Deserves... not demands...

Last week, after music rehearsal for Sunday's Mass I mentioned that the Solemnity of Christ the King is my favorite day in the liturgical year besides the obvious Christmas and Easter. My fellow musicians asked me why and my initial response was because this is the day that we celebrate Christ as King, we give him the praise that he rightly deserves. After I made my theology need comment I walked out and continued to think about this.

After further reflection, I'm realizing why I really like this day, it's not all the pomp and circumstance that our Savior deserves, but I love it because he doesn't ask for it. When he emptied himself to come to earth from his throne in heaven, he didn't do it expecting praise and glory, but rather he did it out of love.
Maybe I like this day so much because I know it's a day where liturgically and musically we get to praise Christ for his kingship and we get to give him honor that he deserves.

But it doesn't end here.



It's not just about praise and thanksgiving. It's about showing Jesus how much he means to us. How do we do this? He told us: "As I have loved you, so you also should love one another." Jesus didn't come down from heaven demanding an entourage, a five-star hotel, the finest foods, and the most popular company. He came to love and to show us how to love. Christ the King is the best kind of king because he doesn't demand. He doesn't lord it over us. He first and foremost wants us to be his friends. 

Maybe this is why I like the Solemnity of Christ the King so much. When your king doesn't demand that his kingship be acknowledged it's easy to forget and put other things in that royal place. Christ doesn't demand we acknowledge his kingship, but he derserves his kingship to be recognized. Maybe the celebration of Christ the King is twofold: to give praise and thanksgiving to our saving king, and to remind us that Christ is our king, not money, not our things, not our celebrities. 

We can start praising our king by following his rule to love. Love God, love one another.