VERBUM DOMINI

King of Our Lives

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As Thanksgiving Day approaches it is customary to pause and give thanks to God for the freedom we enjoy in the United States. We recall the first settlers who fled the oppressive rule of the king and who came to this great land to live and worship freely. Throughout history people have revolted against oppressive regimes that have taken away their freedom. These uprisings reveal the irrepressible desire for freedom that exists in every human person.

This Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. We celebrate the Kingship, not of an oppressive ruler, but of a King who brings us true freedom. Jesus is the King who reigns over all creation, who wills to create a Kingdom of justice, love and peace. Whereas some kings throughout history have ruled by the heavy hand of oppression and force, Jesus Christ, on the contrary, rules our lives by invitation only.

You’ve probably seen the famous painting of Jesus standing at a door and knocking. What’s interesting about this painting is that there’s no handle on the outside. The artist’s point is clear: Jesus knocks on the door of our hearts, but he’ll only be Lord in our lives when we invite him, when we open the door. Christ does not force himself into our lives. He loves us infinitely; he desires to be Lord of our lives because he knows what will make us happy, but he will only enter our lives when we invite him.

Why should we even desire Christ to be the King of our lives? Because when we invite Jesus into our hearts to be our King he brings us true freedom. True freedom is freedom from sin, a freedom that enables us to grow in virtue and holiness. True freedom is when sinful habits no longer have power over us.

The Lord is gently knocking on the door of our hearts. He is asking us, first, to allow him to be King of interior lives, of all our thoughts, our affections, and our passions. To invite Christ to rule our interior lives means that we give him permission to transform us from within: permission to transform greed and selfishness into self-giving; permission to transform anger and hate into love; and permission to transform unwillingness to forgive into forgiveness.

Jesus Christ liberates us and shows us what it means to live a fully human life free from the power of sin. As we let him be Lord of our lives, he radiates his presence through us to those around us. We become his instruments, inviting others to walk in his kingdom of justice, love and peace. But Jesus rules by invitation only. Will you invite him in?

Father Michael Najim is Spiritual Director of Our Lady of Providence Seminary, Providence, as well as Catholic Chaplain at LaSalle Academy, Providence.