This week the Church celebrates "Christ the King" or "Reign of Christ" Sunday. It is the hinge week between the liturgical seasons of Ordinary Time and Advent. It is the time when we pause to reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ kingship before we dive into the mysteries of light and darkness, hope and sorrow. Given the pomp and circumstance that we typically associate with kings we might be expecting to find passages this week that sound, well, kingly. Something glorious perhaps about Jesus sitting on his throne decked out in splendid robes and a jeweled crown. At least a shiny moment from one of the Gospels like Jesus being transfigured on the mountaintop.
But no, we find none of these. What we find instead is a crucifixion scene. A stripped suffocating man wracked with pain. A crowd of mockers spouting out words of hate. A man hanging between thieves speaking blessing and promise to one less fortunate than himself. This is our King.