Fr Marco Lazzaron
efore diving into Advent, the Church puts before our eyes the feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe. A very pompous title, which perhaps may seem anachronistic and yet, if we think about it, it is the reason why they killed Jesus, it was written on the cross! In these days, to prepare I came in front of the crucifix and thought: a king with pierced hands instead of a sceptre, a crown of thorns instead of a golden crown and for a throne, a cross! One would almost say: “What kind of king have we chosen for ourselves?” This is our King, and it is no coincidence that this is the symbol of Christians; and we can say that our King is really different. He is such a different King that he washed the feet of his disciples!
But, let’s be honest: we struggle to be disciples of a God like this, because we are all chasing victories, whether small or large; because we dream of being seen, of being recognized, because we want consensus and attention. Instead, our king is fueled by another logic: “My kingdom is not of this world”,says Jesus. We struggle to follow a God who reveals his kingship in love, in serving and not in demanding to be served.
The good news is that God is omnipotent only in love! God loves me to the point of dying: this is the good news of Christianity. A God who loves me even if I deny him, even if I betray him, even if I reject him. In short, our King doesn’t demand anything but simply loves us completely and perfectly. Our King is different from other kings because he knows that love either goes to the extreme or it is not love!
So, let’s fix our gaze on the cross, leave room for amazement, and ask ourselves: do we really want a God like this? Are we really sure? Before answering hastily, look at him carefully: he is a God without a magic wand, who bends over the feet of his disciples and washes them with care, who does not take away pain but shares it, who forgives his murderers, who chooses to take with him in heaven a crucified criminal.
“So, are you king?” Pilate asks Jesus. Yes, He is King but of another world. He doesn’t condemn anyone but it is he himself who dies for everyone. His first throne was a manger, his last throne was a cross. Kings promulgate many laws, he gave us only one: love one another.
However, two consequences arise from here. The first is that if Jesus of Nazareth is really our King, the one who guides our life, we will demonstrate it in our lives: e.g., giving a smile to those we meet, being close to a sick person, attentive to those in need in the family, at home, at work, at school, to the market, etc.
The second consequence is that if Jesus of Nazareth is our King then we are the King’s children! Then we are not poor subjects who must obey by doing penance and sacrifices to attract his benevolence.
The good news this Sunday? We are children of a King, of a King different from the others, who loves us and who simply asks us to let ourselves be reached by his love.