Introduction
This Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe — the final Sunday of the liturgical year.
This feast was instituted in 1925 by Pope Pius XI through his encyclical Quas Primas, at a time when secularism and nationalism were on the rise in Europe. The Pope saw a growing tendency of people and governments to behave as though God had no place in public life. In response, he established this feast to proclaim that Christ’s authority extends over every nation, every system, and every human heart.
It was originally celebrated on the last Sunday of October but was later moved, after Vatican II, to its current place at the conclusion of the Church year, emphasizing Christ’s ultimate reign at the end of time.
“God did not intend Israel to have a kingdom. The kingdom was a result of Israel’s rebellion against God… The law was to be Israel’s king, and, through the law, God himself… God yielded to Israel’s obstinacy and so devised a new kind of kingship for them. The King is Jesus; in him God entered humanity and espoused it to himself. This is the usual form of the divine activity in relation to mankind. God does not have a fixed plan that he must carry out; on the contrary, he has many different ways of finding man and even of turning his wrong ways into right ways… The feast of Christ the King is therefore not a feast of those who are subjugated, but a feast of those who know that they are in the hands of the one who writes straight on crooked lines.” —Pope Benedict XVI
1st Reading – 2 Samuel 5:1-3
In those days, all the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said:
“Here we are, your bone and your flesh.
In days past, when Saul was our king,
it was you who led the Israelites out and brought them back.
And the LORD said to you,
‘You shall shepherd my people Israel
and shall be commander of Israel.’”
When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron,
King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD,
and they anointed him king of Israel.
Today’s first reading invites us to reflect on kingship, authority, and our identity as “bone and flesh” of one another under God’s reign.
It also sets the stage for celebrating Christ as King by showing an Old Testament precursor — a human king chosen by the people and by God — so that in Christ we see the fulfillment of that rule in the one true King.
In those days, all the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron
Hebron, a city in the hill country of Judah about twenty miles south of Jerusalem, held deep spiritual significance in Israel’s history. It was where Abram built an altar to the Lord (Genesis 13:18) and where Sarah was buried (Genesis 23:19) — a place intertwined with covenant and promise.
and said: “Here we are, your bone and your flesh.
The tribes express their kinship with David, affirming both familial and national unity.
Their words echo the language of Genesis 2:23, symbolizing the close, covenantal bond between king and people.
In days past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led the Israelites out and brought them back.
The people recall David’s proven leadership even under Saul, recognizing him as the true shepherd of Israel long before his formal kingship.
What once provoked Saul’s jealousy now becomes the very reason for Israel’s allegiance.
And the LORD said to you, ‘You shall shepherd my people Israel and shall be commander of Israel.’”
The tribes acknowledge that their anointing merely confirms God’s prior choice.
The image of the shepherd evokes David’s original vocation and God’s model of leadership: one rooted in care, humility, and service. The word nāgîd (“leader,” “ruler,” “one who stands in front”) underscores a ruler who goes before his people, not one who is distant and aloof.
When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron,
The elders were probably the leaders of the individual tribes who came together to make decisions for all. In a very real sense, they were the ones who governed the northern kingdom.
King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD, and they anointed him king of Israel.
David enters into covenant with the elders, in the name of the people they represented, and they anoint him as king. This ceremonial act has tangible repercussions: the elders were relinquishing a significant part of their own authority and power. In this moment, Israel moves from tribal federation to a united kingdom under God’s chosen servant.
David is now an “anointed one”, chrīstós in Greek. A thousand years before the birth of Jesus, David was the first great “Christ,” or anointed ruler of Israel.
David went on to become the greatest king Israel ever had. Later, God promised David that his kingdom would be secure forever (2 Samuel 7:8-17). It was because of this promise that the Jews expected another anointed one from David’s line, another Christ, to save them from the Romans.
2nd Reading – Colossians 1:12-20
Brothers and sisters:
Let us give thanks to the Father,
who has made you fit to share
in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.
He delivered us from the power of darkness
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;
all things were created through him and for him.
He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he himself might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile all things for him,
making peace by the blood of his cross
through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.
Today’s second reading is a majestic hymn of Christ’s preeminence: over creation, over the Church, and in the new creation.
It invites us to consider who Christ is for us and what kind of kingship he exercises in our lives.
Brothers and sisters: Let us give thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.
Paul invites the Colossians to thank the Father for three divine gifts.
First, we are made fit to share in the inheritance of the saints. This inheritance is not earned but freely given — a family privilege of God’s adopted children (Romans 8:17).
“Why does he call it an inheritance? To show that by his own achievements no one obtains the kingdom, but as an inheritance is rather the result of good fortune, so in truth it is the same principle here. For no one leads a life so good as to be counted worthy of the kingdom, but the whole is his free gift.” [Saint John Chrysostom (ca. 392 AD), Homilies on Colossians 2]
He delivered us from the power of darkness
The second divine gift the Colossians are invited to be grateful for is deliverance from darkness, or sin.
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
The final divine gift is being brought into the kingdom of God’s Son.
Note that in all cases the initiative is from God the Father – he made us fit, he rescued us, he brought us into the kingdom.
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
It is through Christ’s blood that we receive this redemption and forgiveness. This is certainly reason to be grateful!
He is the image of the invisible God,
Paul now invokes a Christian hymn, an early confession of faith that may have originated in the liturgy and was likely known to the Colossians.
The Greek text shows rhythmic and parallel structure, typical of ancient hymns or creedal statements. It is divided into two stanzas: verses 15–17 extol Christ as Lord of Creation; verses 18–20 praise Christ as Lord of Redemption.
The hymn opens by declaring that Jesus is the image of God. In English, an image represents something, pointing beyond itself to a distant truth. But in this passage, the Greek term eikōn conveys far more: Christ is not a symbolic echo of God’s nature; he is its visible embodiment. He does not merely reflect God — he reveals God.
In Christ, the mystery of the invisible becomes knowable by revelation. The fullness of God dwells in him, not partially or metaphorically, but completely and personally.
the firstborn of all creation.
In Biblical usage, “firstborn” (prōtotokos) can refer to chronological birth order (e.g., Luke 2:7) or legal/spiritual preeminence (e.g., Psalm 89:27: “I will make him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth”).
Here, it does not mean “first created,” but one who holds primacy and authority over all created things.
For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him.
Christ is both agent and goal of creation. Everything — from the material world to the spiritual powers — is sustained by and ordered toward him.
His kingship extends over the visible and invisible realms alike.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
“Paul did not say ‘He was made before all things,’ but that ‘He is before all things.’ He is not only the maker of all, but also He manages the care of what He has made and governs the creature, which exists by His wisdom and power.” [Theodoret of Cyr (ca. 450 AD), Interpretation of the Fourteen Epistles of Paul, On Romans]
He is the head of the body, the church.
The second stanza of the hymn centers on Christ’s sacrificial work.
Employing the metaphor of the body, the hymn reveals both the intimate union between Christ and the Church and the supreme authority that belongs to Christ as its Head.
As head of the church, Christ is the source of life, the giver of direction, and the bond of unity for all its members.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
The Greek term archē (“beginning, origin, source” echoes Genesis 1:1 (“In the beginning…”) and John 1:1 (“In the beginning was the Word”), placing Christ at the origin of all things, both materially and spiritually.
“The firstborn from the dead” (prōtotokos ek tōn nekrōn) parallels verse 15 (“firstborn of all creation”) but shifts the focus to resurrection. Christ is the first to rise from the dead never to die again, inaugurating a new order of life.
that in all things he himself might be preeminent.
Christ is first in creation, first in resurrection, and therefore first in all things —cosmic and ecclesial, visible and invisible.
The reflexive emphasis (“he himself”) underscores that this supremacy is not conferred by others, but is intrinsic to his person.
For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.
The fullness (pleroma) of divinity dwells in Christ; all that belongs to God is present in him. From this divine fullness flows universal reconciliation — peace accomplished through the blood of the Cross.
Christ’s sacrifice restores harmony not only between God and humanity but throughout all creation.
On the Solemnity of Christ the King, we proclaim this cosmic truth: the crucified and risen Jesus is the firstborn of creation and of the dead, the image of the invisible God, and the King who reigns by reconciling all things in love.
Gospel – Luke 23:35-43
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.”
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
“Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal.”
Then he said,
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise.”
In today’s gospel reading we encounter Jesus on the cross, labeled “King of the Jews,” mocked and derided, and yet one of the criminals hanging beside him acknowledges him for who he truly is.
How do we recognize Christ as King? Do we see his reign in the cross? And how does that shape our lives now, as members of his kingdom?
The rulers sneered at Jesus and said, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Messiah of God.”
As the passage begins, Jesus has already been crucified. The Jewish leaders mock mim, twisting his identity as “the chosen one” into a taunt.
They assume that a true Messiah could never suffer such humiliation, revealing their misunderstanding of both his mission and the nature of God’s power.
Jesus is the Messiah, but one who saves others precisely by refusing to save himself. Luke’s gospel has shown that Jesus overcame the temptation to use his power in self-serving ways before his public ministry ever began (Luke 4:1-13).
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.”
The Roman soldiers join in the ridicule. Unfamiliar with Jewish messianic hopes, they focus instead on Jesus’ supposed kingship.
There is much symbolism in the act of giving Jesus wine. Other translations tell us that this was sour wine, which corresponds with Psalm 69:21 (69:22 in the New American Bible). John 19:30 tells us that Jesus drank this sour wine from a sponge on a hyssop branch, which is what the Israelites used during the first Passover to sprinkle the blood on their doorposts and lintel.
Above him there was an inscription that read, “This is the King of the Jews.”
Roman custom required that the crime of the condemned be displayed publicly.
The massive irony here is that he is, in fact, the King of Israel and of all creation. In keeping with the paradox of the entire gospel, what was intended as derision actually became a proclamation of faith.
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.”
Even one of the two criminals crucified alongside Jesus adds to the public humiliation. It’s unclear whether he is mocking Jesus or truly held out hope that he was the Messiah and could save them through brute force.
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
In this exchange — unique to Luke — the second criminal recognizes both his own guilt and Jesus’ innocence. More astonishingly, he expresses faith that Jesus’ kingship extends beyond death: “when you come into your kingdom.”
His plea is both confession and prayer — a profound act of trust in the crucified Christ.
He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Not only does the second criminal not ridicule Jesus, he accepts his own imminent death as just payment for his crimes. Jesus’ response reveals his royal authority even from the cross: he promises the man immediate entrance into paradise.
In Jewish eschatological tradition, the time of fulfillment was envisioned as a return to the pristine innocence and peace of primeval time. This is seen in Jesus’ use of the term paradise, which is the word used in the Septuagint to describe the Garden of Eden.
By placing this word on Jesus’ lips, Luke implies that Jesus’ death reverses the effects of sin and reopens the gates of Eden.
From his throne of suffering, Christ reigns — not by domination, but by mercy. The sign above him speaks truer than anyone imagines: the crucified one is indeed King, and his kingdom is entered through faith, repentance, and grace.
Connections and Themes
The readings for today’s feast are chosen not to tell a single story, but to create a collage of images, each revealing a facet of what it means for Christ to reign.
First Reading: The Shepherd and the King of Israel
- Shepherd and Commander — The people acclaim David as “shepherd” and “commander” of Israel, metaphors that evoke care, protection, and guidance. In the light of Christ, this becomes a vision of divine kingship marked not by domination but by tenderness. Christ the King rules as one who knows His sheep, calls them by name, and lays down his life for them.
- King of Israel — David, once ruler only of Judah, is now asked to unite the northern tribes as well. His kingship extends beyond his own people, foreshadowing the universal reach of Christ’s reign. Like David’s expanded kingdom, Christ’s lordship encompasses all nations, including those that do not yet recognize him as their own.
Second Reading: Cosmic Kingship and Intimate Communion
- Image of the Invisible God — This title proclaims the divine origin of Christ and the divine source of his authority. As the visible manifestation of the invisible God, Christ exercises a dominion that includes all that belongs to God: heaven and earth, seen and unseen.
- Firstborn of All Creation — Christ stands above the whole created order, not as a distant ruler but as its guardian and sustainer.
- Source of All Created Things — In Christ, all things were created and find their pattern. Creation itself mirrors the image of Christ the King; it bears his imprint and reflects his beauty.
- Head of the Body, the Church — Here, kingship becomes profoundly relational. Christ’s reign is not aloof; he is inseparably united to those who belong to Him. As the head needs the body and the body needs the head, so Christ and his people live in mutual dependence and shared vitality.
- Firstborn from the Dead — This title not only acclaims Christ’s resurrection, it also guarantees the resurrection of those who will follow him into death. Having conquered death, the King shares his victory with his subjects. His rule is one of communion, not privilege; he holds nothing back from those who follow him.
Gospel Reading: The Crucified King
- Crucified King — This final image, drawn from the crucifixion, reinterprets all the others. Christ reigns not from a golden throne but from the cross. His crown is of thorns; his royal decree is forgiveness.
Sunday Readings 