One Minute Meditation
“Choosing Christ does not guarantee success according to the criteria of today’s world, but ensures that peace and joy that only He can give. This is shown, in every age, by the experience of many men and women who, in Christ’s name, in the name of truth and justice, have been able to resist the lure of earthly powers, with their different forms, until their fidelity was sealed with martyrdom. The Feast of Christ the King is a celebration of relatively recent introduction, but it has deep biblical and theological roots.
It begins with the expression ‘King of the Jews’ arriving then to that of ‘universal King,’ Lord of the cosmos and of history, so far beyond the expectation of the same Jewish people. It is not that of the kings and great of this world, it is the divine power to give eternal life to free us from evil, to defeat the dominion of death. It is the power of love, which knows how to derive good from evil, soften a hardened heart, bring peace to the bitterest conflict, turn the thickest darkness into hope. This kingdom of grace cannot impose anything, and always respects our freedom; Christ came to ‘bear witness to the truth’, as stated before Pilate. Whoever receives his testimony, comes under his ‘banner,’ according to an image that was dear to St. Ignatius of Loyola. Choosing Christ, does not guarantee success according to the criteria of this world, but ensures that peace and joy that only He can give.”
Pope Benedict XVI
