A Homily on Luke 23: 35-43: The Feast of Christ the King (23-11-25)

A Challenging homily that reflects on Christ the King’s love from the cross and invites us to let Jesus reign in our daily life. ( 23-11-25)

Praise be to Jesus Christ 

Once, there was a king who loved and trained his only son with great care. From his childhood, the prince was given the training to ride, defend, and fight bravely. The king took extra care to ensure that his son was ready to face every danger that could threaten his life and the kingdom. Years passed, and the boy grew into a strong and skilled young man. After finishing his training under expert teachers, the prince proudly lifted a shining double-edged sword, a special gift from his master. (It was given only to an expert fighter.) With excitement in his eyes, the prince said to the king, “Father, I will protect our country with this powerful weapon. I am ready, and I can defeat any enemy.”

The king looked at his son with pride, placed his hand on his shoulder, and congratulated him for his successful completion of his training. Then he gently took the sword from the hands of  the prince and said, “My son, you have learned to fight well, but remember something greater. The strongest rulers are not the ones who conquer with the sword, but the ones who conquer with love. A sword can win a land, but only love can win a heart.”

This simple story prepares our hearts for today’s feast of Christ the King. When Jesus hung on the cross, the sign placed above Him read, “The King of the Jews.” Many laughed at Him because they expected a king with a sword, soldiers, and a golden crown. They could not understand a King whose throne was a cross and whose crown was made of thorns. Because He says “My Kingdom is not of this world…” (John 18:36)

To understand the Kingship of Jesus, we must begin with a simple question: Who is a king? A king is the ruler of a land, and everything within that land belongs to him. He has authority over all things, and his word carries power. When the king asks for something, no one can resist. All the resources of the kingdom must be used according to his direction. Moreover, a true king is not one who holds power. A true king protects his people, standing in front when danger comes. He does not hide behind anyone; instead, he becomes their shield and defender. He guides his people, showing them the right path and gently correcting them when they go astray. He provides for their needs, comforts them in times of trouble, and lifts them when life becomes heavy. Psalmist says : “The Lord is my shepherd… even though I walk through the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for You are with me.” (Psalm 23:1,4)

In the same way, the subjects of a king also have their responsibilities. If they truly belong to the kingdom, they trust their king and obey his guidance. They keep the laws, live with discipline, and work for peace and harmony in the land. They need to pay taxes and support the king’s mission and share his message wherever they go. They are supposed to remain loyal to the king even when difficulties come.

So when we call Jesus our King, we are saying that He is the ruler of our lives. Just as everything in a kingdom belongs to the king, everything in our life belongs to Jesus Christ. Our thoughts, our decisions, our actions, our time, our talents, and even our struggles are His. As His subjects, we also have a duty. We must listen to our King, obey His words, and work for the good of His Kingdom. According to the King, He says “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)

This feast challenges us deeply. We cannot simply say, “Jesus is my King,” and continue living in our old ways. Jesus is not our King if we do not listen to Him, love Him, serve Him, and follow where He leads. We belong to the Kingdom of Christ only when we walk with Him daily, when we try to live our lives in the spirit of the Gospel, and when that Gospel spirit enters every part of our lives. St. Augustine reminds us: “Christ is not truly King of your life unless He is King of every part of it.”

In our families, allowing Christ to be King means choosing love instead of anger, forgiveness instead of revenge, and prayer instead of complaining. In our religious life, it means humble service, obedience, and patience. Today we do not need to shout, “Hail, Christ the King.” What Jesus asks from us is something deeper and more sincere. We must make sure that we do not fail Him in our daily living. If Jesus is truly our King, then His message must be seen in our words, our actions, and the way we treat one another. We must live His message, spread His message, and remain faithful to His teachings. “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

When we hate our neighbour, we give a bad name to Christ our King. When we quarrel in our families, refuse to forgive, or speak harsh words, we fail Him. When we gossip, cheat, lie, or act with pride, we are not living as citizens of His Kingdom. Every time we ignore someone in need, or close our eyes to injustice, or choose selfishness over love, we push our King aside. So let us internalize these words of St. Teresa of Calcutta , “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”

But every small act of kindness brings honour to Jesus our King. Every time we forgive quickly, speak gently, help quietly, or choose peace instead of anger, we are building His Kingdom. When we pray as a family, when we teach our children to love God, when we remain honest at work, we are crowning Christ as King in our own life. Jesus does not ask us for loud praise; He asks us for a faithful heart. He asks us to carry His light wherever we go so that others may see Him through us.

Let us pray from our hearts, “Lord Jesus, be the King of my whole life.

⇒If you find this reflection meaningful and fruitful, please share it with others

The Team Search offers retreats, reflections, and classes for religious and others on various biblical themes, the Eucharist, prayer, spiritual direction, Missiology, English phonetics (basic & advanced), Mariology, the Sacraments, the Desert Fathers, and more. We are happy to assist you if you find it hard to get a resource person for any Christian topic.

♦Contact: thesearch1994@gmail.com

God Bless…