The rulers sneered at Jesus and said, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.” Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him wine they called out, “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.” Above him there was an inscription that read, “This is the King of the Jews.” From Luke 23:35-37
Homily
We have the picture of Christ Crucified brought before us on this Christ the King Sunday. Luke’s Gospel makes sure we get this coupling of Christ Crucified: King of Kings. [Christ Crucified: King of Kings.] We now know the two go together, but we do remember back when of how Jesus was mocked sportingly as a failed “king of the Jews” with His death looking like an awful loss of good to evil. Jesus, to these Jews choosing to oppose Him, seemingly didn’t measure up to their expectations. Yet we realize, here and now, how Jesus greatly exceeded all expectations. It is a key point of high appreciation for the believer in Christ.
I love how the Easter Exultet expresses the high appreciation of Christ Crucified—in the One Who Exceeds All Expectations.
Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven, exult, let angel ministers of God exult, let the trumpet of salvation sound aloud our mighty King’s triumph! Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her, ablaze with light from her eternal King, let all corners of the earth be glad, knowing an end to gloom and darkness. Rejoice, let Mother Church also rejoice, arrayed with the lightning of his glory!
It’s all of what one is looking for! There is a mighty king’s triumph, but it is a victory over the pride and sin of humanity.
Does one want a Savior to solve your problem of sin and death, and reconcile your dilemma of separation from God? Or do you think you have a better plan that Jesus’ Salvation Plan? Do you really think you’ve got that pride thing under control? Pride blinds. Pride leads to a downfall. Pride leads to destruction. I think the Savior’s Plan is much better –of wanting a King forever over your heart. Yet it brings a surprise of King Christ Crucified for you. If you believe, then you have to meet and submit to that salvation. And remain in it.
What does Luke’s Good News show us to do today for Christ the King Sunday? He shows us to Praise Christ Crucified. Like a Passionist or Franciscan religious might center on in a retreat theme or prayer—we have a feast in Year C of Christ the King which focuses us in Luke’s Passion story and it encourages us to be stirred to praise this amazing King of Love Jesus—the King crucified, in all His bleeding love and freely poured-out salvation out to us poor sinners. Hail Christ Crucified. (*pause)
In a past Sunday Gospel, we noted Jesus’ offer to let our House of God be cleansed of worthless distractions and substitutes for the One True Lamb and His Perfect Sacrifice. In each Mass, we really say “yes” his doing it, making this a “house of prayer” and in His Sacrifice.
On this Sunday in our Psalm 122 reading, it says that we can now live that Psalm of being lead in to rejoicing in the House of the Lord.
How, though, can we rejoice in a Crucified One? We have the explanation in Luke 21, or John 2, as Jesus speaks of Himself as the Temple they will destroy—He even pointedly denounces the scribes and some others who would be acting ahead towards crucifying Him.
So we have gone to Luke 23 today where the text shows that they do push for his crucifixion and get it approved and done. Yet—knowing what we now know of Jesus, as our Lamb of God Victorious—it bids us to pray: ‘Hail Christ Crucified, Savior of the World, I repent of sin and place myself in Your Worthy Sacrifice. Remember Me to Your Kingdom, Lord.’ [‘Hail Christ Crucified, Savior of the World, I repent of sin and place myself in Your Worthy Sacrifice. Remember Me to Your Kingdom, Lord.’] What a stirring gospel for a final Sunday of the Church Year!
Luke’s Gospel gives a long-look picture of the King coming from the distance, as in Luke 19:21-38, in the Palm Procession of Christ going up to Jerusalem. Hear the prayer they say that we echo here in Mass: “Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of The Lord, Hosanna in the Highest to Jesus!” Jesus is walking up to Jerusalem, and in Luke 23 He arrives and becomes the Saving Sacrifice. In Luke 23, it is this Lukan chapter when He is killed. Yet Hail Christ Crucified!
Hosanna to Christ Who Freely Offers Himself in Sacrifice. Walking up to Jerusalem as the True Lamb to save us. In each Mass, in some way, we join in the ones praising Jesus at His procession for He comes freely to that Cross at Calvary, in this entry. He comes to give His life for us. What kind of king does something so stupendous for his subjects?! The King of the Cross is a most awesome one! Blessed is He Who Comes!
Then right before Eucharist reception, we celebrate what the Cross Sacrifice of Jesus has become, as in Mass we pray: “Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us, grant us peace.”
I thank you who are joined here to do it again—to Hail Christ Crucified. To be at Mass and conclude your Church Year at Resurrection. Bravo!
We meet Him in the liturgy moment when the Missal says: “Behold! The Lamb of God”…. and when the Eucharist minister says “The Body of Christ.”
It is a Hail Christ Crucified prayer. It is Christ the King Sunday.
On our November 14th Friday night Anniversary Holy Hour, we had three beautiful testimonies of parish members who gave praise to God for their faith life and parish life, testifying at this ambo. ‘Just a trio of so many blessed ones in this parish since the 1980’s! Each had a Eucharistic appreciation to share.
*In this 10:30 Mass, we have a boy named Gabriel who will be making his own faith witness of love for the Eucharist as he receives His First Holy Communion. He wanted to participate so much in this Sacrament, that he had been crying earlier this year that the time hadn’t come yet to join in. Today, Gabriel, you are joining in—just a wee bit later in Mass.
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The Christ the King image does have me try to grasp the king and castle image. It’s not easy to do in 2025. I’ve been to a few ancient castles, which once had kings reigning in them. I saw them in some European trips. One amazing one to see now is King John’s Castle in Limerick, Ireland, located by the River Shannon. I toured it some years ago. I’ve heard it has had even a great renewal done for tourists to see. That place goes back to a time hundreds of years ago. There’s no king there now, but I can imagine King John resting behind the high stone walls, with his luxury place within the walls. He would have had it much better than the peasant people in the river valley. He had the soldiers, the protection, the control, the advantage. The image of the king in his castle, way back when, conjures up the image of power, control, authority, and some great imbalance of living with or without.
So then there is King Jesus—who is not in the protection of Heaven, but out among the poor and joining their cause for inclusion and just equality. What?! Jesus is not wielding authority and forcing and demanding anything via His position—but for offering His love and very self to everyone, inviting us into His kingdom. What?! It’s quite a contrast to the old king image.
Jesus gives an explanation to Pilate in the other gospels from Luke (in this same moment—in a question asked of if He were the king of the Jews) Jesus says: “I Am.” This was Jesus’ answer to the question, to “are you the king of the Jews?” Yet look exactly at it and Jesus is claiming divinity here. Jesus says His Name is The “I AM.” It was a Divine Title. Moses had first heard it used. Jesus uses it here with Pilate. The apostles hearing it would have caught on. Pilate very much misses what Jesus was saying. Jesus was saying He is a king but so much more! He’s God! Then Jesus adds, “you say that I am a king, and I am a “king” but with a “kingdom” and of one that is not of this world. Plus, I have come to testify to The Truth. I am here also presenting myself as the Innocent One to you. In John’s gospel, right here, Pilate says “I see no guilt in him.” Pilate wants to release him. But there will be a trial.
Here Jesus is stating that His kingdom is one full of truth. Pilates responds with “what is truth?” Like, what’s that? Truth is not anywhere around here. The Romans are liars, cheaters, takers, tyrant rulers. Yet Jesus is claiming that His kingdom is much higher, and, if compared to kings’ castle fortresses, His kingdom walls are made of truth, even more solid and long-lasting than castle stone walls with ramparts and towers and water protection and draw-bridges. Jesus says He will be a Temple for His people which will all gets built up in Him on the Third Day. (We heard Jesus say that two weekends ago in John chapter 2.) Clearly there was a plan in Jesus to save us from sin and death via a sacrifice when they’ve ‘destroyed Him.’ But the Sacrifice leads to the Victory at His Rising.
Praise Christ Crucified! Praise Christ Risen!