DAILY- HOMILY

November 22, 2015 – CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE

Solemnity.   

Cycle B, White

Dn 7:13-14 / Rev 1:5-8 / Jn 18:33b-37

First Reading: Dn 7:13-14  

I continued watching the nocturnal vision: One like a son of man came on the clouds of heaven. He faced the One of Great Age and was brought into his presence. Dominion, honor and kingship were given to him, and all the peoples and nations of every language served him. His dominion is eternal and shall never pass away; his kingdom will never be destroyed.

Second Reading: Rev 1:5-8  

. .  and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead,  the ruler of the king of the earth. To him who loves us and has washed away our sins with his own blood, making us a kingdom and priests for God his Father, to him be the glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.

     See he comes with the clouds and everyone will see him, even those who pierced him; on his account all the nations of the earth will beat his breast. Yes. It will be so. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, he who is, who was and who is to come, the Master of the universe.

Gospel: Jn 18:33b-37   

     Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "Does this word come from you, or did you hear it from others?" Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew?  Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingship does not come from this world. If I were king like those of this world, my guards would have fought to save me from being handed over to the Jews. But my kingship is not from here." Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" And Jesus answered, "Just as you say, I am a king. For this I was born and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is on the side of truth hears my voice."

Reflection:

     The Solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe, was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 to affirm the primacy of Christ and the exaltation of God's rule amidst the encroaching movements of nationalism and fascism. This Solemnity also marks the close of the liturgical year and presents a vision of hope for the ultimate triumph of God's reign at the end of time.

     The Kingdom of Christ is certainly not about dominant claims to worldly power which oftentimes entail violence and greed, pretension and exploitation. Jesus clearly affirms that his kingdom was not of this world: "If I were a king like those of this world, my guards would have fought to save me from being handed over to the Jews. But my kingship is not from here."

     The kingdom which Jesus established on earth during his earthly ministry was pastoral rather than imperial. Jesus showed and lived this in his person. Jesus represented justice, peace and love as the foundation stones of his kingdom: his kingdom reached out in a special way to the poor and the marginalized. His was a kingly self-giving witness of God's mercy and love. The Pharisees and the leaders of the Jews expected an altogether different kingdom of God.

     God's reign surpasses all things and encompasses all for all time, past, present and future, into ageless and endless eternity. God invites all of us to be part of his reign and kingdom.

     In his lifetime Jesus spoke of God's kingdom as being here, "The kingdom of God is at hand, Repent and believe," and yet its full realization and fulfillment was yet to come.

     As we celebrate and affirm Christ's kingship, we ask: Do we accept Christ's rule in our lives in our day-to-day living? What rules our lives? Do we deepen our love for God such that it shows in love and care of our neighbor?  How do we live out life in and with God in our broken world?

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     CECILIA B. GARRUCHO

     JUSTIN EDWARD CHUA TANHUI

     SR. MILA ELENE P. PUNAY, MIC

     ZOE DOMINIQUE L. SALONGA

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     JUDITH & GERALDO L. YU

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     YU LIM GIOK CHANG (1916 – 2005)

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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