Christ, the King of Our Lives

Once a month, we congregate in Christ the King Parish for a teaching in Couples for Christ. I come to reflect on my relationship with Christ as my King. An encyclical of Pope Pius XI called Quas Primas (latin for In the first) talks extensively about Christ as our King. It was written for the purpose of promulgating the Feast of Christ The King in 1925. I'd like to quote section 13 of the encyclical, "The foundation of this power and dignity of Our Lord is rightly indicated by Cyril of Alexandria. "Christ," he says, "has dominion over all creatures, a dominion not seized by violence nor usurped, but his by essence and by nature." 

What are the things in our lives that are itching for lordship?  We can get a hint on this in the scene of Christ's temptation in the desert (Luke 4:1-13). These lord-wanna-be's can potentially usurp Christ's Lordship over our lives if we do not defend our souls from them: the lords of the flesh, money and power, and applause.  These lords can do a guerilla warfare with our minds and hearts or do a hostile take over if we are open and vulnerable due to a lack of prayer.

Let us shun these worldly lords and declare allegiance to the Lord of lords, the King of kings -- Jesus Christ. When Christ the King reigns in our hearts, all the temptations will lose their appeal. Our fealty to Jesus will save us. Our King will defend us. Jesus is the King crucified who bought our freedom from the worldly kingdom of the evil one. Now that we have been ransomed by the King's blood, let us not waste the freedom given us. Let us bring others to discover the life Christ is offering in His Kindgdom.

1. How are the lords of flesh, money, power, and applause trying to lure you to their kingdoms?
2. What are you going to do to express your fealty to Christ the King? 

At the Lowest Point

We were able to visit Jericho (yes, the one Joshua conquered). As seen in the picture, it is claimed to be the lowest place on earth at 1300 feet below sea level. It's also the oldest city.  North west of the west side bank of Jericho is also where the Mount of Temptation is located.  It is where Jesus was tempted by the devil during His 40 days and 40 nights fast.

In life we go through low places or low points.  Some points in the past we consider our lowest or maybe at present we feel our lowest.

What can we learn from going through our low points?

1. Our life's low-points are tests of our faithfulness.  I can imagine how vulnerable Jesus was while fasting for so many days. He may have been at his lowest physical and mental state. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry (Mt.4:2)  And so the devil comes into the picture to test Him.  Just like us, at our lowest, the enemy comes and tries to deceive us. The devil offers us the deception that life apart from God is way better because of the convenience it offers.  We must remember that it is when we get to our lowest point that we must be most faithful. 

Behind us is the Mount of Temptation

2. When at our lowest, there's no other way but to go up.  When we've hit rock bottom, then we can only bounce back. We can never underestimate the Lord's mercy. If we accept His offer of love through our repentance, then our relationship with Him is restored.  I believe that there is no true success apart from Christ.  On our way up, Christ carries us along with His angels.

3. Christ restores us higher than our previous high-point.  Because of our "low-point" experience, we learn valuable lessons of faith and life. We come back with more wisdom, confidence, and strength.  It is like a line graph that dipped, but bounced back to even a higher point than the previous performance.  What is different now is that we rely on God's strength more than our own.  This is supernatural strength by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Life is a series of high and lows. Our faithfulness is constantly tested and even at times we wander away from God.  Let not our pride blind us from the love and mercy of God.  He alone restores us back to a life of fullness. Let prayer, humility, and hope be our way back to God and our way up towards our life's high points.