Fr. Louis Birabaluge sx
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST: UNIVERSAL KING
Dn 7: 13-14; Ps 92: 1-2.5; Ap 1: 5-8; Jn 18: 33-37
On this 34th Sunday, last Sunday in Ordinary Time, year B, we celebrate and worship Jesus Christ as Universal King. This feast was established by pope Pius XI in 1925. It was a difficult political time for the world: the fear of another world war. In the celebration of this feast, Christ the King, the Pope wanted to remind all people and nations that Jesus, is the Unique and Real King of all; a King whose kingship is known as love, whose majesty and glory are recognized as “service”.
90 years later, may be never than before, as Christians and member of the human community, we need to praise and welcome the Consoling figure of Jesus as King of the Universe. Day after day, we are all experiencing the world as a family. At the same time, divisions among nations and cultures, rich and poor...are growing. If as Catholics we are happy to have Pope Francis as Shepherd of the whole Church and humble servant of all, we still need at the international and local levels leaders working together for peace, reconciliation and for the good of all the humanity; especially for the weak of our societies. That’s why, in this Sunday, let us raise our voices and say with confidence: “God, may your kingdom come. May your Son Jesus Christ ruler over us. May our political and religious leaders learn from Jesus what is to be a king!”
In the vision of the prophet Daniel (1st reading), on the Son of man was conferred sovereignty, glory and kingship, and all men of all peoples, nations and languages became his servants. What is a vision with Daniel becomes reality in the life of Jesus. By his death and resurrection, he brings all people together. He has brought peace among us (Eph 2: 15-16). In his life, he has shown himself to be a Master who serves (Jn 13: 13-14). He has called all who follow him to be servants of all (Jn 13: 15). This is what we have learnt from him: true kingship is a kingship of love and service.
By our baptism we have listened to the voice of Jesus our true King (Jn 18: 37. In his word and the holy Eucharist we share his life, we share his kingship because he has made of us a line of kings, priests in order to serve his God and Father (2nd reading): our Father. As we have been gifted the sharing of Jesus’ kingship, we thank him. Indeed, we have many examples of Christians, because of their faith, behaving like servants although they are “big men or women”, although they are in “good positions”! We ask God our Father to bless them and to increase their numbers.
Power is “sweet” could we say in our context here. Its temptation is very strong. And no one is immunized against it. The temptation to feel as the “boss”, the ruler of all is always there; not only in the civil society, even in Christian communities. The call of Satan is real in our daily life: “I will give you all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour...if you fall at my feet and do me homage” (Mt 4: 8-9).In confessing Jesus as the Universal King, we are invited to question the “quality of our service”. Am I there to serve others or to be served? Do I use my position to discriminate or to promote others?
Let us pray for ourselves today. Let us ask Jesus to help us to follow him as our Unique King. Let us ask him to give to our world political leaders who behave like servants. Let us ask him to make of our Christian communities places where power is service and love. Lord our King help the Church to be a real sign of your kingdom; a kingdom where hatred is overcome by love, revenge gives way to forgiveness and discord is changed to mutual respect (Eucharist prayer for reconciliation II).
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST: UNIVERSAL KING
Dn 7: 13-14; Ps 92: 1-2.5; Ap 1: 5-8; Jn 18: 33-37
On this 34th Sunday, last Sunday in Ordinary Time, year B, we celebrate and worship Jesus Christ as Universal King. This feast was established by pope Pius XI in 1925. It was a difficult political time for the world: the fear of another world war. In the celebration of this feast, Christ the King, the Pope wanted to remind all people and nations that Jesus, is the Unique and Real King of all; a King whose kingship is known as love, whose majesty and glory are recognized as “service”.
90 years later, may be never than before, as Christians and member of the human community, we need to praise and welcome the Consoling figure of Jesus as King of the Universe. Day after day, we are all experiencing the world as a family. At the same time, divisions among nations and cultures, rich and poor...are growing. If as Catholics we are happy to have Pope Francis as Shepherd of the whole Church and humble servant of all, we still need at the international and local levels leaders working together for peace, reconciliation and for the good of all the humanity; especially for the weak of our societies. That’s why, in this Sunday, let us raise our voices and say with confidence: “God, may your kingdom come. May your Son Jesus Christ ruler over us. May our political and religious leaders learn from Jesus what is to be a king!”
In the vision of the prophet Daniel (1st reading), on the Son of man was conferred sovereignty, glory and kingship, and all men of all peoples, nations and languages became his servants. What is a vision with Daniel becomes reality in the life of Jesus. By his death and resurrection, he brings all people together. He has brought peace among us (Eph 2: 15-16). In his life, he has shown himself to be a Master who serves (Jn 13: 13-14). He has called all who follow him to be servants of all (Jn 13: 15). This is what we have learnt from him: true kingship is a kingship of love and service.
By our baptism we have listened to the voice of Jesus our true King (Jn 18: 37. In his word and the holy Eucharist we share his life, we share his kingship because he has made of us a line of kings, priests in order to serve his God and Father (2nd reading): our Father. As we have been gifted the sharing of Jesus’ kingship, we thank him. Indeed, we have many examples of Christians, because of their faith, behaving like servants although they are “big men or women”, although they are in “good positions”! We ask God our Father to bless them and to increase their numbers.
Power is “sweet” could we say in our context here. Its temptation is very strong. And no one is immunized against it. The temptation to feel as the “boss”, the ruler of all is always there; not only in the civil society, even in Christian communities. The call of Satan is real in our daily life: “I will give you all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour...if you fall at my feet and do me homage” (Mt 4: 8-9).In confessing Jesus as the Universal King, we are invited to question the “quality of our service”. Am I there to serve others or to be served? Do I use my position to discriminate or to promote others?
Let us pray for ourselves today. Let us ask Jesus to help us to follow him as our Unique King. Let us ask him to give to our world political leaders who behave like servants. Let us ask him to make of our Christian communities places where power is service and love. Lord our King help the Church to be a real sign of your kingdom; a kingdom where hatred is overcome by love, revenge gives way to forgiveness and discord is changed to mutual respect (Eucharist prayer for reconciliation II).