THE GLORY OF CHRIST THE KING

Joseph Sarmenta

The world and our individual lives are too often filled with turmoil. Living in this world can be painful and discouraging, but our faith teaches us that there is someone in control above it all, and He is the ultimate giver of goodness. God is more than the creator of the universe — He is its King, and honoring Him in this way is a crucial aspect of Christian life. Proclaiming that Jesus is King of the universe seems redundant at first glance. Obviously He is — He’s God. But when our lives become stressful, anxiety-ridden, or full of doubt, reflecting on this great truth offers surprising comfort.

Christ’s kingship is a promise that no matter what we face, God will have the final say. We may not know how or when, but Christ’s eternal crown gives us hope that in the fullness of time, every wrong will be made right. With Christ as our ruler, our response to suffering should not be hopelessness, but patience. As we suffer the imperfections of the world, we can look to Christ the King as a reminder that we never suffer in vain. The Lord promises in Revelation 22:12-13: “Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense I will give to each according to his deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Whether in the near or distant future, Jesus will bring peace and fulfillment to our lives when he comes again.

Until then, we are comforted knowing Christ has a plan for each one of our lives. As King of the universe, Christ is also the King of our hearts. If we let Him rule, He will guide our lives to joy and peace, but the Lord does not force himself on us. Unlike earthly kings who expand their kingdoms with mighty armies, Christ does not conquer our hearts against our will. He is a King who waits for us to let Him reign with the promise that He will be a just and loving ruler. He assures us in Matthew 7:7: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Letting Christ reign in our hearts is not always easy, but we can trust that it will always lead to our happiness. The Lord would never impose something harmful on us, even if it might seem challenging at first.

The mystery of Christ the King is also a calling to each one of us. A king cannot govern without the cooperation and service of his subjects, and ours commands us to build His kingdom in this imperfect world, proclaiming His compassion and mercy for everyone. We are standard- bearers and soldiers of love incarnate, tasked with defending the innocent and advocating for justice and truth. In this way, the kingdom of God is already here. In Luke 17:20, Christ tells the Pharisees: “The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the kingdom of God is among you.” Because the kingdom of God is already among us, our service to our king calls us to serve our neighbors. The crown of Christ does more than comfort us about the future — it is also a symbol of our duty to love people on earth and make God known to them. When Christ does come again, this is what will matter most to Him: in Matthew 25:31-46, He tells us that those who served Him by serving their brothers and sisters on earth will reside with Him for eternity.

The crown of Christ gives us the highest hope and the greatest duty. We place our trust in His plan and we live our lives in ways that bring it to fruition, letting Him reign over our hearts. In doing so, we become rulers with Christ and will share in the wonders of His eternal kingdom. Christ does not want to build His kingdom alone; He deeply desires that each one of us contributes fully and intimately. As we serve our King, we reveal to the world that Christ’s love is the most powerful thing in the universe and the ultimate path to lasting joy. As we proclaim His love, we make it known that the King of everything is also our friend and brother, whose rule is designed for our happiness and peace. ❖

Joseph Sarmenta is a sophomore from San Jose, California, studying Communication and Linguistics. He is particularly interested in journalism, phonology, and historical linguistics.