Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Nov. 24, 2024

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Nov. 24, 2024

Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 1:5-8; John 18:33b-37

 

Theme: Do We Have Tools to Build the Kingdom of God Where We Live?

All the scripture readings we heard today testify that Jesus, our Lord, is the King of the Universe. In the first reading, Prophet Daniel prophesized it when he said that one (referring to Jesus), like a Son of man, would come on the clouds of heaven and receive dominion, glory, and kingship. In the second reading, the author of the book of Revelation calls Jesus the faithful witness of the kingdom, the firstborn of the dead, and ruler of the kings of the earth. In the Gospel, Jesus himself confirms in front of Pilate that he is a king and came into the world to testify to the truth. Our Lord is the King of the Universe. His kingdom is of justice, love, peace, and joy. He himself started building it; his apostles and all the Christians who lived before us did their part in this project of building the kingdom of God. Today is our time to continue the same work wherever we live.

Our Gospel passage is in the heart of the section called “The Trial of Jesus Before Pilate” (18:28 —19:16). The Jewish religious leaders had a plan to execute Jesus. Because they did not have the right to put anyone to death, they brought Jesus to the praetorium to be judged and condemned to death by Pilate (see Jn 18:28-33). This is Jesus’ third appearance before three different authorities. Looking at the previous verses, the evangelist informs us that Jesus was brought to Annas first. Annas was the high priest and the father-in-law of Caiaphas. He also was the father or father-in-law of six other high priests. He was no longer in office at the time of Jesus, but the Jewish religious leaders brought Jesus to him because he continued to wield his influence. His hearing of Jesus was essential but not official. John is the only evangelist who recounts Jesus’ inquiry before Annas (John 18:12-14, 19-24). Next, Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas, the actual and official high priest. The evangelist mentions this appearance only but does not give any report (see Jn 18:24). The Synoptics (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), who do not have an account of Jesus’ appearance before Annas, report this one before Caiaphas. Finally, Caiaphas sent Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. Our pericope covers the part of the judgment regarding the kingship of Jesus (18:33b-38a). After our pericope, the section continues with Pilate trying to release Jesus because he found no guilt in him. As the custom of Passover required that Pilate release one prisoner, he then suggested to the Jews to choose between Jesus and the criminal Barabbas, whom he should release. They all chose Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be condemned (18:38b-40). Again, Pilate attempted to release Jesus, but because of the Jews’ pressure, he ended up handing him over to them to be crucified (19:1-16).

This Gospel text is a conversation narrative. It can be structured in three movements based on the three questions Pilate asked Jesus. (1) Pilate’s first question is whether Jesus is the king of the Jews. Jesus answers him with a question, and Pilate replies to him (vv. 33-35a). (2) While Pilate’s second question is to know what Jesus did precisely, in his answer, Jesus talks about his kingdom (vv. 35b-36). (3) In his third question, Pilate wants Jesus to confirm if he is a king. Jesus confirms that he is (v. 37).  

Pilate opens the inquiry by asking Jesus if he is the king of the Jews. The context of this question is that, at that time, the kings of the Jews were the local rulers chosen by Rome (like the kings Herod Antipas in Galilee and Herod Philip in Philippi). Then, the Jewish religious leaders accused Jesus of claiming himself to be their king, making it sound like Jesus was organizing a rebellion to overturn Roman power. So, through his question, Pilate wants to mean that the one who chooses the kings for the Jews is he, but how Jesus is a king, and who chose him? Jesus’s response is a question in which he wants to know if what Pilate asserts through his question is what the people, eventually the Jewish religious leaders, told him or comes from his conviction. Here, Jesus puts Pilate into his responsibility. He should not judge Jesus based on what others tell him but on what he thinks is true. In his response to Jesus’ question, Pilate tells Jesus that he is not a Jew to know if Jesus claims to be the king. He affirms that his information about Jesus came from Jesus’ nation and the chief priests (vv. 33-35a).  Pilate’s second question changes the topic. It is no longer about whether Jesus is the king but about what Jesus did so that his own fellow Jews brought him (Jesus) to him (Pilate). However, in his answer, Jesus does not respond to this second question but returns to the first topic. He speaks of his kingdom without saying directly if he is a king. He describes it not as the earthly kingdom but as the heavenly. He supports his thesis with the evidence that there are no attendants who fight for him to keep him from being handed over to the Jews (vv. 35b-36). With Jesus’ description of his kingdom, Pilate understands that Jesus is a king. Yet, in his third question to Jesus, he wants him to say it clearly. Then, Jesus affirms that he is a king. He goes on to declare that he was born and came into the world with a mission to be the king and testify to the truth. He asserts that anyone who belongs to the truth listens to his voice (v. 37).   

Through this Gospel passage, our Holy Mother Church wants us to know and believe that Jesus is the King of the Universe and that we, as his followers, are called to continue to build God’s kingdom, which Jesus started, wherever we live. The Gospel teaches us that Jesus’s kingdom is that of truth. “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.” (V. 37). To be the builders of God’s kingdom, we, too, must testify to the truth in all we do. The Jewish religious leaders who brought Jesus to Pilate failed to testify to the truth. The real reason they wanted to have Jesus arrested and condemned is not what they told Pilate (Jesus claims to be the king of the Jews) but that Jesus declared to them that he was the Son of God, and they did not believe in him. Also, Jesus’ interpretation of the Laws (Torah) often undermines their teaching, and Jesus’ integrity challenges their witness, the comfortable routines they have settled into. Today, many people continue to fail to testify to the truth. Sometimes, we prefer lies over truth to secure jobs or human glories. Today’s liturgy challenges us to testify to the truth because only where the truth is there is love, justice, peace, and joy.

May this Eucharistic celebration enable us to build God’s kingdom of justice, peace, love, and joy by testifying to the truth in all we do and wherever we live. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator