CROWNING THE ONE TRUE KING

An Eastern Icon of Christ the King

A SERMON FOR THE LAST SUNDAY BEFORE ADVENT

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West)

Introduction

Good morning! Welcome to St. Alopen’s Church, where we are committed to living out the timeless and transformational truths of Christ in our practical day-to-day Christian walk. Today, in our Western Patrimony, we celebrate Christ the King Sunday, remembering the role Christ plays in our hearts and lives as Lord and Master of all! This last week was full of important celebrations in the life of the Church, commemorating the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple, the life of St. Edmund of East Anglia, St. Proclus of Constantinople, and St. Matthew the Evangelist. We also remember the theme of International Men’s Day, which provokes scorn in our hardened feminist West, but reminds us of the calling to masculine holiness and godly patriarchy, challenging the confusion and perversion of our times.

I will say these things to you now in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Scripture Readings

EPISTLE: Jeremiah 23:5-8

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

GOSPEL: St. John 6:5-14 

When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

Christ the King in Prophecy and Fulfillment

Our Epistle from Jeremiah proclaims the prophetic hope of a righteous King: “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.” This King is not merely a ruler among men but the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises. He is Christ, the Messiah, whose reign brings salvation to the world.

The Gospel reading from John 6 demonstrates Christ’s kingship in action. Faced with thousands of hungry followers, Jesus feeds them with loaves and fishes, revealing that His Kingdom is one of provision and abundance. Yet this miracle points to a deeper truth: Christ is the Bread of Life, the sustenance of our souls. His kingship transcends earthly needs and addresses the spiritual hunger that only He can satisfy.

As St. Augustine writes in his City of God, “The earthly city is ruled by love of self, even to contempt of God. The heavenly city is ruled by love of God, even to contempt of self.” Christ’s kingship stands in opposition to the self-centered rule of earthly powers. His reign is marked by justice, humility, and love—a call for us to live not for ourselves but for His glory.

The Presentation and the Kingdom’s Purpose

The Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as recounted in the Protoevangelium, reminds us that our lives are to be wholly consecrated to God. Just as Mary was dedicated in the temple as a child to prepare for her role as the Theotokos, so we are called to prepare our hearts for Christ’s reign. Her humble submission and purity stand as a rebuke to a world that prizes power and self-assertion.

“And the child was two years old, and Joachim said: Let us take her up to the temple of the Lord, that we may pay the vow that we have vowed, lest perchance the Lord send to us, and our offering be not received. And Anna said: Let us wait for the third year, in order that the child may not seek for father or mother. And Joachim said: So let us wait. And the child was three years old, and Joachim said: Invite the daughters of the Hebrews that are undefiled, and let them take each a lamp, and let them stand with the lamps burning, that the child may not turn back, and her heart be captivated from the temple of the Lord. And they did so until they went up into the temple of the Lord. And the priest received her, and kissed her, and blessed her, saying: The Lord has magnified your name in all generations. In you, on the last of the days, the Lord will manifest His redemption to the sons of Israel. And he set her down upon the third step of the altar, and the Lord God sent grace upon her; and she danced with her feet, and all the house of Israel loved her.” (Protoevangelium 7)

St. Ambrose reflects on Mary’s role, noting, “Let the soul of Mary be in each of you to magnify the Lord; let the spirit of Mary be in each of you to rejoice in God.” In her, we see the model of holy femininity, which finds its fulfillment not in worldly accolades but in faithful obedience to God.

The Saints as Subjects of the King

The lives of the saints we commemorate this week—St. Edmund, St. Proclus, and St. Matthew—offer us examples of what it means to live as loyal subjects of Christ the King. St. Edmund, the original patron of England, exemplified holy masculinity: courageously defending his people and his faith, even at the cost of his life. His martyrdom echoes the words of Christ: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

St. Edmund's death, according to Ælfric of Eynsham, an Old English paraphrase of Abbo of Fleury’s “Passio Sancti Eadmundi” –

"King Edmund, against whom Ivar advanced, stood inside his hall, and mindful of the Saviour, threw out his weapons. He wanted to match the example of Christ, who forbade Peter to win the cruel Jews with weapons. Lo! the impious one then bound Edmund and insulted him ignominiously, and beat him with rods, and afterwards led the devout king to a firm living tree, and tied him there with strong bonds, and beat him with whips. In between the whip lashes, Edmund called out with true belief in the Saviour Christ. Because of his belief, because he called to Christ to aid him, the heathens became furiously angry. They then shot spears at him, as if it was a game, until he was entirely covered with their missiles, like the bristles of a hedgehog, just like St Sebastian was. When Ivar the impious pirate saw that the noble king would not forsake Christ, but with resolute faith called after Him, he ordered Edmund beheaded, and the heathens did so. While Edmund still called out to Christ, the heathen dragged the holy man to his death, and with one stroke struck off his head, and his soul journeyed happily to Christ."

This last week, we also commemorated St. Proclus of Constantinople, who defended the truth of Christ’s kingship during the theological controversies of his time, showing that allegiance to Christ requires unwavering commitment to His truth. St. Matthew, a tax collector and Apostle, also commemorated last week, transformed by Christ’s call, reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of the King’s redemptive power, and that we are to “render unto Ceasar the things that are Ceasar’s, and unto God, the things that are God’s.”

A Western Icon of Christ the King in Triple Tiara, Prophet, Priest and King

A Russian Icon of Christ as Emperor and Ruler of the Universe

Christ Crowned As Emperor, Pantocrator, Crowned with the City of God

Masculinity, Femininity, and the Image of God

This week’s commemorations also invite us to reflect on the divine ordering of creation, particularly in light of the challenges of our age. The world’s confusion about masculinity and femininity reflects a deeper rebellion against God’s design. Yet Scripture reminds us that “male and female He created them,” and in doing so, He made them complementary, each reflecting aspects of His image.

Masculinity, as exemplified by St. Edmund and St. Joseph, is marked by strength in service, courage in sacrifice, and leadership in humility. Femininity, as exemplified by the Blessed Virgin Mary, is marked by nurturing love, steadfast faith, and joyful submission to God’s will. Both find their purpose in Christ, who redeems and restores them to their original glory.

St. Gregory Nazianzen writes, “Man is the image and glory of God, reflecting His authority; woman is the glory of man, reflecting His beauty.” This interdependence points to the greater truth of Christ and His Church, a union that reflects the ultimate purpose of all creation: to glorify God.

Divine Purpose in the Midst of Gender Confusion

The readings today resound with clarity: “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace and not of evil,” declares the Lord through the prophet Jeremiah. This promise was spoken in the midst of exile—a time of uncertainty, loss, and confusion. Likewise, we live in a world that has unmoored itself from divine purpose, particularly regarding the nature of men and women. Masculinity is often caricatured as toxic, while femininity is distorted into mere empowerment without sanctity. But as St. Ambrose reminds us: “The likeness of God is not found in the qualities of body but in the communion of soul.”

Masculinity and femininity are not accidents of biology but revelations of God’s image. Man and woman are called to a divine purpose: to participate in creation, to nurture family, and to reflect the love of the Holy Trinity. The Cappadocian Fathers teach us that the unity-in-diversity of the Trinity is mirrored in the complementary roles of men and women. St. Gregory of Nyssa declares, “Humanity’s glory is revealed in the communion of persons, just as the glory of God is manifest in the Trinity.”

Living as Subjects of Christ the King

To live under Christ’s kingship is to reject the distortions of the world and embrace the truth of God’s design. It is to live as the “called out” Ecclesia, a people set apart for God’s purposes. Fathers, lead your families with Christ-like love and courage. Mothers, nurture your homes with grace and devotion. Children, honor your parents and seek God’s purpose for your lives.

St. Bede, recounting the life of St. Edmund, reminds us that true loyalty to Christ the King requires perseverance in the face of suffering. He writes, “The martyr’s crown is won not by strength but by faith, not by might but by love.”

Called Out for a Purpose

Our vocation as men and women is to reflect God’s covenantal love in our families, communities, and vocations, surrendering to Christ’s Kingship and reflecting it as Lords and Ladies in our everyday life. This requires us to reject the world’s distortions and embrace God’s truth. As Tolkien writes in Mythopoeia:

“Though now long estranged,

Man is not wholly lost nor wholly changed.

Dis-graced he may be, yet is not dethroned,

And keeps the rags of lordship once he owned.”

In Christ, the rags of our fallen nature are exchanged for the royal robes of His righteousness, reflections of His royal beauty. We are restored to our divine purpose: to be image-bearers of God in a world that desperately needs His light.

Conclusion

Beloved, Christ is King. His reign is not distant or abstract but immediate and transformative. In Him, we find our purpose, our identity, and our hope. Let us live as loyal subjects of His Kingdom, proclaiming His sovereignty in our words and deeds, and preparing our hearts for His glorious return.

Final Collect

Almighty and everlasting God, who hast exalted Thy Son Jesus Christ to be King over all creation: Grant us grace to live as faithful citizens of His kingdom, that in the midst of the world’s confusion, we may find our purpose and identity in Him. Inspire us by the examples of Thy saints, and strengthen us to reflect Thy image in all that we do. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the power of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.