Christ is Far More than a King
A central meditation in the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises is the call of Christ the King. The idea is to imagine being called by an earthly king and then to see how much more it is to be called by the king of the universe. For the past 100 years, we Catholics have celebrated the Feast of Christ the King, but recent times, in which worldly kings are so unlike Christ’s kingship, make this analogy seem much less straightforward.
I think this analogy still has value, but I now feel a need to nuance it more than I would have done so a few decades ago. Let’s explore what this mediation is, and both the external and internal factors that require more nuance.
The Call of the King
The Call of the King is a key mediation in the second week of Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. This meditation is part of a series in which retreatants explore their own choices in following Christ.
Fr. Kevin O’Brien, SJ summarizes it: “Imagine a call from an earthly leader who has inspired us, and then imagine Christ calling us to join him in helping him to realize God’s kingdom on earth. Does that excite us or scare us? Does it make us hopeful?”
The analogy between a worldly and the heavenly king is clear. Jesus is the heavenly king, but how is he like and unlike an earthly king?
Rooted in Church History
The idea of Christ’s Kingship is well rooted in Scripture and Tradition. 1 Timothy 6:15 refers to Jesus as “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.” Note: the Hebrew language lacks a superlative suffix (like -est in English), so speakers would express this concept simply by doubling the noun. Thus, a more interpretive translation of the Hebrew could be “the Kingiest king and lordiest lord,” showing that Jesus is not only a king, but so much more. We see this same title in Revelation 17:14, which speaks of Jesus’ final victory: “they will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lordsand King of kings.” If he wins victory over all, he is truly King over all.
Throughout history, Jesus has often been portrayed in glory or majesty, sitting on a kind of royal throne. This is seen in works from as early as the fourth century Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus and medieval icons of Christ Pantocrator. . In the 20th century, various Popes brought “Christ the King” to the fore, as a contrast against secular rulers acting unjustly toward the Church. Regnum Christi and the Legionaries of Christ were founded amid this period and take up this idea, repeating the prayer “Christ our King, Thy Kingdom come!” This idea of Jesus being above earthly politics is an important theme that continues into the 21st century.
This background of Christian history points to Jesus as a king, but he must be more than an earthly king. The challenge is how to express that.
Modern Ideas of Being a King
In the modern world, the idea of kings is generally dismissed as quaint and antiquated.
As a Canadian, I am technically a subject of King Charles III, but he has no real power over me: Prime Minister Mark Carney is the real ruler. Kings have been replaced by elected prime ministers and presidents. Rather than ruling for life, these leaders have term limits and must get re-elected, and they are often restricted in their power by the courts or parliament in a way that absolute monarchs are not. With our brokenness from original sin, such limits are likely for the good, but Christ does not have that brokenness, so his rule should be without those limitations.
If we try to replace the king in St. Ignatius’s spiritual exercises with the president or prime minister, his role suddenly seems much less forceful. A political leader holds the position for four years until they leave office… At least in recent times, we have also have had very split elections eating away at the elected leader’s authority: it is hard to think of a Canadian prime minister or US president in the 21st century who was not strongly disliked by at least 25% of those he governed, yet Christ is not that kind of ruler. Christ is loved by all over whom he rules.
Even more than the temporary nature of elected officials, what makes Christ’s comparison to an earthly king insufficient is our knowledge of how corrupt both elected and hereditary human rulers have been, both recently and historically. How can I feel honored to be called up by a man who is stealing money or cheating, in the same way that I am honored to be called by Jesus?
Finally, in the modern world, Jesus’s Kingship has been used in contexts that should make sincere Christians blush. While the phrase itself is simply an expression of God’s sovereignty over the world, in today’s politically charged setting, we need to be discerning, and use it within its proper context.
Jesus, my personal King
I reflected on these ideas of modern ideas of kingship in my own spiritual exercises. While I tried to think of Christ as a king, and despite drawing on the many images available portraying him as such, none were attracting me. There seemed to be something missing.
In my reflection, God led my mind in two divergent directions. I could see Jesus, the humble man of Nazareth, asking me to follow him to his carpentry shop or as he walked along the Sea of Galilee. He was dressed simply, asking me to follow simply, and not appearing kingly at all. On the other hand, could also picture God in a way that extended beyond the limits of normal imagination: as a kind of indescribable power, one that can split an atom, or create the Big Bang. In one case, Christ is too humble to be a king; in the other, his power reaches well beyond one.
I realized that Jesus is calling us to follow him both as a humble man in Nazareth and as the all-powerful God.
Nuancing Christ the King
But there is something different about Christ’s Kingship. The Liturgy reminds us of this every three years (including 2025), when the Gospel reading for the Feast of Christ the King is Luke 23:35-43: the crucifixion. Jesus reigns from the cross. That is not what we usually imagine when we think of a king. However, for us Christians, here lies the real way in which Christ is king: in his victory over death. Christ is king over life and death.
Christ is our King, but a King who is radically different from earthly kings.
Jesus is for every age, and we don’t want to present an anachronistic vision in which he is portrayed as some king from the Renaissance or age of absolutism, with the accompanying pomp and circumstance. He is a king in a way beyond all earthly kings or rulers, but he is also still the humble carpenter who walks with us in our daily struggles.
Knowing him in his humility, we can sense his closeness. Knowing him in his transcendence, we can declare,
“Christ our King, Thy kingdom come!”
Christ is Far More than a King Read More »
