The WORD today reminds me that God should always be my king.
As we celebrate the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe, we are reminded through the readings that he indeed is king. In the first reading we see his loving and saving leadership, as a shepherd lovingly leads and protects his flock. The second reading also reminds us of God’s eternal glory, and the love and power of Jesus, God’s only begotten Son. In the gospel we further see that Jesus is indeed the King, though not of this world. And we see how God wants us to live.
God is the king of the universe, but his kingdom does not belong in this world.
God is the all mighty, all powerful and ever living God. The king of kings. However, Jesus in the gospel says that his kingdom is not on this world. However, when he comes to rule, in his perfect time, we will be judged accordingly. By how we served our king. By how we lived
In as much as we are reminded of Jesus’ kingship, he does not want us to end there. In the gospel he says that whatever we do to the least of our brothers, we do to him.. That is a challenge and a reminder to us. Even if he is not the king of this world, even if we do not see him now, he should be our king. We should always remember that Christ is our king, and we should live it.
We should not only proclaim that Jesus is king, we should live it
Since Our king is not physically with us to be served, he wants us to serve others. He wants us to live our love and service for him through others. He may be a king, but he is a loving and serving king. He doesn’t just want to be served. He wants to serve and protect his people, as we see him as the shepherd in the first reading. However, since he is not with us, he wants us to do that to each other. He wants us to be his active hands and feel, to make his kingship more real and more alive.
During this pandemic and after the typhoons and floods, the more we should help. The more we should be God’s active hands and feet in this world. We should do our best, as servants of God, to make his love more real and more alive.
It starts from within us.
God is the universe, but He also wants to be the king of our hearts. He is all powerful, but he does not have power over our hearts and our decisions. God wants to also be the king of our lives. That is what we should work on.
Do we hear God’s voice? Are we listening to his voice? Are we obeying his voice? Who is the king in our lives? Do we proclaim his kingship by our lives, by our actions and decisions?
With our everyday decisions, with our everyday words and actions, we tell him who our king is. We tell him who we are – are we of this world, or of God. May we be one with the psalmist in proclaiming that God is the king – not just of the universe, but most importantly, of our lives as well.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, I proclaim that you are the king of the universe, the eternal and all powerful God. And I proclaim that I will do my best to make you the king of my heart, to make you the king of my life. I will do my best to live for you. To proclaim you to others. To spread your message and your love to others. Help me live my faith and love for you. Amen.
Blessed Sunday!
In Christ,
-g-
Ps
See related reflections:
November 22, 2020
Solemnity of Christ the King; St. Cecilia
FIRST READING
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep. As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep. I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark. I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD. The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy, shepherding them rightly.
As for you, my sheep, says the Lord GOD, I will judge between one sheep and another, between rams and goats.
I myself will look after and tend my sheep. As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep. I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark. I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD. The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy, shepherding them rightly.
As for you, my sheep, says the Lord GOD, I will judge between one sheep and another, between rams and goats.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
R. The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
SECOND READING
Brothers and sisters:
Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through man, the resurrection of the dead came also through man. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. When everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.
Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through man, the resurrection of the dead came also through man. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. When everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.
ALLELUIA
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
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