In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Beloved children of the Most High,
On this radiant day, the Holy Church of the Nations lifts up her voice in sacred remembrance of the servant of God, Haile Selassie, Elect of God and Defender of the Faith, whom Divine Providence raised upon the ancient throne of David and Solomon, to shepherd the Ethiopian land under the banner of the Cross.
For as in former days the Lord anointed kings in Zion, so did He ordain that His servant Haile Selassie should bear the crown not for his own glory, but as an image of the true and eternal Kingship of Christ our God, who reigns forever from the heavenly Jerusalem.
Behold, brothers and sisters, the mysteries hidden from the foundation of the world are made manifest in the life of this noble sovereign. In tribulation, he did not waver; in exile, he called upon the Lord; in restoration, he magnified the Name of the Most High. Like the righteous Joseph in Egypt, like the Prophet Daniel in Babylon, he stood in foreign courts and bore witness to justice and to the law of the Almighty. His words before the assembly of the nations remain as a trumpet sounding across the ages, calling the rulers of this world to account before the Throne of the Eternal Judge.
And yet, in all his might and majesty, Haile Selassie clothed himself with humility, remembering that power belongs not to princes, but to the Lord of Hosts. He sought not his own exaltation but the welfare of his people, advancing education, tending to the poor, and upholding the Apostolic Faith entrusted to Ethiopia since the days of Saint Frumentius, the first bishop of Aksum.
As the King of Kings and Lord of Lords descended to serve, so too did Haile Selassie labor as a servant of his people. For truly, he understood the words of the Master: “He who would be greatest among you must be servant of all.”
Let us, therefore, O faithful, not look only to the splendor of earthly crowns, but to the heavenly virtue which this servant of God bore in his heart. In honoring him, we honor the mystery of divine kingship, which foreshadows the Kingdom to come, where Christ shall reign in justice, mercy, and peace.
Through the prayers of Haile Selassie, may the Lord grant us to walk in the royal way of humility, righteousness, and steadfast faith, unto the ages of ages.
Amen.
