Solemnity of Christ the King

CEBU, Philippines - One of the key meditations of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius is the Kingdom Meditation or the Call of Christ the King. This meditation serves as the foundation for discipleship The meditation starts with a parable of an earthly leader (or king in the mind of St. Ignatius). Ignatius presents us with a leader chosen by God, a leader talented, dedicated to helping others, especially the weak and the poor. Everyone trusts him. Everyone recognizes that the "hand of God" rests upon him.

Suppose such a leader comes to this church and appeals to you. With remarkable vision and compassion, he presents his program for eradicating injustice and corruption, freeing our cities of crimes, and eradicating poverty. And everyone, including the experienced leaders is amazed at his grasp of the problems and his insight into how to deal with them.

Everyone concludes that if anyone can transform society, this leader can. This leader concludes his address by appealing for volunteers to join him in his great and noble cause.

In his campaign all will be treated equally – sharing the same food, clothing and shelter. All will labor and struggle with him, endure hardship with him. But victory is assured. And all will share in the glory of triumph with him.

How would you respond to such a leader? Would you go all out, give yourself freely and totally with your time, money, and everything you have to advance his cause?

Now, we apply the parable of a model leader to Jesus Christ, the king of heaven and earth. His integrity is such that even his enemies could not bring any real charge against him. And God the Father reveals him as "My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."

Jesus invites you and me to join him in his campaign. His mission is against the forces of darkness and evil in this world. He invites us to labor with him, to struggle with him, to endure hardship with him, and to share with him in his triumph and glory.

We will always be with him in our struggle, in our suffering and our joys and glory.

We cannot deny that the struggle and hardship will be intense. The forces of darkness and evil are busy at work today. We see everywhere the work of hatred: the Jihad, and wars between nations, Palestinians against Israel, Africa, and civil wars within countries including our own. We see so much hatred, killings, destruction and suicide bombings and terrorism around the world.

We see the devastation brought about by greed and selfishness – desire for quick and easy profit, graft and corruption so deeply rooted in our culture and elsewhere, the drug menace so pervasive around the world, people getting big and quick money at the sacrifice of physical, moral, and spiritual well-being of millions of people, young and old alike  – their future destroyed; the deforestation and environmental destruction for quick money at the expense of the future generations, the cheating and dishonesty in business dealings; the killing of the unborn, and the aids epidemic, the consequence of a selfish pleasure-seeking generation; forces of violence and crime, people taking advantage of the weak and the powerless instead of helping them.

Disorderly attachment to comfort and pleasure leads people to drug and alcohol addiction, and sexual promiscuity.

If you are not convinced, just take a look at the daily newspapers. There are forces in this world that lead people to sin and destruction – to hell, away from God.

Jesus came to lead us from the forces of evil by winning people to the ways of love, of caring and sharing, to service. He does not ask anything of us that he hasn't done. He leads by example. And he promises to be with us in the struggle. And the struggle and conflict is not just out there. It starts from within our very self.

Patricia was 16. A friend, Reggie invited her to a dance benefit. Two other couples joined them. After the dance, Reggie suggested to the group to go on a short drive. Pat didn't like it, but she trusted Reggie. They went to a club, which was known for serving liquor. Pat objected. "Don't be silly. We'll stay only for an hour. You can just drink Coke," they told her.

Pat became apprehensive. She was angry, but part of her was afraid to be different from the company. She wanted the sense of belonging. However, remembering her promise to Christ to fight temptation, to conquer selfishness, she decided to keep her promise in the face of major test.

The music, smoke and giggling and rowdy noise bombarded them from all sides. Her companions teased her. She felt tears coming, and found it hard to breathe. She felt betrayed. She was now facing a major test.

Then from some deep place inside her, rose a settling sense of peace and power, conviction replacing the wavering will. Saying a prayer, she put on a commanding presence and said, "I am not going to drink. I want to go home."

Today, Christ the King asks you and me these questions:

"Will you join me in my mission?

Will you join me in my work of feeding the hungry, Sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked

And caring for the sick?

Will you join me in my work of changing the world?

Of bringing faith, hope, and love  back into the hearts of peoples everywhere?"

Today, the Feast of Christ the King is a Call to join him in the great task of bringing to completion God's kingdom in today's world. It's a Call at least to take the first step - by changing ourselves, our personal lives, at home, and at work, so that they reflect more perfectly

Christ's teaching in the Gospel.

It's a Call to step out of the darkness and to say, "Yes" to Christ the King.

What is your answer?