CHRIST THE KING
John 18:33-37
(Homily: Virtually Preached on November 21, 2021)
By: The Rt. Rev. Vicente Salvador R. Ballesteros
Diocesan Bishop, Diocese of Greater Manila Area
Sa araw na ito ay nagdiriwang ang buong Simbahan at ang lahat ng mga mananampalataya ng “Kapistahan ng Christ the King o ng Kristong Hari”. Sa pamamagitan ng selebrasyong ito ay natatapos na ang isa na namang liturgical or Kalendaryo ng Simbahan. Unfortunately, because of this pandemic crisis, we still cannot celebrate this wonderful feast day as we used to. Bawal pa po kasi ang mga prusisyon at mga malakihang pagtitipon ng mga tao hanggang sa kasalukuyan. Gayun pa man, payak man tayo sa pagdiriwang, maging lubos nawa ang ating pang-unawa sa kahalagahan ng okasyong ginaganap, ang “Kapistahan ng Kristong Hari”.
In today’s Gospel: Pilate questions Jesus’s identity: “Are you the King of the Jews?” Sa kuwento ni San Juan, Jesus refused to answer Pilate’s questions directly. To me, Jesus reminds us that our true identity is not about titles, positions, achievements, or even nationality. Papaano ba natin tinitignan ang ating mga sarili at gayun din ang ating kapwa? Natatandaan kong minsan ay may nabasbasan akong bahay. Naroon sa mga dinding ng sala hanggang sa kusina at pati na rin sa hagdan ay naka-display ang napakaraming diploma. Sabagay, hindi sila nag-iisa sa gayong kalagayan. Bagamat hindi natin inaalis ang karangalan para sa sinumang magulang na mapagtapos ang kanilang mga anak, subalit, honestly, dito sa Pilipinas, we give so much weight to positions and titles. The Lord reminds us that a person’s worth lies in who he is and not what he has.
Tanungin ko kayo: Sino ang tinuturing na King of all plants? The Coconut! Alam ba natin kung bakit? Not only because it is a survivor but because the coconut serves all. It is a giving tree, walang natatapon. (Give examples). Let us learn from the coconut that true and generous service is what Kings are made of. Any leader who does not serve, does not deserve the title nor the position. Because true greatness is not in the positions nor in titles but in humility and service. The sad story of our country is that kung kaya tayo napag-iiwanan ng ibang bansa ay dahil sa mga namumuno nating sarili lamang ang iniintindi. Hindi nga ba kaya may mga Pangulo tayong napalayas at inalis sa kanilang puwesto? May mga senador at congresista tayong mga nakulong? Nakahihiya man sila ngunit tayo at ang ating bansa ang totoong kawawa. Kaya nga sa susunod na halalan, pumili tayo ng mga tunay na maglilingkod at magmamahal sa atin; hindi yaong mga taong ang habol lamang ay titulo and “the perks” that goes with it; mga taong ang tunay na interest ay yaong privileged position at pagkatapos ay maghari-harian. Inuulit ko: Any leader who does not serve, does not deserve the title nor the position. Because true and genuine service is what Kings are made of.
Balik tayo sa kuwento. When Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Iyan ba ay sinasabi mo sa ganang sarili mo o sinabi sa iyo ng iba tungkol sa akin?” Kagaya ng tanong niya na, “Who do you say that I am?” “Sino ako sa iyo?” Sa gayon ding paraan tayong lahat ay tinatanong: “Ako ba ay Hari sa iyong paniniwala?” This demands a very personal answer. Sorry but I cannot answer this question for you. Ang bawat isa sa atin ay kinakailangang may sagot sa tanong na iyan. Ayon sa kasabihan, “Ang utos ng Hari ay di mababali.” Ang tanong ko naman: ang kalooban ba ng Panginoon ay sinusunod mo sa iyong buhay? Kaninong kagustuhan ba ang madalas nangyayari? Sa Kanya ba o sa iyo?
Isa sa mga pinakasikat na kanta ni Frank Sinatra ay “My Way”. And I’m telling you now, my brothers and sisters, na delikado ang kantang ito, napaka-delikado! Bakit? Hindi lamang dahil sa marami na ang namatay sa pagkanta nito sa videoke o karaoke bars, kundi dahil sa mali kung ipilit natin ang ganang atin sa halip na ang sa Diyos. It is wrong to insist on our personal ambitions, selfish desires, and evil ways. Para panindigan natin ang “doing it our way; even if it is against God’s will” ay hindi kailanman magiging tama!
It is pointless to profess that Christ is the King, if we do not allow Him to somehow give us directions. It is meaningless to proclaim Him as our Lord, if we do not follow His will and biddings. Sa buhay natin ay hindi maaaring it is just I, me and myself that matters, and to hell with others. Puro “ako” at “ako” at “ako” lang ang importante at ang dapat masunod, kahit pa may masasaktang iba o ma-offend ang Diyos. Should this be your case, come Judgement time, ay sa abang-aba mo. At para sa mga ganitong tao, I pray that they may wake up from these illusions of grandeur and personal ambitions. Life is short, and it is not just about self-fulfillment and self-gratification. Life is self-transcendence, love and mission.
Sabi nga ng isang nabasa ko: “Kung matalino ka, ika’y hahangaan; kung mayaman ka, ika’y kaiinggitan; kung makapangyarihan ka, ika’y katatakutan; ngunit kung mabuti ka, ika’y mamahalin.” The choice is ours to make. We can have it our way, and face the fatal consequences of it; or we can have it God’s way: faithfully obeying His will, receiving the blessings and salvation. Jesus Christ is our true and only King!
(Story about the person looking for Christ the King Seminary: Nakita na ang Burger King, ang Tapa King, ang Goto King, pati na ang Chow King, ngunit hindi makita ang Christ the King.) Baka naman kaya di natin makita ang Kristong Hari ay dahil iba ang ating mga priorities? What are we living for? Ano ba ang agenda mo sa buhay mo? Just for yourself? There must be something or someone aside from yourself to live for; otherwise, you end up being selfish, self-centered, and miserable in this life and in the life to come. Unless and until we live for something or someone greater than ourselves, we will never know what life really is all about.
The Kingdom of God is not something territorial. It is the presence of God in our life, the presence of the values of the kingdom like peace, justice and love in our midst. What have you done to help spread the presence of God in your life? Has the world become less angrier, less pained, less dirtier because of you as the Christ servant? “And now the end is near, and indeed all of us will be facing the final curtain,” as the song goes. My only wish is: Nawa when that time comes, none of us would boastfully claim that we did it our way. But instead, in all humility, may we say, we did it in our King’s way, the God’s way. So, tanong ko sa inyo mga kapatid: Do you want to serve Christ the King? Then Resign. Yes, resign from being the king of your own life. Resign from the values and deeds that run contrary to His Kingdom. Resign from worldly kings you have made for yourself, from worldly kingdoms, and from conquests that hinder you from His Kingdom. Resign now, and sign up for duty for Christ the King!
