Homily: Christ the King, YR C
“Is Christ Enthroned on Your Heart?”
by Fr. William Holtzinger
Nov. 21, 2004

Today’s solemnity of Christ the King is often a difficult one to understand, let alone apply to our lives. To begin, a king is someone who rules over a group of people who live in his country. Most kings today are found in history books. Among the kings of the world, none have measured up to Jesus’ sovereignty, wisdom, mercy, and love. Too many, in fact, have been corrupted by the wealth that came with the title.

Given these facts, please let me offer today one thought, one question. While no earthly ruler will ever measure up to Jesus, please do not throw out the whole idea too soon. We rightly should hesitate to give over our total allegiance and submission to any earthly ruler. But, this is not so with Jesus. Since Jesus is God, all powerful, all knowing, all loving, we should have confidence that our total submission to him will not be like what we experience here on earth. We speak of English royalty as “highness” “Lord,” but is Jesus truly your Lord? I mean, have you ever spoken a prayer that gives over total control to him and submits everything you have to him? Does such a thought cause you to be nervous? Why? In my own life, I fear losing control or being forced to do something I don’t want to do. Simply put, I fear losing my freedom. That makes some sense, especially here in the United States where we hold freedom up as the ideal. In the Northwest, we have taken that idea to a new extreme. It can be called “rugged individualism” where we would rather fall down in failure than be given help from anyone. But, as Catholic Christians, we must ponder on this question deeply. What are your afraid of if you gave yourself over to Jesus? What will you loose that is more precious than God’s love and presence? What could be more valuable than being a royal subject who lives in service to the most generous and perfect God? Will such a commitment cause you to be poor? Will you have to give everything away? I don’t know. But, it will require our egos to be given away. No longer will we be in charge of our lives. By giving yourself over in allegiance to Christ the King, by putting him first and not yourself, you will become an heir in his kingdom and the wealth therein. Such wealth includes a power and confidence in faith that will see you through the toughest times. It includes God’s presence in your life that will heal stress and heartbreak. And ultimately, it includes the wealth of an eternal life in heaven where peace and joy come to fulfillment. But we are being called to abandon ourselves, not just pledge an allegiance. Time and time again, people have offered allegiances, but in their hearts loathed their king. Christ wants our hearts, not just our words or actions.

A man named Charles de Foucald, once a French Army Officer, then Trappist monk, and then founder of the communities called the “Little Brothers of Jesus” and the “Little Sisters of Jesus” once wrote a prayer that epitomizes the abandonment that we should consider to Christ. And so I end my homily with his prayer. I invite you to make it your own. I will pray each line and invite you to either say it quietly in your heart or even out loud:

Prayer of Abandonment
Father,
I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to you
with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord,
and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands,
without reserve, and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father.
Amen.
Charles de Foucald