Summer vacation was over. The teacher was asking the class about their summer vacations. She turned to little Johnny and asked, “What did you do over summer vacation?” And Johnny said, “We visited my grandmother in Saskatchewan.” “That sounds like an excellent vocabulary word,” the teacher said. “Johnny, can you tell the class how you spell that word?” Little Johnny thought about it for a second and said, “Come to think of it, Grandma lives in Green Bay.”

Come to think about it, what is the real meaning of Christ the King? Martin the cobbler lived alone. His wife and son are dead. Martin has even abandoned God. Now, to escape his loneliness, Martin becomes so absorbed in his work. Day after day, he sits alone and mends boots and shoes for the villagers. One day, a mysterious stranger carrying an old Bible enters Martin’s cottage. The stranger wants Martin to repair the leather binding on this beautiful Bible. Martin agrees, and in the process of mending the book, he reads a few pages. Suddenly, Martin is aware of a voice telling him that tomorrow, he’ll be visited by the Lord.

The next day dawns as usual, but Martin can’t forget the strange voice and the promise. As Martin works on his boots and shoes, he glances up occasionally to the window, hoping to see the Lord walk by. Now, usually Martin’s day is very, very routine, but today, many things are happening. Martin gives his wife’s shawl to a poor young mother and her little baby. He reconciles a woman and a boy who are fighting in the street, and he invites a man into his cottage to get warm. And Martin still wonders, “Where is the Lord, and when is He coming?”

We listened in today’s Gospel that Jesus says, “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Christ the King is a kingship of truth, love, service, and servant to all. We are challenged to be Christ to each other. God did not make us for ourselves, but rather to serve Him and others. We best serve God by the love and care we show others, rich and poor alike. Courage, integrity, humility, and selflessness are demanded of those who would follow the example of Christ the crucified King. As we close the curtain on another church year, always remember, we are not put on this earth to see through one another, but rather to see one another through.