Glory and praise forever and ever

November 23, 2003 -- Feast of the Solemnity of Christ the King

By Bishop Robert Morneau

	Bishop Robert Morneau
	Questions for reflection: 1. What is your understanding of the "Kingdom"? 2. How did you bring about the Kingdom of God this past week? 3. What role does the "Our Father" play in your spiritual life?

In the book of Revelation we are given a profound insight into Jesus - our king and brother, our friend and redeemer, our good shepherd and gracious Lord. "To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, to him be glory and praise forever and ever." We have in this single verse a whole theology that expresses what the feast of Christ the King is all about.

Jesus loves us. This love is at the heart of the kingdom. Daniel's vision of the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven speaks powerfully of dominion and glory, of a kingship that shall not be destroyed. The kingdom of love is immortal. Our task is to be receptive to this love and share that grace with others. The opening prayer for this feast is a petition we might say every day: "Open our hearts, free all the world to rejoice in his peace, to glory in his justice, to live in his love."

Here is the kingdom of God: peace, justice, and love. Peace is about relationships that are healthy and integral; justice is about protecting and promoting the rights of all as well as the fulfillment of our duties and obligations; love is about that radical self-giving that we experience in the Eucharist and hopefully within our Christian community.

Jesus frees us from sins by his blood. Here is the truth that sets us free. We are powerless over two fundamental realities: sin and death. Sin, that curling in upon ourselves and the breaking of relationships, throws us into the kingdom of darkness. Death, that reality that awaits us all, has been overcome by the mystery of the resurrection. Thus we are a liberated people to the extent that we put on Christ, his mind and heart and life. Only in Jesus do we find our true freedom.

Here is the kingdom of God: truth and life. The truth sets us free and life, we believe, is stronger than death. On this pilgrim journey we are all confronted, both from within and from without, with many forces contrary to God's kingdom. We must deal with our own ignorance and mendacity that thwarts the truth; we must, each one, deal with those tendencies that destroy and do not give life, such tendencies as pride and greed, lust and sloth, anger and jealousy. There is a warfare going on whether we admit it or not.

Jesus made us into a kingdom. We are called to be God's people, the Church. As such we are to be signs and instruments of union and unity. It's all about oneness. Through our baptism and confirmation and especially Eucharist, we are united with Jesus who continues to work in a special way through our lives. And Jesus' great vision was that all be one, that divisions cease, that we experience the peace and joy of the Spirit. In so doing glory is given to God.

Here is the kingdom of God: holiness and grace. Holiness, which is nothing other than the perfection of charity, is the force that brings about unity and union. Grace, God's self-giving life, is the power that makes us capable of being loved and loving. To the extent that holiness and grace are part of our lives, we will be fit agents of God's kingdom.

On this feast of the solemnity of Christ the King, we are given a special preface that captures the meaning of our celebration. We pray: "As king he [Jesus] claims dominion over all creation, that he may present to you, his almighty Father, an eternal and universal kingdom: a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love, and peace." When we pray "Thy Kingdom come" in the Our Father, this is what we are praying for.

(Bp. Morneau is the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay.)