Reflection:    CHRIST THE KING
The Catholic Church’s liturgical year concludes this week as we honor Jesus Christ, as King of the Universe and King of all kings.

We should never forget that this supreme title was given to assure and remind us that our God will always be victorious and triumphant over-all, and that “His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, His kingship shall not be destroyed.” (Dn. 7:14)

The solemnity of Christ the King is meant to underscore Christ’s dominion over everyone and everything.  Given the personal freedom and different options we have in our lives, how we follow God’s will for us will determine our final destiny.  How well have we followed God’s commandments?  How well are we living out our covenanted relationship with the Lord within, and outside Community?  Have we been sensitive to the needs of others, most especially to the least of our brothers?  As we acknowledge the kingship of Christ, and proclaim His coming, let us prepare our lives to be true followers of His Kingdom.  Let us always be vigilant and prepared for the unexpected time and hour when He may decide to knock at the door of our lives, and demand an accounting from us.

The coming liturgical season, Advent, is the fitting time to reexamine our lives, mend our ways, and shine the light of Christ into the dark areas of our lives.  The season gives us another chance, an opportunity to start over again and strive to do away with our moral imperfections and insensitivities.  Jesus’ preaching, which began with the beatitudes, concludes with a reminder of what really is essential in our conduct as disciples.  On the last day, He will judge us along the path of His own public ministry – He came not to be served but to serve.  We have to live and give account of ourselves according to the same values He stood for, He emptied Himself to be one with us, “to bear witness to the truth” (Jn 18:37), Are we witnessing to His truth?  The main essence of His commandment is to love others as He has loved us, to do the good and positive, especially for the lost, the least and the last.  On this, shall our lives be measured and weighed by our Divine Judge at the end of time. Yes, our fate depends on how we have shown our love to our brothers and sisters in our lifetime.  As the theme for the week states: “Those who love God and neighbor testify to the truth in Christ.”

For us, our Lord’s second coming should be a time of  preparation, repentance, prayer, fasting and reception of the  sacraments, a time to give priority to God’s will and perfect plan,  for He is about to take us from our imperfect dwelling place on earth and take us to that kingdom in heaven.  With genuine conversion and repentance, we are assured that God’s grace and peace will always be with us – “the Alpha and the Omega, the One who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty”. (Rev. 1:8)

We are exhorted to be vigilant for the coming of the Lord.  He promised our salvation, as we continue to love and serve Him, with sincerity and devotion.  Let us open our hearts to Jesus and let Him fill us with the light of His presence, that the fruit of the Holy Spirit may always be manifest in our lives. May we acknowledge the sinfulness and pride that block the Lord’s coming into our life.  Let us clear the paths, and reform our ways, that none may be lost, except those who, of their own free will, choose to be lost.

Reflection Question:
1.    In what ways can we claim we are living by the same values that our God and King stood for?
2.    Cite incidents in your life when rather than listening to the truth, like Pilate, we force what we want on others.

This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:

November 25, 2012 (Sun)    Dn 7:13, 14/ Ps 93:1, 2, 5/ Rv 1:5-8/ Jn 18:33-37
November 26, 2012 (Mon)    Rv 14:1-5/ Ps 24:1-6/ Lk 21:1-4
November 27, 2012 (Tues)    Rv 14:14-19/ Ps 96:10-13/ Lk 21:5-11
November 28, 2012 (Wed)    Rv 15:1-4/ Ps 96:10-13/ Lk 21:5-11
November 29, 2012 (Thur)    Rv 18:1, 2, 21-23, 19:1-3, 9/ Ps 100:1,-5/ Lk 21:20-28
November 30, 2012 (Fri)    Rom 10:9-18/ Ps 19:8-11/ Mt 4:18-22
December 1, 2012 (Sat)    Rv 22:1-7/ Ps 95:1, 2, 3, 5-7/ Lk 21:34-36

“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ.  Read your Bible daily!”