“When the Son of Man comes in
his glory…then He will say, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father, and
inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world….I was
hungry and you gave me food, thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you
welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, sick and you cared for me, in prison and
you visited me.’”
These words of Jesus, and similar
words in this parable or story, are rich in meaning, and deeply appreciated by
many of us. “I was
hungry, and you fed me.” Christ
identifies himself with all of humankind, with every one of us, in our
sufferings, and in our kindnesses towards others. And he warns us that he does not find himself
in those of us who turn our back on a fellow human being in need. How clear the words, how life-changing the
meaning. “LORD, when did we see you
hungry?” “Whatsoever you did to the
least of these my brothers and sisters, you did to Me.”
This passage, only found in St.
Matthew’s
Gospel, presents a glorious image of Christ as ruler of humanity. But unlike our human rulers, he is not part
of an elite, removed from our daily lives, and sending out his commands for us
to obey. On the contrary, He rules from
within us, from being one with us, because in this vision of humanity, every
human being is a member of the Body of Christ.
If this is what we mean by “the kingship of Christ,” know this: it is utterly unlike any political ruler you
or I have seen or read about. This is
the rightful Ruler of humankind, because He is us, He is not only our “head,”
but is present in and with every member, from the greatest to the least. Here is the true human Ruler, who let’s our
sufferings be his sufferings, and our needs be his needs. Compared to Christ the true Ruler, every
human authority and power is shown to be inadequate—not evil, not to be destroyed,
but all are wanting, and sometimes to be pitied in their being “all too
human.” Not so with Christ Jesus: He alone is the true Ruler, because He is
Everyman written large, in each and every one of us from the moment of
conception into eternity.
The title “Christ
the King” is misleading, because it falls far too short of the reality of
Christ. Jesus Christ the rightful Ruler,
because He is one with each and with all of us.
He makes Himself one with us. He
has assumed our nature, and is taking us into God. In other words, Christ is divinizing us from
within, and transforming us into the Kingdom of God. “Who are my brothers and sisters?”
“Whatsoever you did to the
least of my brothers and sisters, you did to Me.” Those words must echo and resound in our
hearts, until they form us anew. Do you
want to know what God’s will is for you, for the rest of your life? “Whatsoever you did to the least…you did for
Me.”
To God be glory and honor, now and
forever, with thanksgiving, for He has made us One with Him. Amen.
