Solemnity of Christ the King (Cycle C, Year I)
Community Word: Christ’s sovereignty is honored in the way we live and share the gospel.
Theme: We honor the sovereignty of Christ when we proclaim Him our Lord and King.
Promise: “He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
(Col 1:13)
Reflection:
“INRI,” the inscription written across the top of the cross above Jesus’s head for the entire world to see, proclaims Jesus as King of the Jews; a defeated king, however, who could not even defend himself against the insults and mockery of his subjects. They had envisioned their much awaited king to be one of great power, stature, and might, one who would deliver them from the oppression and iron hand of their foreign ruler.
The idea of Jesus, the Servant King, was unthinkable and definitely unacceptable. Such was the people’s unbelief that even among those whom Jesus had ministered to, taught at the synagogue, fed, healed, and demonstrated His miraculous powers to, could not bring themselves to stand up for Him. Were they afraid, ashamed, or simply disbelieving?
Even Pilate washed his hands when he acceded to the crowd’s demand. Like them, he watched Jesus crucified. His position, influence and power were more important to him than following the dictates of his conscience.
The recent super-typhoon typhoon Yolanda rocked our faith as it struck our country with ferocity hitherto unheard of, even in disaster-prone land, leaving scores dead, wounded, homeless, shaken, orphaned, widowed, thirsty and hungry. Amid so much devastation, one is tempted to ask, where was God in all these? Why did He allow this to happen? Is He really king of our land? If so, He must have been napping, or elsewhere when it happened, as someone irately sounded off! People are shocked, dismayed that such darkness, such uncontrolled wrath of nature could overtake a land where He reigns sovereign.
Today, as we commemorate the Feast of Christ the King, how are we to relate to these traumatizing events – the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Bohol and subsequent devastation of Leyte and other nearby coastal areas in the Visayas? Are we simply to stand by watching our brothers and sisters die of hunger, dehydration, various sickness, grief or sense of loss, not unlike the crowds who watched Jesus die on the cross? Are we quick to heap criticisms on what we perceive to be lack, or sluggish response on the part of our government to the pressing needs of the survivors? Like Pilate, shall we wash our hands and condone the lootings instead of actively helping to be peacemakers and participants in restoring order, in our own, even limited way? Where was/is Jesus in Bohol, Leyte, Cebu, Samar, Iloilo, Capiz? Isn’t He in us, who should be more than mere expectators? Who are we in this story, what is our role in bringing help to the needy and despondent?
In our own life and within our own families, have we ignored the pleas of our spouse to change our ways for the better, or the silent cry of our children to be loved, heard and understood? And what of our behaviour in Community? Do we, as leaders lord it over the flock, reject members who do not tow the line, or conform to our ideas and standards, or do we render genuine service to one another for the greater glory? Or are we, as ordinary members and disciples overly critical, confrontational, and uncooperative?
Jesus, the King, is obviously talking. We cannot question the Father’s will because we are only His subjects, although He loves us as His children. Perhaps, this calamity speaks of the Father’s love in a different way, as an opportunity for us to show mercy and love for one another. We do not have ownership of what we call our own after all – our land, our homes, our cars, our possessions, even our life. All these belong to God. He gives and He takes away as He wishes. In His kingdom, we are to exercise the kind of kingship that Jesus exemplified, that of dying to self that others may live, and for the glory of God. Perhaps we have forgotten what His kingship means, and we needed to be shaken from our pedestals and comfort zones. Perhaps we have forgotten to pray and truly look to Jesus’ cross as the seat of His throne of grace.
And so we pray:
Father, in the light of recent events, we cling to Your promise that You will deliver us from darkness and transfer us to the kingdom of your beloved Son. Forgive us. We are truly sorry for having to take You for granted as our Lord and King; for relegating You to a spare tire in case we fumble and make a mess of things, and for putting You last in our priorities and decisions. May Your mercy and grace lift us from the depths to which we have fallen, so that we may once again stand up to declare and allow You to be the true Lord and King of our lives.
Reflection Questions:
1. Have I recognized and repented of my shortcomings, like the thief on Jesus right side, to be able to say,
Jesus, remember me when You are in paradise?
2. Have I repaired the wrong I have done to a brother or sister and made amends for the glory of Jesus?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
November 24, 2013 (Sun) 2Sm 5:1-3/Ps 122:1-4/Col 1:12-20/Lk 23:35-43
November 25, 2013 (Mon) Dn 1:1-6,8-20/Dn 3:52-56/Lk 21:1-4
November 26, 2013 (Tues) Dn 2:31-45/Dn 3:57-61/Lk 21:5-11
November 27, 2013 (Wed) Dn 5:1-6,13,14,16,17,23-28/Dn 3:62-67/Lk 21:12-19
November 28, 2013 (Thur) Dn 6:12-28/Dn 3:68,69,71-74/Lk 21:20-28
November 29, 2013 (Fri) Dn 7:2-14/Dn 3:75,76,77,78,79,80,81/Lk 21:29-33
November 304, 2013 (Sat) Rom 10:9-18/Ps 19:8,9,10,11/Mt 4:18-22
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
