LAST SUNDAY- IN ORDINARY TIME –A

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, UNIVERSAL KING

SOLEMNITY

CHRIST THE KING

I Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-12.15-17: As for you, my sheep, I will judge between sheep and sheep.

II Reading: Corinthians 15:20-26.28: He will hand over the kingdom to God the Father, so that God may be all in all.

Gospel: Matthew 25:31-45: He will take his seat on the throne of glory, and he will separate men one from another.

Today we celebrate Christ the universal king. He did not claim to be only the king of the Jews. His kingdom was not to be an exclusive one. He is the king of all who are on the side of truth and listen to his voice.

Christ, our king, belongs to our human family: King David, a symbol of Christ the King. The prophet Daniel tells us that “he saw one like a son of man coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Dan 7:13)

Christ is king of the universe: St Paul writes to the Christians of Colossae:

a) Christ is king of the universe, “in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, everything visible and everything invisible” (Col 1:16). Through him all things were made; not one thing had its being but from him (Col 1:3). Christ holds all things in unity (Col 1:17).

b) Christ is our king because he redeemed us: “God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved.” (Jn 3:17; Col 1:13-14, 20)

The kind of king that Jesus is: Luke shows Jesus on the cross surrounded by various people; by the Jewish leaders, soldiers, two thieves and Jesus’ mother, disciple and friends.

a) On the cross, Jesus shows himself as a king who distributes his gifts most generously (Lk 23:34, 43; Jn 19:26).

b) On the cross, Jesus shows himself as a king who saves.

We must accept the gifts of pardon and salvation which Jesus, our king, so generously offers: Jesus wants to reign through love, not by force. (Lk 23:41-43; 19:14).

Christ is a powerful king; his power will last forever: In the book of Revelation, Jesus is given the titles, and (Ruler of the kings of the earth” (Revelation 1:5), “King of the kings and Lord of Lords.” (Rev 19:16).

Jesus told the apostles: “All power has been given to me in heaven and on earth” (Mt 28:18). It will never end is the quality of Jesus’ power. The angel announced to Mary that she had been chosen to be the mother of the redeemer, he said her Son to be: “His kingdom will have no end” (Lk 1:33). The angel confirmed the prophecy of Daniel which was to be fulfilled in Jesus: “His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty which shall never pass away, nor will his empire ever be destroyed” (Dan 7:14).

The Book of Revelation says the same thing and puts on Jesus’ lips the following words: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the one who is, who was and who is to come” (Rev 1:8). “Everything starts from me and ends up in me, I was before anything existed and I will continue to be after everything ends.”

Christ our king loves us: he died for us and shares with us whatever he possesses: on the night of his passion, Jesus said to his apostles: “A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). The Book of Revelation reminds us “Christ loved us and has washed away our sins with his blood” (Rev 1:5).

No king was ever as generous as Jesus:

a. He shares his life with us.

b. He shares his own body and blood in the Eucharist.

c. He shares his own priesthood. The Book of Revelation tells: Jesus made us priests to serve his God and Father (Rev 1:6). Since we are priests, our whole life can and should be “a holy sacrifice truly pleasing to God (Rom 12:1)

d. Jesus shares his own joy: “My own peace I give you” (Jn 14:27). “I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they may always see the glory you have given me” (Jn 17:24).

Hence Jesus is our true king and the king of the universe.

Jesus’ kingdom is described as:

·        A kingdom of truth and of life,

·        A kingdom of holiness and grace,

·        A kingdom of justice, of love and of peace.

Jesus was right when he told Pilate that his was not like the kingdoms of this world:

·        Where falsehood reigns and lives are destroyed,

·        Where sin abounds,

·        Where injustice and hatred bring in wars without number.

We must praise our king, Jesus and be grateful to him:

·        For having brought us into his kingdom and made us members of his own royal family,

·        For having loved us through his own suffering and sacrifice of life for our salvation,

·        For having given us his love, peace, joy on earth and glory in heaven.

We have good reasons to rejoice on this feast of Christ the king of the universe and we shall rejoice in heaven at seeing him as he is, so great, so powerful and so loving.

Thought: Christ’s loving rule leads to true freedom. No earthly king was ever so magnanimous as Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Baptism introduced us into Christ’s kingdom; living with Christ, suffering with Christ, dying with Christ and rising with Christ.

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SATURDAY- 33^rd  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –A

Gospel: Luke 20:27-40: He is God, not of the dead, but of the living.

I Reading: Apocalypse 11:4-12: These two prophets have been a plague to the people of the world.

The Question of the Resurrection:

The Two Worlds (Earth & Heaven) Differ, Lk 20:27-38

Jesus distinguished between this world (earth) and the other world (heaven) and they differ drastically. Jesus used the attack of the Sadducees to discuss the differences.

1. The Sadducees, the liberal minded, tried to discredit Jesus (v.27-33)

a. They referred to Levite marriage

b. They referred a logical situation

c. They asked an egotistical and blind question

2. Marriage is different (v.34-35)

a. This world: there is marriage

b. Next world: there is no marriage

3. Entrance is different: must be countered worthy (v.35)

4. Death is different: no longer can die (v.36)

5. Personal being (nature) is different (v.36)

a. Are like angels

b. Are children of God

6. Life is different: it is a resurrected life (v.37-38)

a. It is life after death

b. Illustrated by Moses

c. Purpose: To live for God

Thought: God is not the God of the dead but of the living (Rom 14:7-9; Acts 26:8; 24:15).

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FRIDAY- 33^rd  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –A

Gospel: Luke 19:45-48: You have turned the house of God into a robber’s den.

I Reading: Apocalypse 10:8-11: I took the book and swallowed it.

The Cleansing of the Temple: The Religious Anger of Jesus, 19:45-48

Jesus’ anger is seen at the abuse of God’s temple. The believers and the church is the temple of God (1Cor 6:19-20; 3:16-17). Jesus proclaims the church to be God’s, to be His holy temple. The church is the place that is set apart for prayer, worship and communion with God. Now Jesus cleanses the temple, how?

1. How Jesus cleansed the temple: drove people out (v.45)

a. Those who profaned

b. Those who exploited

2. Why he cleansed the temple (v.46)

a. The place of his presence and dwelling

b. The place of prayer

c. The place for teaching the Word of God

3. The result of his cleansing the temple (v.47-48)

a. The leaders: sought to destroy him

b. The people: listened to him attentively

Thought: The leaders were making the two mistakes:

i. They were letting their greed keep them from Christ (1Tim 6:10;James 5:3; Prov 16:8; Jer 17:11)

ii. They were letting their self-confidence and self-righteousness keep them from Christ (Mt 7:21; Mk 7:6; Titus 1:16; Hosea 10:13; Oba 1:3-4).

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THURSDAY- 33^rd  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –A

Gospel: Luke 19:41-44: If you had only understood the message of peace!

I Reading: Apocalypse 5:1-10: The Lamb was sacrificed, and with his blood he bought men of every nation.

The Dramatic Prediction: Judgement Upon Jerusalem, Lk 19:41-44

This is about the prediction of Jerusalem’s terrible fate and the compassion of Jesus for people doomed to utter destruction. The truth, Scripture is God’s Word that sin dooms a nation, but righteousness exalts a nation and its people.

1. The great love of Jesus for the city (v.41-42)

a. He wept over the city

b. The city had rejected the way of peace; that is, it rejected the Messiah

2. The terrible fate of the city foretold (v.43-44)

a. Was to be encircled

b. was to be utterly destroyed

c. was to be personally judged

3. The cause of the city’s doom (v.44)

(19:41-48) Another Outline: A Look at Jesus

1. The compassion of Jesus (v.41-44)

2. The anger of Jesus (v.45-46)

3. The courage of Jesus (v.47-48)

Thought: Jesus was weeping over the city and its people, weeping because they did not know the way of peace. The people closed their eyes to Jesus and His message of peace. They refused to see Jesus therefore God turned over to their blindness and Jerusalem is doomed to fall as the fate of a nation.

Peace in Greek (eriene) means: to bind together, to join and weave together. It means that one is bound, woven, joined together with himself and with God and with others.

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WEDNESDAY- 33^rd  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –A

Gospel: Luke 19:11-28 : Why did you not put my money in the bank?

I Reading: Apocalypse 4:1-11: Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty; he was, he is and he is to come.

The Parable of the Pounds or Ten Minas:

Every Man is Being Tested, Lk 19:11-27

The Lord trusts us; He believes in us. He gives us gifts and responsibilities to look after until He returns. He longs for us to be faithful and diligent in doing our duty, and He is going to greatly reward those who are faithful. But he is going to severely judge those who do nothing to help a lost and needful world (Mt 25:14-30).

1. Jesus tried to correct a wrong idea about the kingdom of God (v.11)

2. He went to a distant country to receive a kingdom, but He will return (v.12)

3. He insisted: work until I come (v.13)

4. The citizens of the world hate Him and reject His rule (v.14)

5. His servants are to be rewarded according to the percent of their labor (v.15-23)

a. The believer who works 500 percent receives 500 percent

b. The believer who does not work receives nothing

6. The servant who labours 1000 percent will be given the reward of the unfaithful plus his own reward (v. 24-26)

a. Other servants wonder why

b. Because the servant was so faithful-ever increasing, 1Cor 15:58

7. The citizens who are enemies of His rule are to be slain (v.27)

Thought: Every believer is called and gifted by Christ to serve ( Rom 12:3f; 1 Cor 12: 7f; Eph 4:11f).

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TUESDAY- 33^rd  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –A

Gospel: Luke 19:1-10 : The Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.

I Reading: Apocalypse 3:1-6.14-22: If one of you opens the door, I will come in to share his meal.

The Conversion of Zacchaeus: The Meaning of Conversion, Lk 19:1-10

The man had a great hope to meet God face to face so he tried his best to see Jesus as his real need in life.

1. Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector-a man who was very rich (v.1-2)

2. First, being desperate to see Jesus: Who He is

a. He was thrust back

b. He persisted

3. Second, receiving the invitation of Jesus (v.5-6)

a. Jesus saw him

b. Jesus called him by name

c. Jesus asked to be received

d. Zacchaeus obeyed

4. Third repenting, that is, changing one’s whole way of life (v.7-8)

a. He was a sinner

b. He repented, changed his life

5. Fourth, looking to Jesus as the Saviour (9-10)

a. The One who proclaims salvation

b. The One who seeks and saves the lost

Thought: Zacchaeus completely turned around from his sinful life to God and His way of righteousness by giving half his possessions to the poor. He did exactly what Jesus had said and he did exactly what the rich young ruler had refused to do (Lk 18:18-24). He gave back to those whom he had cheated; he gave four times what he had taken. Restitution became the thrust of his life. This is called conversion is repenting and changing one’s whole way of life.

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MONDAY- 33^rd  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –A

Gospel: Luke 18:35-43 : What do you want me to do for you?- Let me see again.

I Reading: Apocalypse 1:1-4.2:1-5: Think where you were before you fell, and repent.

The Healing of a Blind Beggar:

Steps to Getting Help from God, Lk 18:35-43

The blind beggar demonstrated ever so clearly how people can get help from God.

1. Jesus approached Jericho (v.35)

2. A man had great need (v.35)

a. he was blind

b. he was poor

3. A man had great hope in Jesus (v.36-38)

a. he believed the reports he had heard about Jesus

b. he acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah

c. he cried for mercy

4. A man had a persistence in seeking Jesus that would not quit (v.39)

5. A man had boldness to ask great things of God (v.43)

a. Jesus stood still and called for him

b. The man expressed his longing

c. The man who saved by faith

6. The man had the appropriation to praise God (v.43)

Thought: Perseverance is the answer to being helped by God. God cannot turn a deaf ear to the persevering cry of a desperate need, not if the person cries and cries for help, never quitting. God has promised to hear and answer undying perseverance (Lk 11:8-13; 18:1-8).

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