The Solemnity of Christ the King

Matthew 25:31-46 comes to us at the climax of a series of parables on judgment. Here, the Son of Man is depicted with images drawn from Ezekiel as the King-Shepherd who judges "between one sheep and another, between rams and goats. (Ezekiel 34:17)". The criteria used for judgment are acts of kindness to those who are deprived.

Relevant Links

Judging Over Sheeps and Goats
Sunday Thoughts: Sunday 34 OT A: Love, Solidarity and Judgment

Guide For Reading

Read Matthew 25:31-56 and try to answer the following questions

1. Identify the main characters of the story.
2. Compare the present story with the preceding parables of the faithful servants, the virgins and the talents: what elements do you find in common? which are different?
3. How does Matthew use the phrase "Son of Man"? (Hint: See the references in this article)
4. What criteria of judgment does the King use in deciding which are to be considered "blessed" or "accursed"?
5. Who are the "least of my brothers"?
6. Why does it matter to the King that one should treat with kindness the "least of my brothers"?
7. On the basis of Matthew 25:31-46, what is another meaning for "eternal life"? "eternal punishment?" What do these two phrases mean in the parable of the virgins? parable of the talents?

Comparing the Readings

The first reading, taken from Ezekiel 34, coincides well with the king who comes as a shepherd who judges between sheeps and rams. But he comes not only to judge but to care for the sheep that has been neglected. The responsorial psalm, takent from the well known Psalm 22 expresses confidence in the Shepherd. In the selection from 1 Cor. 15, focus is placed on the kingship of Christ, which is also the victorious reign of life over death.

For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. (1 Corinthians 15:22-25)

Suggestions for the Lesson

There are three ideas in the gospel selection that one can profitably insist on:

1. Christ’s identification with "the least" understood as the poor, the deprived, the emarginated, which can be used as the premise for explaining the moral principles of solidarity and the preferential option for the poor and the weak.
2. The idea of Christ’s reign over men just as Pius XI illustrated it in Quas primas, no. 7

It has long been a common custom to give to Christ the metaphorical title of "King," because of the high degree of perfection whereby he excels all creatures. So he is said to reign "in the hearts of men," both by reason of the keenness of his intellect and the extent of his knowledge, and also because he is very truth, and it is from him that truth must be obediently received by all mankind. He reigns, too, in the wills of men, for in him the human will was perfectly and entirely obedient to the Holy Will of God, and further by his grace and inspiration he so subjects our free-will as to incite us to the most noble endeavors. He is King of hearts, too, by reason of his "charity which exceedeth all knowledge." And his mercy and kindness which draw all men to him, for never has it been known, nor will it ever be, that man be loved so much and so universally as Jesus Christ. But if we ponder this matter more deeply, we cannot but see that the title and the power of King belongs to Christ as man in the strict and proper sense too. For it is only as man that he may be said to have received from the Father "power and glory and a kingdom," since the Word of God, as consubstantial with the Father, has all things in common with him, and therefore has necessarily supreme and absolute dominion over all things created.¹ (Source)

The reign of Christ spreads over both the private and public realms, therefore, and is the main reason why the Church cannot allow itself to be limited to the private domain in the profession of her faith.
3. Nn. 1 and 2 above taken together justifies the Church’s commitment towards the building-up of a just society — the City of God — where men can experience the peace that only Christ can give. I have listed some statements from Gaudium et spes and the Catechism of the Church relevant to this idea. See this article.