but the king himself had never had the freedom to do, being concerned with
keeping Scotland free from English control. The duty of bearing Bruce's heart fell to his
friend and companion, Sir James Douglas. Since the Holy Land was not available for
crusading at that time, Douglas with a band of companions went to Spain to aid the
Christians there in the recovery of their land from the grip of the Moors. Douglas bore the
King's heart in a casket upon his chest. In battle with the Moslems before the gates of the
city of Teba de Ardales, Douglas found himself cut off with three companions from the rest of
the Christians, and completely surrounded by the enemy with no hope of escape. According
to Sir William Keith of Galston, the only Christian survivor of the melee, Douglas took the casket from his neck and hurled it into the midst of the enemy, crying: "Forward, brave heart,
as ever thou were wont to do, and Douglas will follow thee or die." His body was found
surrounded by rings of enemy dead. Thus did the noble example of one royal heart move his
friend and companion to similar deeds of glory. Though James Douglas did not survive the
fight, his heirs bear upon their arms a winged heart to commemorate the noble sacrifice he
made, following the example of his king. Thus should the example of Christ himself move all
our hearts to follow nobly the one who for our sake did not refuse the cross, heedless of its
shame, so that we might all share his royal glory. As we yield to his kingship, so do we find
ourselves masters of our own persons, and sharers in his reign.
6. Quotes
• Pope Benedict XVI (Co- Workers of the Truth, San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1991, p.
377.) : Jesus of Nazareth, of the crucified son of a carpenter, is so intrinsically King that the
title "King" has actually begun his men. By calling ourselves Christians, we label ourselves
as followers of the King, as people who recognize him as their king. But we can understand
properly what the kingship of Jesus Christ means only if we trace its origin in the Old
Testament, where we immediately discover a surprising fact. It is obvious that God did not
intend Israel to have a kingdom. In the kingdom was, in fact, a result of Israel's rebellion
against God and against his prophets, a defection from the original will of God. The law was
to be Israel's king, and through the law, God himself.... Surprisingly, got yielded to Israel's
obstinacy and so devised a new kind of kingship for them. The son of David, the King, is
Jesus; in him God entered humanity and espoused it to himself... This then is God's
kingship-space all of that is impregnable and inventiveness and finds man in ways that are
always new...
• Pope Benedict XVI (Seeking God's Face, David Smith and Robert Cunningham, Tr.,
Chicago: Franciscan Herald press, 1982, pp. 64 to 65.) : What is really remarkable is that
God consented to Israel's desire for a King and even provided an opportunity for that
kingship to be renewed and fulfilled. Jesus was himself the son of David, the king. God
entered mankind in him and espoused the cause of mankind in him. ... and this, then, is
God's kingship - the rule of love that seeks and finds man in ways that are always new. For
us, this means a trust that cannot be shaken. God rules as king over us still and, what is
more, he rules over each one of us. None of us should be afraid and none should capitulate.
God can always be found. The pattern of our own lives should also be like this-we should
always be available, never write anyone off, and try again and again to find others in the
openness of our hearts. Our most important task is not to assert ourselves, but always to be
ready to set off on the way to God and to each other. The feast of Christ the King is
therefore not a feast of those are subjugated, but a feast of those who know that they are in
the hands of the one who writes straight on crooked lines.
7. Other Considerations
• As the liturgical year closes and the new liturgical year begins with Advent, the readings give
the preacher an opportunity to consider as subject matter the Four Last Things: Death,
Judgment, Heaven and Hell. These eschatological realities are well presented within the
framework of the readings of this week and those following, which focus on the culmination of all things in Christ the Lord, Universal King, and the Alpha and Omega of the universe, its
Cause and its End.
• We live in an age that is unfamiliar with kingship. One of the characteristics of authentic
kingship is its quality of personal relationship to those whom it serves, and the personal
relationship of subject to suzerain. For this specific reason, the primary Biblical image of
kingship is that of the shepherd and his sheep: this is a relationship that is not connected with
the extent of land or physical space in dominion, being rather nomadic in its quality; rather,
as in the case of the King and his people, the primary connection between the sheep and the
shepherd is one of relationship. The language of kingship is not first something concerned
with measurable physical extent or limits of power or influence, but with a personal
connection to the subjects. This is preserved in the traditional language of kingship, in which
one who, for example inherits an established realm (such as France) is termed,“ King of
France,” but one who accedes to kingship by conquest or other means than inheritance
would be termed, “King of the French.” Both are kings, while the latter form emphasizes the
personal relationship to his people which is at the heart of kingship, while former emphasizes
the legitimacy of the sovereignty over the one who has by personal relationship come to be
king through connection to his royal father. In the case of the kingship of Christ, our
unfamiliarity with kingship can cause us to miss the emphasis on personal relationship which
is at the heart of our surrender to Christ's own kingship; a dominion which he has by reason
of his personal relationship with the eternal Father. This means that the root of the meaning
of Christ's kingship is not to be found in the nature of God and his omnipotence, but rather in
the Trinitarian life of Father, Son and Spirit; a life which is now shared with those who by
personal relationship with Christ the King begin to participate in his universal reign over all
things by reason of their personal acceptance of his kingship over them. Thus the language
of Christ's kingship needs to be ruled not by a meditation on power, so much as the personal
bonds of fealty, honor, and worship which flow from our personal acceptance of his reign in
us.
Recommended Resources
Benedict XVI, Pope. Benedictus: Day by Day with Pope Benedict XVI. Yonkers, Copyright
Ignatius Press/ Magnificat 2006. New York: Magnificat: SAS, 2006.
Brown, Raymond E., S.S., Fitzmeyer, Joseph, S.J., and Murphy, Roland E., O. Carm. The
Jerome Biblical Commentary. Two Vols. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.,
1968.
Harrington, Daniel J, S.J. , Ed. The Gospel of John. Sacra Pagina Series, Vol. 4: Francis J.
Moloney, S.D.B. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1998.
Jurgens, William A. The Faith of the Early Fathers. 3 Vols. Collegeville, Minnesota: The
Liturgical Press, 1979.
Thomas Aquinas, St. Catena Aurea: Commentary on the Four Gospels Collected out of the
Works of the Fathers. Volume III- Pt. II: St. Luke. Albany, N.Y.: Preserving Christian
Publications, Inc., 2001.
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