Jesus and Mary: The Eternal Royals

As I observed in my previous posting on Royal Saints and Blesseds, Earthly kings and queens and emperors stop being kings and queens and emperors when they breathe their last breath.  However, there are two members of royalty whose reigns transcend time and eternity:  Jesus and Mary.  

 
Jesus is the “King of Kings.”   His kingship was prophesied in the Old Testament.  “His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, upon David’s throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever.  The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!” (Isaiah 9:6).  

 
Jesus’s kingship was foretold to Mary by the archangel St. Gabriel:   “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:31-33).

 
 When Pilate questioned him, Jesus answered him saying, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants [would] be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here”  (18:36).  Indeed, the inscription above Jesus on the Cross read “Jesus of Nazareth – King of the Jews.”   

 
In the 19th Chapter of the Book of Revelation, Jesus is mounted on a white horse doing battle against the forces of evil.  In Revelation 19:16, it is written:   “He has a name written on his cloak and on his thigh, ‘King of kings and Lord of lords’” (19:16).  

 
Jesus’s power is far superior to any Earthly power that ever existed or ever will exist.  With totalitarian governments arising and oppressing in Mexico, Fascist Italy and Communist Soviet Union, Pope Pius XI emphasized Jesus’s kingly power by instituting the Feast of Christ the King in 1925.  This feast is celebrated on the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year.  “When once men recognize, both in private and in public life, that Christ is King, society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony,” wrote Pope Pius XI in his 1925 encyclical Quas Primas.   

 
Christ’s power being greater than that of secular power was powerfully demonstrated by the Mexican priest Blessed Miguel Pro.  Facing execution by government soldiers who were waging war upon the Church, Blessed Miguel defiantly proclaimed “Viva Christo Rey!”  (Long Live Christ the King!). The oppressive government that executed Blessed Miguel is no more but Christ reigns eternally in Heaven and Blessed Miguel is with him.

 
Our Blessed Mother is the other royal whose royalty transcends time and eternity.  Her royal status was achieved after her Earthly life.  After being assumed into Heaven, Our Blessed Mother was crowned Queen of the Universe by the Thrice-Holy God.  Our Blessed Mother is often honored with royal terms, ie. Queen of Peace, Queen of Heaven, Queen of Angels, Queen of the Apostles, Queen of the Knights (of Columbus), etc.  August 22nd is celebrated as the Feast of the Queenship of Mary.  

Unlike most royalty, Jesus and Mary act out of service, love and concern for their subjects.  Both Jesus and Mary work tirelessly for the salvation of souls.  Mary works tirelessly to encourage love and devotion to her Divine Son and the Thrice Holy God.  Jesus has the authority to grant eternal life, something no Earthly monarch could ever do.

Whereas Earthly kings and queens and other royals exercise their royal authority for a limited time, Jesus and Mary’s royal authority transcends time and continues eternally.