15-Nov-2016 Dear Friend, The celebration of the feast of Christ our King seems at times to be out of place in democratic societies. If a king is understood to be one who rules with absolute power, this image runs counter to what we consider the ideal government. The readings of this Sunday use the image of a king but with a twist. The king presented is far from a despot, in fact, he is a powerless king who rules with compassion and love. Have a joyous weekend proclaiming our allegiance to Christ Our King! -Fr. Jude Sun Ref. XXXIV Sunday: ‘Worthy is the Lamb! To Him be glory forever!’ 20-Nov-20162 Sam. 5: 1-3; Col. 1: 11-20; Luke 23: 35-43;
In the first reading from the Book of Samuel we hear that though David was anointed King, the northern tribes later acknowledged him as their king. Thus David became king of a united country. His kingship prefigured the universal kingship of Christ. The Church chose this passage not to let us know of a historical event, how David became king, but to stress two important qualities of Christ the King: Firstly, that Jesus our King is “one of us.” We are “your flesh and blood.” Secondly, that Christ is king not of just two of the twelve tribes, not of one nation but of all mankind. Brothers and Sisters of the KingSometimes Americans wonder why the English bother with the monarchy, since the Queen is little more than a figurehead with no authority. Yet within most people there is a wish for a person whom we can look up to, someone who personifies dignity and wins our respect, a person who makes us feel better about ourselves. Many Americans found that kind of a person in the election of John F. Kennedy as President of the United States. He was young, handsome, intelligent and articulate. He was married to a beautiful woman who, it seemed to us, had become his Queen. The White House became known as Camelot. The United States had a family to whom many Americans attributed royalty. But on Friday Nov. 22, 1963 the dream was shattered with the President assassinated. The dream of Camelot was gone and the illusion of royalty was dimmed. All along we had been looking in the wrong direction towards the White House as if it were a palace. We should have been looking back to Calvary because the cross is truly the throne of Christ the King. We do not need an earthly sovereign to give us self respect. Our King is truly royal. His kingdom is not an imaginary Camelot. It is an eternal and universal kingdom, a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice love and peace. Our King is Christ the Lord.Charles Miller in ‘Sunday preaching’ Today’s gospel scene that proclaims the kingship of Jesus is, surprisingly, the crucifixion. Only on the cross is Jesus proclaimed king. There is high drama here, and a remarkable paradox. Those in authority jeer at the notion of the crucified Jesus being God’s Chosen One or the King of the Jews. It is in utter helplessness that Jesus is recognized as king. There could not be a better picture of the kind of king Jesus is than the one pictured in today’s gospel: Luke shows Jesus on the cross surrounded by various people – By Jewish leaders and soldiers who mock him, by thieves crucified on either side of him. Jesus is also surrounded by his friends and his mother who in sorrow watch him from a distance. On the cross Jesus showed the kind of king he would be: One who distributes his gifts generously. He gives and gives without counting the cost. On the cross Jesus showed himself as a king who saves: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” One of those crucified with him demands what he clearly regards as impossible –that Jesus saves himself and those with him. The other thief is the only one who adopts the attitude proper in the presence of a king -to make supplication. He is rewarded with a promise that consoles and strengthens believers down the ages. To be part of his kingdom we have to submit to His loving rule which leads to true freedom. Baptism introduced us to His kingdom; we must see that we are faithful citizens by following in His footsteps, working for the spread of his kingdom by leading loving lives in the service of his people. Though crucified, Jesus was still kingDuring a cruel war, a commander took an oath in the presence of his troops that he would slaughter the entire population of a certain town, and in due course the bloodhounds of war were let loose on the defenceless people. Now it happened that a fugitive, seeking shelter, saw a sight which was indirectly the means of saving his life and the lives of others. He spied a number of soldiers as they broke into a house, the inmates of which they had put to the sword. On leaving they fastened up the place again and one of them dipping a cloth in a pool of blood, splashed it on the door as a token to any who might follow, of what had taken place. Quick as his feet could carry him, the fugitive sped away to a large house in the centre of the town where a number of his friends were concealed and breathlessly told them what he had seen. It at once flashed upon them how to act. A goat was in the yard. It was immediately killed and its blood splashed on the door, scarcely could they close the door again when a band of soldiers rushed into the street and began to slay right and left. But when they came to the blood marked door they made no attempt to enter. The sword –or so they thought- had already entered and performed its work in that house. Thus, while many around were put to death, all inside the blood sprinkled door were saved.- Do we find joy in serving a crucified Lord and King?Gerard Fuller in ‘Stories for all Seasons’ Stumbling block or stepping stoneOnce, two travelers were going through a forest when night came upon them. In a matter of minutes, the path they were following became invisible. In the darkness terror lurked everywhere. To make matters worse, a violent storm broke over the forest. Terrifying flashes of lightning were followed by loud peals of thunder that shook the ground under their feet. Torrents of rain poured down upon them. The trees swayed dangerously. The first man looked on the storm as a calamity. Every time there was a flash of lightning, he looked up at the sky and cursed. The result was that he strayed from the path and got lost in the forest. The second man looked on the storm as a blessing in disguise. Each flash of lightning lit up a bit of the path ahead of him and thus he was able to take a step forward. By keeping his head down he succeeded in staying on the path. And so, step by step he made his way out of the forest. Sometimes that’s the way it is in life, there is just enough light to take the next step, and just enough strength to do the present task. The thunderstorm was the exact same for both travelers. Yet for one it proved to be a stumbling block, while for the other it proved to be a stepping stone. – In today’s gospel one of the thieves cursed the darkness, the other saw a gleam of light through it. The light came from the person of Christ and he decided to appeal to Jesus. “Remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” Jesus moved with compassion said to him in that memorable reply that has brought hope to millions: “This day you will be with me in Paradise.”Flor McCarthy in ‘New Sunday & Holy Day Liturgies’ Won’t you come down, King?A king once fell in love with a poor girl. At first he thought of simply bringing her to the palace and marrying her, but he realized this wouldn’t work since she would soon realize the immense difference in their backgrounds and not be happy. After much reflection, he decided to renounce his kingdom and go and live near her so that she’d realize how deeply he loved her. Shocking one and all, he left the palace. This story –adapted from philosopher Kierkegaard’s original –somehow reveals to us the great love of our king Jesus Christ, who ‘comes down’ that we might be raised up.Francis Gonsalves in ‘Sunday Seeds for Daily Deeds’ The Compassionate KingIn one of his homilies Fr. William Bausch gives us the following insight:Jesus did not have a sceptre but he did have a towel.He did not have people bowing backwards from his presence but he himself bowed instead and washed their feet. He had no army but He did have disciples. He sat on no throne but rather on a donkey’s back. He wore no crown of gold but of thorns.He did not take life but gave it. He did not set boundaries but included prostitutes, tax collectors, foreigners and good thieves in his kingdom. He did not exploit people but spoke sympathetically of widow’s mites, prodigal sons, good Samaritans, and poor farmers. He did not wield the sword but mercy. He said: “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” Jesus is a compassionate King. Shouldn’t we be compassionate?John Pichappilly in ‘The Table of the Word’ Living like an animal but dying like an angelMother Teresa told how one day in Calcutta she picked a man out of the gutter and brought him to the home for the dying. Before he died he said to her, “I have lived like an animal but dying like an angel, loved and cared for.” Mother Teresa remarked on the greatness of a man who could speak like that and who could die without blaming anyone or cursing anyone. She felt privileged to have been able to help him to live out his last hours feeling loved and cherished. Here is a man who had lived through a life of hell who had a luminous death.Flor McCarthy in ‘New Sunday & Holy Day Liturgies’ May we be loyal citizens of God’s kingdom by living for God and his people! Fr. Jude Botelho [email protected] PS. The stories, incidents and anecdotes used in the reflections have been collected over the years from books as well as from sources over the net and from e-mails received. Every effort is made to acknowledge authors whenever possible. If you send in stories or illustrations I would be grateful if you could quote the source as well so that they can be acknowledged if used in these reflections. These reflections are also available on my Web site www.NetForLife.net Thank you.
