Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection for - Sunday, November 23, 2025

Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. For as long as I can remember, my father had a statue of Jesus on his dresser. He was wearing a red robe and a crown; quite a contrast to the Jesus that we see each week in the church - half naked, hanging on a cross in agony.

In the time of Jesus, during the Roman occupation, Caesar was the king. He wielded absolute power on earth and was worshipped as a son of the gods. The Jews longed for the day that God would send them a messiah as their king who would deliver them from this oppression. Yet, they also recognized that any challenge to Caesar’s authority would be dealt with quickly and harshly.

This was made clear as Jesus hung with criminals on the outskirts of Jerusalem, bleeding from his wounds, a pitiful sight meant to instill fear among the Jewish population. The sign on the cross, proclaiming Jesus as “The King of the Jews,” was a sarcastic joke and an insult. Simply put, it labeled Jesus as a traitor and reminder to future rebels what awaited them if they resisted the Roman Empire. To the average person, Jesus was no king, but a man whose life and ministry were violently cut short.

Yet, that is precisely the point. Our King is not an earthly king dressed in regal roles and placed far above humanity. Jesus turned the concept of kingship on its head by first becoming a servant of all. Although He was God, Jesus did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but became human and lived among those deemed unworthy and marginalized by society. Because His kingdom is not of this world, He did not wield power but, instead, told his disciples, that if they wanted to become great in the Kingdom, they must first become servants in this world.

He extends this challenge to us as well. If we desire to be with Him in the Kingdom, we must accept His challenge to follow His earthly example and to serve “the least” in this world so that we can be with Him and them in the next. This Advent Season we will once again partner with four charitable organizations who are answering His challenge. Please consider generously supporting these partners.

Fr. Mike