The Kingship of Mercy
November 23, 2025 – The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Readings: 2 Samuel 5:1-3; Psalm 122, R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.;
Colossians 1:12-20; Gospel – Luke 23:35-43
Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:35-43) There is no greater gift than to hear this from the Lord Himself.
This all too familiar scene in the narrative of the Passion and Death of our Lord poignantly expresses to us the meaning of today’s feast, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. The Kingship of Jesus is the reign of mercy. His Kingship is in the context of a deeply personal relationship with each of us.
This year we celebrate the centennial of the feast, established also on a Holy Year, and as a response to the turmoil of the world then. These are the three points for our reflection.
Expressions of mercy and compassion
The Kingship of Jesus is a Kingship of Mercy. Consistently, he showed this in his many healing miracles and in his treatment of sinners. The miracles of Jesus were not by themselves signs or proofs of his divinity. They were expressions of his mercy and compassion.
The only expression and sign of his divinity while he was here with us, God-with-us, was his Cross and Resurrection.
His Kingship was his victory over sin because we were no longer slaves to sin because of his loving obedience that led him to his death on the Cross. He ransomed us. In the words of St. Paul, “he loved me and gave himself up for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
This victory over sin was also his victory over death. John Donne poetically described this victory, “Death, be not proud… One short sleep past, we wake eternally, and death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.”
The Kingship of Mercy that saved us from sin and death, once and forever, at that moment on the Cross. Despite the seeming metaphysical moment of our salvation, the Gospel describes to us a moment of deep personal encounter between Jesus and the thief. The latter’s encounter with mercy.
The appeal was so personal: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” The response was also deeply personal: “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Deeply personal
A personal prayer that received a personal response. Much deeper than being remembered, Jesus blessed him with the gift of salvation there and then.
What was striking about this assurance was Jesus’ promised grace, “you will be with me.” He was and will always be the personal Lord and Savior of the repentant thief. Not only “you are saved.” It was a deeper and more personal view of our salvation—“you will be with me in Paradise,” i.e., for all eternity.
These are foundational realities of our faith, a Kingship of Mercy that is at the same time macro, the King of the Universe, and micro, deeply personal.
This grace and blessing of our faith was reaffirmed one hundred years ago when Pope Pius XI established the feast as a response and expression of hope in a world of darkness and evil.
The world was recovering from the casualties, destruction, and all the evils of World War I. A world in shambles, as one Catholic media outfit described it, needed a guiding light of hope, which rightly and powerfully was and will always be Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe. How timely that amid the evils and darkness of our world today, which I need not elaborate, but emphasize that it is on a local and global level.
A renewal of faith
In the darkness of the corruption scandal in our country, the self-serving interests of our public servants, the evil of letting the poor pay for their corruption and crimes, we renew our faith in our Lord Jesus, the King of the Universe.
Renew a faith that does justice. This is the gift available to us.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)
These are the signs and the proclamation of the Kingdom to which Jesus added. “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21) The Kingdom truly is now in our midst.
