“Solemnity of Christ the King of the Whole Universe”

READINGS:   Daniel 7: 13-14   /   Psalm 93: 1. 1-2. 5   /   Revelation 1: 5-8   /   JOHN 18: 33-37

HIS WORD…MY KINGDOM DOES NOT BELONG TO THIS WORLD. IF MY KINGDOM DID BELONG TO THIS WORLD, MY ATTENDANTS WOULD BE FIGHTING TO KEEP ME FROM BEING HANDED OVER TO THE JEWS. BUT AS IT IS, MY KINGDOM IS NOT HERE.

my words… Today is the 34^th and Last Sunday of the Liturgical Year, and is the Solemnity of Christ the King of the Whole Universe. Today’s celebration is a simple reminder for all Christians that Jesus Christ is the crowning glory of the whole of creation. He is the Alpha and the Omega; everything begins in Him and ends in Him. With Vatican II’s Liturgical Reforms, this solemnity is celebrated on the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year to highlight the role of Jesus Christ as the beginning and the end of the Church’s times and seasons; that Jesus is the center of our liturgical and spiritual programs. Every Liturgical Year is the “Year of the Lord”, and that Advent, Christmas, the Ordinary Times, Lent, and Easter are an annual reliving of the story of Jesus, the Incarnate Word (Fr. Domie G. Guzman, SSP, SambuhayMissalette, St. Pauls Media Pastoral Ministry, November 22, 2015).

In today’s gospel episode, Jesus proclaimed that, “His kingdom does not belong to this world” (Jn 18:36) – and this is the nature of Jesus’ messianic kingship; that as King, He has no need of the use of external force. He exercises His royalty in making God known to the world, in bearing witness to the truth, and in drawing to His kingdom those who listen to Him. Here, Jesus is not after anything simply political; He is more interested that the Church works to make Him known and honored in the spiritual and moral lives of all who are baptized in His name. Jesus is therefore proclaimed as King in our lives simply because “He is the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6) for all the baptized. The Kingdom of Jesus therefore does not consist of worldly territories as earthly kings have, but His Kingdom reigns in every person who commits oneself to follow Jesus, to imitate His person, and to live out His teachings in an ever-changing world. His territory or jurisdiction therefore, is the heart of every human being who believes in Him.

Brothers and Sisters, the platform of Christ the King and His Kingdom is LOVE. He was enthroned on the wood of the Cross to remind us every day of our lives that He had showed us the greatest example of great and true love by the sign of the cross where He died; our love to God (the vertical sign) and our love to one another (the horizontal sign). That is why He gave us a new commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you…” (Jn 13:34 and Jn 15:12.17). He then became the Model of true and genuine Love. We simply need to reciprocate this Christian Love to our brothers and sisters. For Love has become the identity and trademark of every Christian, “By this (Love) everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (Jn 13:35). And by this Love, Jesus Christ reigns in the heart of every Christian that qualifies Him to become the “King of the Whole Wide World.”

Viva Cristo Rey!!!

LET CHRIST THE KING REIGN IN OUR HEARTS AND IN ALL PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL…