Readings

Reading I—Daniel 7:13-14
Responsorial Psalm—Psalm 93:1, 1-2, 5
Reading II—Revelation 1:5–8
Gospel—John 18:33b–37

Christ, the Lawgiver

• These readings reveal two aspects of Christ that we may not immediately recognize as belonging together, but are in fact intimately bound up with one another. Jesus Christ is Lord, having dominion over all the universe. And Jesus Christ testifies to the truth, because he bears the truth in himself. It is easy to consider dominion and truth as standing in opposition to each other. Power may be seen as having to do with coercion, while truth is attractive. The truth is powerful, but it is a power that we see as distinct from “dominion.”

• A hint as to how these facets of Christ’s kingship are connected is found in the Psalm, which declares that the Lord’s “decrees are worthy of trust indeed.” The eternal king is a lawgiver. As Quas primas teaches, his lordship consists in his power to make and give laws, to execute laws, and to judge (no. 14).

• As the Church has long taught, the divine law expresses “the eternal reason of the Creator and Ruler of the universe” (Pope Leo, XIII, Libertas Praestantissimum). The decrees of the Lord are worthy of trust, because they guide us to the true and the good. And so, as Pope St. John Paul II teaches, through obedience to the divine law, man’s freedom “abide[s] in the truth and conform[s] to human dignity (Veritatis splendor, 42).

Christ’s Kingdom

• Jesus is a king, but his kingdom “does not belong to this world.” This is a teaching that has spurred Christian reflection from age to age, and stands as a challenge to how we engage our political community. Christians can animate politics and culture by living out the virtues in their homes, workplaces, schools, and communities. Our service and civic engagement are ways that we bring the life of God’s kingdom to our own society. 

• The kingdom of God is not like other kingdoms. As Pope Francis has put it:

This is Jesus, who came without duplicity, in order to proclaim by his life that his Kingdom is different from the kingdoms of the world; that God does not reign in order to increase his power and to crush others; he does not reign by force of arms. His is the Kingdom of love: “I am a king”, but of this Kingdom of love; “I am a king” of the Kingdom of those who give their lives for the salvation of others.

The Church Bears Witness to Truth

• Both the Second Reading and the Gospel speak of Jesus as a witness to the truth. He testifies to the truth, and indeed, testifying to the truth is a significant part of his mission. That mission persists in the body of Christ, that is, the Church. The Church is called to bear witness to the truth.

• As Catholics, we help to build up the common good in our society by bearing witness to the reign of Christ in public life. One significant way that we can do this is committing ourselves to truth in our political engagement. 

• We can witness to truth in two important ways. First, we can speak the truth with both charity and courage. The Church promotes a number of teachings that are unfashionable. In some places, our service to migrants is attacked. In other places, our services to women facing unexpected pregnancies are attacked. Recently issued federal regulations have made it so that speaking truthfully at work about marriage and family can be considered harassment. In our polarized political environment, we need God to give us the grace to be courageous and the wisdom to judge how to be both bold and charitable.

• Witnessing to truth is not only a matter of speaking. It is also a matter of listening. So a second way we can witness to truth is by opening ourselves up to the possibility of encounter with truth through dialogue with others. The truthful person is always open to conversion. Pope Francis describes contemporary American political culture well when he refers in Fratelli tutti to “individuals [who] attempt to seize every possible advantage, rather than cooperating in the pursuit of the common good.” And he lays out our mission when he goes on to say, “The heroes of the future will be those who can break with this unhealthy mindset and determine respectfully to promote truthfulness, aside from personal interest. God willing, such heroes are quietly emerging, even now, in the midst of our society” (no. 202).

• The Solemnity of Christ the King is a day for Catholics to rededicate themselves to the truth by listening to the voice of Christ and to recognizing the reign of Christ by obeying his word. One way we might acknowledge Christ’s kingship in our individual lives, then, is by examining our consciences, so that we can hear how Christ is calling us to grow in truth. Have I held back from speaking truthfully because of fear? Or, have I been so committed to my political faction that I have perpetuated untruths? Have I been obstinate in refusing to listen to others who are also seeking the truth in good faith? These are all questions we can ask ourselves, and can bring to the Lord, who strengthens us with his grace.

• As faithful witnesses to the reign of Christ our sovereign king, we can plant seeds of renewal in our Church and in our country.