So much of life seems unfair. Death comes when life does not yet seem finished. Things change when we all expect everything to remain the same. Hearts harden when love is yearned for and even when it appears as a gift. Turmoil rocks emotional stability and ill health robs us of mobility. Life on many days seems so random, so out of control, and yet it continues and remains beautiful.
In the center of such paradox, the Church culminates another year in the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe on November 24, 2024. At first glance, the image of a king does not seem accessible to many people. Since we have opposed a human king in our country, the image of Christ’s divinity as king is not consoling to many. In fact, the image may seem too hierarchical, even oppressive to some people.
The deeper meaning of the celebration is that in the end, all things remain in the hands of Jesus Christ. Our Savior reigns over every aspect of our world, every moment of our lives. Even sin, pain, and war are wrapped in his fidelity toward us. Every unlived life becomes a full expression of love in his generous mercy. When life is complete we shall all behold the face of the King, and in doing so we shall all be free.
Throughout my years of ministry in Holy Cross, this more inclusive meaning of Christ the King has rung true. I cling to Christ the King when life unravels. This image of Christ offers hope amid human suffering, summing up other images of Christ—Shepherd, Sacred Heart, and Light of the World. I depend on Christ the King as I witness the cries of a parent when a child does not return from war. I rely on Christ the King when I sit at the deathbed of a mother who will not return home to raise her many children. I pray under the shadow of the King as I walk with people on the streets who cannot find shelter because of the real consequences of mental anguish.
No matter our place in life, no matter our careers or vocations or ministries, we encounter daily the moments in life we cannot control or change. We have options in such encounters. We may deepen our faith in Christ Jesus or resist such a notion. In the end, we entrust the loose ends, the unresolved decisions, the wrong choices, and the times when we admit our wrongs, to the beauty and generous mercy of Christ Jesus. In these moments, we see Christ not in his glory in heaven, but his face and love in the messiness of daily life.
In my own prayer, I turn to Christ the King not in moments of glory or pomp, but instead when I see a young man rummaging through a dumpster. In that moment I pray Christ may feed us all. I invoke the King when I am in a room struggling to listen to a young woman unable to care for her child because of emotional illness. I pray the King may come and robe that child in care and love. I pray to see the face of Christ when my prayers do not have words and I am out of ideas about what to do next. I know in my heart that all things are in the realm of the Beloved, all things come together in the Kingdom where Christ reigns, but it usually takes time and prayer for me to truly surrender to such a notion.
After all these years, I have come to realize that we do not ourselves have to pull together all the loose ends of life because we simply do not have all the answers. When we finally surrender to Christ Jesus on earth, his fidelity is revealed in our sins, divisions, and heartaches. When we finally surrender in love, in complete powerlessness, then his love becomes our hope in all relationships. When powerlessness prevails on earth, the King shall come. Behold his face.
Litany: Behold His Face Amid the Clouds
Response: Let us see your face, O Lord
When hopelessness fills us…
When despair has made a home in us…
When life seems unfair…
When courage is lost…
When darkness claims our future…
When clouds cover our conscience…
When unforgiveness speaks loudly…
When war carries us to grief…
When faith is stunted…
When hope is dimmed…
When love is lost…
When resolution is silent…
When our journey of life is complete…
When we finally surrender to your will…
When reconciliation unites us in your love…
When courage takes our hand…
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
About:
Rev. Ronald Patrick Raab, C.S.C., serves as religious superior of Holy Cross House, our retirement and medical facility at Notre Dame, Indiana. He is an award-winning author, blogger, and visual artist. Learn more at ronaldraab.com
Artwork:
Fr. Ron created this image of Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe, several months ago. Fr. Ron’s art has been published in parishes, dioceses, and ecumenical settings throughout the world.
