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The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King (B), Daniel 7:13-14

This last Sunday of the Church's year commemorates the last stage of creation, when God will be universally acknowledged as Lord and when the lordship of the risen Christ will embrace everything. The life and mission of Jesus, commemorated and relived in the long series of Sundays in Ordinary Time, comes to its conclusion in the celebration of the kingship of Christ.

To introduce this theme, the Lectionary gives us another Old Testament reading from the Book of Daniel. This Sunday's reading, like last Sunday's, is from the second major section of Daniel, the section that gives us a long series of prophetic visions presented as coming from God to Daniel long ago.

Daniel has been having a prophetic dream in which four horrible beasts arose to threaten the people of God. Then the court of heaven is convened to deal with these threatening animals. To resist them, God sends forth His own champion.

This is where our reading begins. In the dream vision, the author sees the heavenly court. The Ancient of Days, God, is seated on His throne. God's great age is meant to symbolize wisdom, authority, prestige and power. Into the presence of this awesome personage comes one riding on the clouds of heaven. The clouds of heaven are mentioned most often in the Old Testament in the context of divinity. The one riding on the clouds of heaven, then, is one who is closely attached to God. He is a supernatural, heavenly figure. In contrast to the beasts, who symbolized the various enemies of God and the forces of chaos, this figure is "like a son of man," i.e., in human form. The Son of Man receives power and dominion over all nations, a kingship that will not be destroyed.

The Book of Daniel doesn't go on to say much more about this Son of Man, but it is clear that he is a heavenly figure who represents a supernatural power that is supporting the persecuted Jews of the second century B.C. His presence in the heavenly court is meant to teach that God's dominion will overcome every earthly power and that God's enemies will be overcome by a world-wide authority. The coming of this Son of Man symbolizes the ultimate and final establishment of the kingdom of God.

The term "Son of Man" is familiar to us from the Gospels. It is the phrase that Jesus applies to himself no less than 78 times throughout the four Gospels. Our text from Daniel suggests that Jesus was a heavenly personage who would bring about the definitive reign of God.

But the term "Son of Man" is also used in the Book of Ezekiel." There it is used more than 90 times by God to address the prophet. Apparently it was meant in that context to underline the contrast between the frailty and vulnerability of God's human spokesman and the divine majesty of God himself. It seems to stand for something like "poor little creature."

When Jesus uses the phrase "Son of Man" to refer to himself, He seems to be alluding both to His heavenly credentials as an agent of the coming kingdom of God but also to the reality of His human limitation. Jesus is one who rides on the clouds of heaven but also one who is subject to all the weaknesses of humanity.

We see this mirrored in this Sunday's gospel reading (John 18:33b-37). Pilate wants to know if Jesus is a king. Jesus answers that He is indeed a king but that His kingdom is something other than the kind of kingdom that Pilate is thinking of. It is God's kingdom, one that is not of this world. Yet Pilate has Jesus put to death nonetheless. Jesus' human vulnerability is overpowered by the Roman's need for release from this troublesome person.

There is always a dimension of tension in Jesus. He is the Son of God, the agent of the Ancient of Days, the bringer of the kingdom of God, but He is also fully human, fully subject to pain and injury and even death.

This Sunday is the conclusion of the church's liturgical year. Over the past months, the Scriptures have walked us through the public life and ministry of Jesus. Next Sunday marks the beginning of a new church year. On this day, therefore, the church's liturgy speaks to us what one might call the last word. And that last word is that Jesus is in charge. No matter what our current circumstances, no matter what tribulations we may be suffering, the Lord reigns, the Lord is king.

The Son of Man has "an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away."

For reflection and discussion

How has Christ expressed His kingship in my life?

Where/how do I ordinarily experience Christ's dominion?



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	*Overtures* Reflection on the first readings of the Sunday liturgy By Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk The celebration of Christ's kingship The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King (B), Daniel 7:13-14 This last Sunday of the Church's year commemorates the last stage of creation, when God will be universally acknowledged as Lord and when the lordship of the risen Christ will embrace everything. The life and mission of Jesus, commemorated and relived in the long series of Sundays in Ordinary Time, comes to its conclusion in the celebration of the kingship of Christ. To introduce this theme, the Lectionary gives us another Old Testament reading from the Book of Daniel. This Sunday's reading, like last Sunday's, is from the second major section of Daniel, the section that gives us a long series of prophetic visions presented as coming from God to Daniel long ago. Daniel has been having a prophetic dream in which four horrible beasts arose to threaten the people of God. Then the court of heaven is convened to deal with these threatening animals. To resist them, God sends forth His own champion. This is where our reading begins. In the dream vision, the author sees the heavenly court. The Ancient of Days, God, is seated on His throne. God's great age is meant to symbolize wisdom, authority, prestige and power. Into the presence of this awesome personage comes one riding on the clouds of heaven. The clouds of heaven are mentioned most often in the Old Testament in the context of divinity. The one riding on the clouds of heaven, then, is one who is closely attached to God. He is a supernatural, heavenly figure. In contrast to the beasts, who symbolized the various enemies of God and the forces of chaos, this figure is "like a son of man," i.e., in human form. The Son of Man receives power and dominion over all nations, a kingship that will not be destroyed. The Book of Daniel doesn't go on to say much more about this Son of Man, but it is clear that he is a heavenly figure who represents a supernatural power that is supporting the persecuted Jews of the second century B.C. His presence in the heavenly court is meant to teach that God's dominion will overcome every earthly power and that God's enemies will be overcome by a world-wide authority. The coming of this Son of Man symbolizes the ultimate and final establishment of the kingdom of God. The term "Son of Man" is familiar to us from the Gospels. It is the phrase that Jesus applies to himself no less than 78 times throughout the four Gospels. Our text from Daniel suggests that Jesus was a heavenly personage who would bring about the definitive reign of God. But the term "Son of Man" is also used in the Book of Ezekiel." There it is used more than 90 times by God to address the prophet. Apparently it was meant in that context to underline the contrast between the frailty and vulnerability of God's human spokesman and the divine majesty of God himself. It seems to stand for something like "poor little creature." When Jesus uses the phrase "Son of Man" to refer to himself, He seems to be alluding both to His heavenly credentials as an agent of the coming kingdom of God but also to the reality of His human limitation. Jesus is one who rides on the clouds of heaven but also one who is subject to all the weaknesses of humanity. We see this mirrored in this Sunday's gospel reading (John 18:33b-37). Pilate wants to know if Jesus is a king. Jesus answers that He is indeed a king but that His kingdom is something other than the kind of kingdom that Pilate is thinking of. It is God's kingdom, one that is not of this world. Yet Pilate has Jesus put to death nonetheless. Jesus' human vulnerability is overpowered by the Roman's need for release from this troublesome person. There is always a dimension of tension in Jesus. He is the Son of God, the agent of the Ancient of Days, the bringer of the kingdom of God, but He is also fully human, fully subject to pain and injury and even death. This Sunday is the conclusion of the church's liturgical year. Over the past months, the Scriptures have walked us through the public life and ministry of Jesus. Next Sunday marks the beginning of a new church year. On this day, therefore, the church's liturgy speaks to us what one might call the last word. And that last word is that Jesus is in charge. No matter what our current circumstances, no matter what tribulations we may be suffering, the Lord reigns, the Lord is king. The Son of Man has "an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away." For reflection and discussion** How has Christ expressed His kingship in my life? Where/how do I ordinarily experience Christ's dominion?

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