Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this, I was born, and for this, I came into the world to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” John 18:33-37

This coming Sunday is the last Sunday of the church year, which we celebrate as Christ the King Sunday. This is a relatively new celebration, only about one hundred years old. It was inaugurated by Pope Pius XI in 1925 to counter what he regarded as the destructive forces of the modern world: secularism in the West, the rise of communism in Russia, and the growing fascist movements in Italy and Spain, harbingers of Nazism soon to seize Germany. Pope Pius intended to oppose the rule of Christ to the totalitarian claims of these ideologies. By intention or coincidence, the festival of Christ the King also landed on the last Sunday in October, coinciding with the Protestant celebration of the Reformation.

After Vatican II, the festival was moved to the last Sunday of the church year, no longer serving as a “Counter-Reformation Day” celebration. It was also given a more positive reconstruction as a festival proclaiming Christ as “the goal of human history, the focal point of the desires of history and civilization, the center of humankind, the joy of all hearts, and the fulfillment of all aspirations.”

Often the hard facts about our world seem to deny our faith’s picture of Christ as King. Hate seems stronger than love. Conflict is more prevalent than peace. Lies win out over truth. Pain often overshadows happiness. Yet the Bible readings point us beyond the world as it is to the world of faith’s promises.

The festival also enlarges our consideration of the last judgment. Many of our readings at the end of the year and extending into Advent concern the promise of Christ’s second coming and the final judgment.  Christ the King reminds us that the last judgment is not just a judgment on individuals; it is also a judgment on human history.

The dialogue between Pontius Pilate and Jesus Christ in our gospel demonstrates the struggle between the kingdoms and republics of this world on the one hand and the kingdom of God and of his Christ on the other. This gospel reading confronts us with political claims for which we will be answerable at the last judgment. To which kingdom (or republic) do we owe our ultimate allegiance? What do our actions and attitudes say about where we stand?

The One on the throne is the Lamb who was slain. Self-giving love is the agenda throughout his dominion. This is the truth that Pilate is so desperately seeking. May we learn this truth better than he did.