Today’s Inspirational Snippet:“This kingdom, whoever they are and from wherever they are, since “this kingdom is opposed to none other than to that of Satan and to the power of darkness. The kingdom of God cannot exist alongside the reign of sin. Rather we should mortify ourselves which are upon the earth and bear fruit in the Spirit.”
Reflection for 34th Sunday of Ordinary Time. Year C. Cycle II. November 20, 2022
Today is the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Today’s Readings:
2 Samuel 5:1-3
Colossians 1:12-20
Psalm 122:1-5
Luke 23:35-43
Today’s Rosary: The Glorious Mysteries
Today’s Saint Quote:“It is better to be a child of God than king of the whole world.”- St. Aloysius Gonzaga
THE CRUCIFIX AND THE KING
Today is the last Sunday in our current liturgical year, we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe, also known as the Solemnity of the Kingship of Jesus Christ. On this Sunday we commemorate our Lord Jesus not just as our Saviour but also as our King. This does not mean that we owe no obedience or loyalty to any earthly powers, nations or rulers. Instead, we must realise that the ultimate source of all power and authority in this world is the Lord, our one and true King and Master, and all the nations, all the rulers of this world are truly under our Lord’s dominion. That is why we are still supposed to obey the laws of the land and our respective countries, as good Christians are supposed to be, as far as they do not directly contradict the Law and commandments of God.
The liturgical Year C comes to its climax and its close, like every other liturgical year, with this Solemnity. It’s the last Sunday before we begin a new liturgical year with the first Sunday of Advent. It was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925. And in his encyclical on the feast of Christ the King, this is what he says about the feast day. In the first Encyclical Letter which We addressed at the beginning of Our Pontificate to the Bishops of the universal Church, We referred to the chief causes of the difficulties under which mankind was laboring. The readings focus on the concept of kingship, particularly the Kingship of Christ Jesus. The feast is intended to proclaim in a striking and effective manner Christ’s royalty over individuals, families, society, governments and nations.
In the First reading, it declares the joy of the Israelites as they come to David, and they crown and anointed him their king. The Responsorial Psalm likewise proclaims the joy of those who are on the way to the city of King David. St. Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, exults and exalts Jesus as co-creator, redeemer, and royal ruler of the Reign of God, His Father. The Gospel informs us that Jesus is crucified because He claims that He is the King. Although most people ridicule His kingship, Jesus promises a place in His heavenly reign to the repentant criminal who is crucified with Him.
Monarchs all over the world accept homage and valuable gifts from their subjects. Jesus received taunts and insults instead. What kind of King is Jesus? It was the good criminal who through the Holy Spirit acknowledged Jesus’ divine May we always be true to our one and only King of our lives, our world and of all Creation. We celebrate Christ is God, the Creator of the universe and hence wields a supreme power over all things. Secondly, we celebrate Christ is our Redeemer, He purchased us by His precious Blood and made us His property and possession. Thirdly, we celebrate Christ is Head of the Church, “holding in all things the primacy.” Forthly, we celebrate God bestowed upon Christ the nations of the world as His special possession and dominion..
Christ Himself is the Kingdom of God. Christ’s kingdom encompasses everything and everyone. The world challenges us daily to choose the rule of other powers: greed, violence, indifference, cruelty, aggression, etc. The generosity of Jesus’ kingdom is on full display in the encounter between the two robbers and Jesus. Each sentenced to death; one’s heart remains stone cold. The other’s heart is opened. The King of heaven and earth offering His life for the redemption of the world is both taunted and adored. In this sacred moment God reveals His offer to the whole world and how that offer is for all as well as for each of us individually. We too must invite Jesus to be our King just as the Israelites did in the first reading.
How is Jesus our king unless He rules our minds and our hearts? Accepting Christ as our king entails that we live under His rule, that is, governed by His precepts as enshrined in the Word of God. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. This requires us to give up sins. We must not pay lip service in saying that Christ is our King when we seek to do our will and, most of all live, a life contrary to the gospel. We are invited to follow Mary and the women who stood at the foot of the cross. We must stay with Jesus in proclaiming the truth. We are called to be like the Good Thief in confessing in Christ’s kingship.
The Kingship of Christ is the Kingship of love, mercy and compassion, and not of pride, hubris or ambition, unlike the kings of this world. His Kingship is the Kingship of truth and justice, as He proclaimed before Pontius Pilate just before He was condemned to die on the cross. He came to proclaim the truth before all His people, the truth about His love and the truth about how we can be reconciled with Him, but truth is not always pleasant to be heard and understood. Wars and conflicts raged on in this world to serve the purposes of people’s greed and desires, the futile pursuit of worldly glory, wealth and human fame and praise. For the sake of a piece of land, or for wealth and properties, or even for the sake of hubris, ambition and human pride, mankind and particularly their rules have waged wars and conflicts that brought about pain, sorrow and destruction for many.
Sisters and Brothers, let us all therefore commit ourselves today to our King anew, renewing our pledge to serve Him, to follow and obey Him wholeheartedly from now on and honour and worship Him as our Lord and King, and enthrone Him in our hearts, in our homes and in our workplaces, in everywhere we are, as our true King and Master, even as we obediently continue to be good and law abiding citizens of this world, and of whichever states we belong to. Let us all be true followers and servants of our King, He Who truly cares for and loves us His people, and Who has given Himself so completely to us, that we may have life through Him, and that we may be reconciled and reunited with Him, in the glory of Heaven and His everlasting kingdom.
Today, let each and everyone of us, celebrate and praise God for your glorious and triumphant reign.
PRAY FOR THE CANONIZATION OF BLESSED MICHAEL TANSI, MICHAEL J. MCGIVNEY & NNADI MICHAEL
PRAY THE ROSARY & LITANY- THIS IS THE MOST POWERFUL SPIRITUAL WEAPON AGAINST EVIL FORCES.
Have you ever considered Total Consecration of yourself to Blessed Virgin Mary, grow your Spirituality?
PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, you are my King and there is no other. Be the Lord and Master of my heart, mind, body, and soul. May I always seek to do your will and to serve your kingdom above all else.
GROW AS A DISCIPLE Of JESUS; EVANGELIZE; LET THE POWER & GRACE THAT ACCOMPANY THE SHARING & PROPAGATION OF GOOD NEWS TOUCH & TRANSFORM ME THROUGH JESUS OUR LORD. AMEN.
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