BRIEF HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING. BY Rev. Fr. Cosmas Edochie.

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST THE ; EXTRAORDINARY KING

Today the pilgrim Church on earth matches out in procession, to honor and declare to the whole world that our Lord Jesus Christ is the universal king. From the first reading we observed that a real and true king does not impose himself on the people, he does not go about campaining or bribing people to be accepted as a king. Rather, it was the people after observing the person's genuine characters and commendable behaviours to his family and the entire community, will then invite all the tribes and villages to the persons house as they did to David, saying, We are your flesh and bone, you have been representing us well, and fighting for our common good, after observing your spirit of service and sincerity. We have unanimously chosen you to be our king and leader.Then, they prayed and thanked God before anointing him as their king (2Sam.5;1-3). The kingship of David prefigured the universal kingship of our Lord Jesus Christ, because it concerns our flesh and spirit. According to St. Paul, the kingship of Christ played three extraordinary significant roles in our lives. First, the creative role, as the first born from all creation, every throne, power, authority, or position both visible and invisible were created through him, and must be subjected to him, so anyone who neglects Jesus in any position, it means the foundation have been destroyed and the person is heading to doom. The second kingly role is that of redemption, through his body and blood, he reconciled everything in heaven and on earth to God, being the first to rise from the dead, he made peace among us through his death on the cross. Thirdly,is his leadership role, being the head and leader of his Church, all Christians and followers of Christ makes up his body the Church, and Christ is the head of the Church, so if the head is cut off from the body, the body becomes useless, so anything we are doing without Christ is baseless (col.1;11-20). Hitherto, it is obvious that the Church of Christ is made up of two kinds of people, saints and sinners, which were represented by the two thieves with Jesus on the cross. The unrepentant thief staying very close to Jesus, and even faced with death in few minutes, had no remorse of conscience, only accusing and blaming others for his culpability, he needed help but cannot make efforts. He lost his sense of human feelings and sympathy, which shows that no one can save the one who doesn't want to be saved. It is also a warning that we can be close to Jesus in the Church and communion and still miss heaven. While the repentant thief accused himself of being a sinner, he never blamed his parents or friends, after scolding the other thief of talking to Jesus without respect or fear, he acknowledged he lived a wasted life, but encountering Jesus he found love, peace and last hope od survival, he soon made a quick act of contrition and requested for a place in God's kingdom, then, Jesus declared, today, you will be with me in paradise. The goodness of Jesus made the thief to see the wretchedness of his own life, and also awakened his own lost of goodness. He turned to Jesus and Jesus did not disappoint him (Lk.23;35-43), the same can happen to us. Jesus is indeed a king but an extraordinary kind of king. He came not to condemn or conquer but to convert, not to dominate but to liberate, not to rule but to serve. He died like a criminal yet reigned from the cross. He responded to the worst accusations with what is best in him, What a wonderful king and savior whose mercy endures forever.No wonder Pilate defied all pressures mounted on him to change this inscription"INRI" on the cross, but he confirmed and upheld it saying, what is written is written, Jesus Christ is the universal king.May God give us the grace to honor and serve him faithfully now and forever.

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