Homily – Feast of Christ the King – November 23

Scroll Down for the Children’s Liturgy Questions

HOMILY FOR CHRIST THE KING – YEAR C

My dear brothers and sisters, today we celebrate the beautiful and powerful Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. This Sunday is very special because it marks the end of our Liturgical Year. Like people finishing a journey, the Church invites us to stop for a moment, look back, give thanks, and prepare for a new beginning. Next Sunday we will enter a new Liturgical Year with the First Sunday of Advent—a season of hope, expectation, and preparation for the coming of Christ. So today is like standing at a doorway: Behind us is a whole year of God’s blessings. Before us is a new spiritual beginning. And in this holy moment, the Church lifts up one truth: Jesus Christ is King—not only of the universe, but of our hearts.

1st Reading: 2 Samuel 5:1–3 David is anointed king over Israel. But unlike worldly kings, David’s kingship points forward to something greater. His role as a shepherd-king prepares us for Christ, the true Shepherd and the true King whose reign is eternal. This reminds us:
A true king leads with love, protects His people, and gives His life for them.

2nd Reading: Colossians 1:12–20 St. Paul gives one of the strongest descriptions of Jesus:
He is “the image of the invisible God… the firstborn of all creation… in Him all things hold together.” And then Paul adds: “He is the head of the Body, the Church.” This means: Christ holds our lives together. Christ holds our families together. Christ holds the whole world in His hands. And Christ has authority to heal, forgive, restore, and save. His kingship is not about control—it is about bringing everything into peace and unity.

Gospel: Luke 23:35–43, This Gospel surprises us. We do not see Jesus on a golden throne. We see Him on the Cross. People mock Him: “If You are the King, save Yourself!”
But Jesus reveals a different kind of royalty—A King who saves not Himself, but us. A King whose power is mercy. A King who opens heaven to a repentant thief. When the good thief says,
“Jesus, remember me when you come into Your Kingdom,” Jesus responds: “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” This is the heart of today’s celebration: Christ’s throne is the Cross.
His crown is love. His victory is our salvation.

If Jesus is our King, then we must let Him rule inside our hearts and daily lives, not only in church on Sunday. To let Christ be King means: He guides our choices. His words shape our thoughts. His mercy heals our past. His presence strengthens our families. His truth becomes our standard. His love shapes how we treat others. Next week we begin Advent, the season of hope.
A time when the Church asks us to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ— Christ who came in Bethlehem, Christ who comes to us today, and Christ who will come again in glory as King. So today we welcome the new year with open hearts. We say: “Come, Lord Jesus. Rule in my life. Lead me into a holy new beginning.” My dear brothers and sisters, as we honor Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, may we allow Him to reign over our minds, our hearts, our families, and our parish. As we close this liturgical year and prepare to enter a new one, let us recommit our lives to Him. Let us walk with Christ the King into Advent with new hope, new faith, and new love. May Christ reign in us. May Christ guide us. May Christ make us new. Amen. 

Children’s Liturgy Questions

1. Did the people stand watching Jesus on the cross? Yes
2. Was Jesus the only person crucified that day? No
3. Did the rulers mock Jesus while He was hanging on the cross? Yes
4. Did Jesus answer the leaders who told Him to save Himself? No
5. Was there a sign above Jesus that said, “This is the King of the Jews”? Yes
6. Did the soldiers treat Jesus with kindness during the crucifixion? No
7. Did one criminal admit that he deserved his punishment? Yes
8. Did both criminals defend Jesus? No
9. Did the good thief ask Jesus to remember him in His Kingdom? Yes
10. Did Jesus ignore the good thief’s request? No
11. Did Jesus promise the good thief that he would be with Him in Paradise? Yes
12. Did the soldiers believe Jesus was truly a king? No
13. Did one criminal insult Jesus while they were on the cross? Yes
14. Did the rulers say, “He saved others; let Him save Himself”? Yes
15. Did the good thief say that Jesus had done nothing wrong? Yes
16. Did Jesus refuse to speak to anyone on the cross? No
17. Did the people watching encourage Jesus to come down from the cross? Yes
18. Did Jesus tell the good thief that he must wait many years to enter the Kingdom? No
19. Did the good thief show faith in Jesus as King? Yes
20. Did Jesus punish the good thief for speaking to Him? No