Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The Solemnity of Christ the King marks the end of the liturgical year. What strikes me this year is that Jesus said to Pilate about his kingship: “For this I came into the world, to testify to the truth (John 18: 37).” He came to be a witness, to testify. What was he a witness of? He was a witness of the truth of his Father, and his love for us. He lived a righteous life and did the will of his Father always in his life: on the cross, in his resurrection, working as a contractor in Nazareth, born in a stable. He witnessed always in his thirty-three years on earth.
Truth in the Old Testament usually means a righteous life. One who lives the truth, is living according to the will of God, in a morally correct way. In The Soul of the Apostolate by Dom Chautard the author states that it was the witness of how a priest prayed his psalms (his breviary) that led him to be more serious about a life of prayer, and ultimately to respond to his vocation as a monk. The way you pray and live your life as a Christian can do much good in a world that is fleeing from God.
Jesus gave the perfect witness when he remained silent before his accusers. When insulted he did not return an insult, when he was threatened he did not retaliate. He handed himself over to the one who judges justly, his Father. Jesus even gave Pilate a chance to stand for the truth, but Pilate responded cynically saying, truth, what is that?
John in one of his letters says we are witnesses to what we have seen with our eyes and experienced in our flesh. This is why the witness one gives, the way one lives their life especially in the face of tragedy is so important. A Christian doesn’t do it to be seen, but he reacts in some way as Christ would. A witness is not someone without sin or is always upright, but someone who responds to a serious difficulty with peace, with faith.
The one who walks in the truth listens to my voice. You can hear the voice of God each weekend in the readings, in the preaching or in the music. (That is why it is so important to come every week.) It does not happen automatically. A person needs to make an effort, to be attentive, to clear his head of other things, to not give into distractions. He or she needs to cultivate the habit of prayer, of reflection. Then they can hear clearly the voice of God in their life, in the events that were unexpected, in the people close to them. It is not automatic, but is a habit to be cultivated by daily effort.
John tells us in the beginning of the Book of Revelation (1: 5-8) that God made us a kingdom of priests for his glory and power. The basic definition of man is that he or she is a priest. The one who stands in the world and offers to God what is around them. First a person receives the gifts of life and nature and education, and then they offer them back to God. You can do this with your work, with your children or parents, with the things you like to do, and the people you like to be with. God gave them to you so that they would be a benefit to you and bring you closer to him. It is by offering our time and energy to God that we receive life. No one else can give you this life to you.
Let us make Jesus Christ King of some time each day in our life. Let him be King for five minutes or longer in the morning or evening and let nothing interrupt that appointment. In this way you will hear his voice more consistently and follow in his ways.