Ezek 34:11-2, 15-17;
1 Cor 15:20-26, 28
Matt 25:31-46.
Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King, which marks the end of the Liturgical season. Next Sunday will be the first Sunday of Advent, Year B. The importance of today’s celebration cannot be overemphasized. It serves to remind us of a few essentials. First, that the God who created us is the sovereign of all creation, human, animals, seas, plant, mountains, and nations, name them! He is all and all, the alpha and the Omega! the source of our lasting hope! Second, Christ Jesus is God’s incarnate, the Son of God, and the King of the Universe. Third, earthly leaders, kings, parents, family heads, heads of governments, bosses in factories and institutions, representatives at the United Nations, in their different roles, in history, that stretches back to the monarchical history of Israel (if we want) are called to be viceroys and imitators of Christ, in his love, kindness, leadership, care, mercy, justice, and righteousness.
In Israel’s history, apart from David, Hezekiah and Josiah, most of the kings were completely out of touch with God’s expectations: obedient, fair, selfless, holy, wise, peaceful, prayerful, hopeful, compassionate, faithful, steadfast, courageous, prudent, sensitive, and covenant oriented, qualities that may be necessary for our leaders today!
The Prophet Ezekiel, in the first reading (Eze 34:11-2,15-17), reminds us that, like the Israelites in exile, when we feel disappointed by our leaders or in our leadership roles, we should draw strength from God, who acts, and loves us as a good shepherd loves his flock. God also tends us as a shepherd tends his flock. God rescues us as a shepherd rescues a lost sheep. He brings us back when we are astray from his paths of love and kindness. God heals us when we are sick, just as a shepherd binds the wounds of his wounded flocks. He guides us in the right paths (Ps. 23), of hope and kindness.
Similarly, Saint Paul while addressing the Corinthians, stresses this hope and trust in the leadership of God when he preaches, “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 (1 Cor 15:20–26, 28). In the Gospel (Matt 25:31–46), the qualities of Christ, the Good shepherd are also in display. He judges with love and prudence. He separates the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the weed. The good shepherd, depending on your area of service, emphasizes what matters, namely, community life, relationship, and common good, visiting those in prison, feeding the hungry, assisting the weak, the thirsty, the sick, and clothing the naked.
Today’s Scripture speaks to us, who daily witness the rivalry among politicians and leaders of different communities and addresses those who have failed in their various capacities as leaders, parents and role models. Sometimes we read from our daily newspapers of corrupt leaders who embezzle funds, who prefer to feed, heal, bind, clothe themselves than the flock entrusted to their care. Some also promote the denial of God’s existence. By doing these, they tend to behave like those bad kings of Israel who were out of touch with God, and with the very reasons they were elected into offices.
Whatever, our leadership roles are, be it in our families, churches, schools, institutions, places of work, in the United Nations, and in the society at large, may we continue to trust in Christ the Good Shepherd, and rely upon His love and exemplary Kingship! Our celebration today should leave us focused on Jesus Christ, draw us to contemplate our Lord Jesus Christ, the King, who reigns for eternity. That our Lord Jesus Christ is King is not a figment of imagination or mere wishful thinking; testimonies to this abound in the Scriptures:
Psalm 24:7. Tells us that He is the King of glory.
Isaiah 9:6-7. Calls him our Ruler, the Wonder Counsellor, Mighty Father, Prince of Peace whose kingdom will have no end!
Zecharia 9:9. Calls Him our King that rides humbly, triumphantly and victoriously on a donkey.
Zecharia 14: 9. Calls Him the King of all the earth.
Matthew 2:2. Calls Him the King of the Jews.
Luke 1: 33. Says that His kingdom will have no end.
Luke 23:38. His executioners confirmed Him as the King of the Jews.
John 1: 49. Calls Him the King of Israel.
Rev.17:14. Calls Him Lord of Lords, King of Kings.
The King we are acknowledging and worshipping today is very much unlike the earthly kings. His Kingdom is also very much unlike the Kingdoms of the earth. Earthly Kings slept on costly beds and sat of expensive chairs, but Jesus our Lord and King had nowhere to lay his head (Luke 9:58) and the cross was His throne (Luke 23:32-38; John 19:23). People serve and die for earthly kings, but Jesus the King came not to be served, but to serve and also gave his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). Earthly kings obtain resources from their subjects but Jesus our King fed the people with bread and fish (Matt.14:15- 21) and went further to give them his body and blood to sustain them in their journey to eternity (Matt. 26:26-28). Earthly Kings fight and destroy their enemies but Jesus our King forgave his executioners establishing that they didn’t know what they were doing? (Luke23:34).
Like the Jews of Christ’s time, are some of us not really carried away by what we see in this present world? Some Jews of Christ’s time represent the modern-day materialists who believe that everything ends here on earth. This is a grave mistake because, the kingdom of this world will pass away but Christ’s reign and kingdom is eternal.
Christ, the Universal King, is a role model to all kings, rulers, presidents, decision makers, and leaders. He cares, loves and lives in peace with his people. He does not rule with iron fists, military might, or financial strength. He is a good Shepherd, a just judge and a compassionate king. He is the only king who treats us as his brothers, sisters and, friends.
Jesus Christ has always been a sign of contradiction, as much today as when He came to earth more than two thousand years ago. There are those who ignore Him or even hate Him. And there are those who love him unconditionally. There are those who only go to him when they have problems because they think that He will resolve them, and there are those who love Him and who follow Him, despite their problems, without asking for anything or blaming him for anything, giving of themselves to him. There are those who show that they always have Christ in their hearts and in their minds. They always talk to everyone about him, and there are those who say they are Christians, they even think they are good Christians, but they never show it. They never talk about Jesus. They not only do not talk about him, they do not follow him.
Is it not true that today, in our modern world, there are so many oppositions to the truth? People always try to suppress the truth and all those who stand for the truth. As a result, there is anarchy and oppression witnessed not only in the religious arena but also in the socio-political sphere. Men have assumed the place of God as supreme legislators and try to impose their will on others rather than obey God’s will. While politicians impose their wrong ideology on people through their bad governance, some religious fundamentalists are terrorising places in the name of conquering territories for God. Our generation has dethroned God and enthroned science and technology. We now listen to politicians and celebrities rather than listen to God. Our morality is a secular morality that lacks the consciousness of God. For this reason, as Christians we should fight for the reign of Christ.
In our world today, there are many distracting kings and kingdoms springing up everywhere. In our contemporary human society money for instance has constituted itself as a king as many run after it as if their lives came from it. The same is applicable to immorality, fashion, family, relationship, technology and other forms of materialism. All over the world people give “101%” attention to these temporal kings and kingdoms to the detriment of the required attention to Jesus Christ the King.
It is most regrettable that the only time most people remember that Jesus Christ is the most powerful King is when they go through some deplorable experiences wherein other useless kings and kingdoms fail them. At such time they “order” Jesus Christ to intervene immediately and confront their situation. When the challenge is over they tend to drop Him by the side until yet another time. That is why people merely call him a helper, provider, sustainer, rewarder etc. But he is beyond all these. He is our HELP, PROVISION, REWARD, SALVATION, SUSTENANCE etc.
Drawing from the above we discover that we cannot put a limit to what Jesus Christ our King can do for us and with us. If you read the encounter between Moses and God in Exodus (3:14ff) you will find out that when Moses asked God “who should I tell that sent me?” God said to him tell them that “I AM” sent you. This is actually an open withdrawal cheque which God left for us. God did not say I am the protector for instance so that all He owes us would be to protect and nothing more. But He said “I Am…….” And left blank spaces for you to add whatever you desire from him. It is from this that we understand Jesus expanding into various areas like: “I am the way, I am the light of the world, I am the truth, I am the resurrection. I am the life, I am the good Shepherd” etc.
As we go out to proclaim Jesus Christ the King of kings and Lord of lords, let us remember that this proclamation must surpass mere verbalization. It must resonate with our lives. We must allow our Lord Jesus Christ to reign in our lives. The little and useless kingdoms in our world would all pass away; they are incomparable with the eternal Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ which should be our utmost concern and focus!
No comments:
Post a Comment