The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Sunday, November 23, 2025

Normally, when I have a funeral, the family of the deceased chooses the scripture readings for the Mass, and, sometimes, the family lets me choose the Gospel reading. And, almost every single time, I will choose the passage we just heard, recounting Jesus on the cross forgiving a criminal.

…And I choose it for a couple reasons. First, it gives me a lot of comfort knowing that Jesus so easily forgives a soul who cries out to Him for mercy. The second reason is: I think it gives a lot of comfort to the people who hear this. 


And, before these funerals, sometimes, families will tell me their loved one wasn’t very religious and didn’t seem to have much of a relationship with Jesus. And I’m really saddened when I hear that. But, even so, that man on the cross didn’t have much of a relationship with Jesus either. Not to say that’s what Jesus wants…but how did Jesus treat that man? Very well. Jesus treated that man like he was his closest follower, giving him Paradise that very day. For what? For calling to Him only once. 


Thank God God isn’t like us. His ways are far greater than ours. His love, far deeper. His mercy, beyond comprehension. 


What's also comforting about this passage is that the Catholic Church, which Jesus founded, has chosen that passage to be proclaimed on the Sunday we highlight Jesus as King.


The image I think of when I hear the word “king” is of someone on a lofty throne, distant and secluded from people, in a castle insulated from and unaware of the suffering around him.


What's amazing is Jesus is documented as being anything but that. What’s more is, we might even be picturing Jesus very high up on a cross. But, he wasn’t so high that he was unreachable: From the scriptures, we know, Jesus on the cross was conversing with the people below and beside him. And, as King, Jesus plants himself right in the middle and at the height of human suffering. He's right here with us. And no one was too bad for Him to talk to and then forgive…Jesus reigns as King not from a throne but from a cross; making Himself completely approachable and accessible to anyone who is willing to accept His love.


And our King allowed himself to be humiliated to such a degree so as to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that He died and paid the price for every single sin, so that anyone who turns back to Him in repentance may benefit from His mercy. And because that kind of love is beyond anything we can imagine, it begs the question: Do you realize how much your King loves you?



Scripture readings for this Mass: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112325.cfm

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