The Gospel used today, to explain the Kingship of Jesus marks the return of Satan at the end of Christ’s Ministry. We are very aware of how Satan tempted Jesus at the beginning of His ministry, when after forty days there were the three temptations, one of which was to make Jesus the King of all the world if He would only swear allegiance to the tempter. In today’s Gospel we have the three mockings.  The first is the rulers, who fail to see the Crucifix as the throne it has become as they scoff ‘If he is the Christ of God let him save himself.’ The soldiers’ parody the royal cup bearers offering Jesus sour wine saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.’ Even one of the other criminals on the cross next to Him, had a go ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.’ There was also the mocking notice pinned to the cross stating ‘This is the King of the Jews.’ This notice was meant to demonstrate the power the Romans exercised throughout their empire; where they slaughtered existing rulers and put their own puppets in place. If they would do this to a king, what would they do to anyone else who wanted to challenge their authority.

As Jesus said during his interrogation by Pilate, His is not a kingdom of this world. The other criminal was inspired by the Holy Spirit to recognise this and asked Jesus to remember him when He came into his Kingdom. Jesus gave the criminal the reprieve of all reprieves. He started the day a condemned man, he finished it with an assurance that he would join Jesus in paradise.

This encounter has been described as ’the moment of revolution in human history. The moment of revelation, when we see the sin of the world in all its sneering thuggery doing its best to crush love and we see at the same time the forgiveness of God offered to humanity.’[1] What looks like the man Jesus being executed on the Cross, is at the same time the Divine Jesus conquering death. The serpent’s head is being crushed. Jesus is not like an earthly king. He is the Universal King; He is the Word who brought the Earth into being. Now as He hangs on the Cross, He asks His Father to forgive those who are killing Him. Right to the end of His life, Jesus is showing us how to live. In the prayer He gave us, He said ‘Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven…. forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.’ As He prepared to go to His Father’s Kingdom, He was still forgiving.

In the second reading, St Paul tells us that Jesus is the first born of all creatures and is the image of the invisible God. He highlights that Jesus’ ministry was all centred around love and the forgiveness of sins. The Cross is the ultimate sign of Christ’s love for us.

During a discussion at RCIA recently one of the participants relayed a conversation they had around what Jesus was thinking in the Garden of Gethsemane. If you remember this was a time when He sweated blood, knowing what He was about to go through. The answer really hit home for me when he said, during the Passion, Jesus was thinking about you and me. He disregarded the pain He was going to suffer; all of His focus was on fulfilling the wishes of His Father to save you and me. So that we can become like Him and enter His Kingdom.

In the Preface for today’s Mass we are told what His Kingdom is like, ‘a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace.’ This is a kingdom which we are all called to build up in this life before we reach fulfilment in the next. The Gospel today tells us that the Cross was not the end for Jesus. Jesus turned the world upside down, the Cross became His throne, something we need to remember, be grateful for and be prepared to accept the crosses we are asked to carry. The crosses we carry are our route to heaven, we need to carry our burden obediently just as Jesus did; and fulfil the will of the Father.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Solemnity of Christ the King: Christ the origin and goal of history

CCC 440, 446-451, 668-672, 783, 786, 908, 2105, 2628: Christ as Lord and King
CCC 678-679, 1001, 1038-1041: Christ as Judge
CCC 2816-2821: “Thy Kingdom Come”[2]

Please remember in your prayers

  • All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
  • Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
  • All people affected by war and that international treaties for the protection of non-combatants and civilians are respected and adhered to.
  • All those attending the RCIA programmes
  • Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
  • The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
  • Success of the Pastoral Area Course “Mary – A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother.”
  • The souls in Purgatory, especially those with no one to pray for them.
  • Craig & Bob who will be Confirmed in the Catholic Church this Sunday at St Bede’s.
  • Santiago, Natalia and Uriel who will be baptised at St Bede’s Church this Sunday.

Deacon Tony

22nd November 2025.

[1] Maria Power and Raymond Friel, Breaking the Word Sundays, The Pastoral Review Vol 21 Issue 4. [The Tablet Publishing Company, London 2025]81.

[2] Homiletic Directory, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments