REFLECTION
SOLEMNITY OF JESUS CHRIST,
KING AND LORD OF THE UNIVERSE:
Allow Jesus to reign in you
“Pilate entered the praetorium again and called Jesus, and said to him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’…Jesus answered, ‘My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world.’ Pilate said to him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth’ (John 18, 33.36).”
Our Lord Jesus Christ was born in order to reign. However, he came to establish his Kingdom not through the force of a conqueror or of a tyrant but through the goodness and meekness of a Shepherd: “I myself will look after and tend my sheep. As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep. I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark (Ez 34:11-12).”
It is not a political kingdom but something which though transcends this world has already begun in this world, whose king is Our Lord Jesus Christ: “a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace (Preface of Christ the King)” which has already begun in this world and will find its culmination in His Glorious Coming during the Final Judgment.
Though His Kingdom goes beyond this world, His rule has already begun when each man and woman allows Him to reign in his soul…in his life. Jesus wants to reign in the world, but “how shall Christ reign in the world? By allowing Him to reign in each one of us. And how will He reign in each one of us? By reigning in each of our actions, our desires, our thoughts (St. Josemaría, ‘Morir para reinar’).”
Dear friends, as we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, let us direct ourselves to Our Lord who is knocking at the door of our heart and soul, without any coercion on His part, but with the utmost respect of our freedom: “My child, will you give me your heart? Will you allow me to reign in your thoughts, your desires, your actions, in your life?”
“Almighty ever-living God, whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of the universe; grant, we pray, that the whole creation, set free from slavery, may render your majesty service and ceaselessly proclaim your praise (Opening Prayer, Mass of the Solemnity of Christ the King).”
Have a great weekend, friends! May God bless you and your loved ones and be in your hearts, thoughts, words and deeds!
-Fr. Rolly Arjonillo, priest of Opus Dei, CATHOLICS STRIVING FOR HOLINESS.
VIDEO COMMENTARY
TOPIC: IS JESUS CHRIST THE KING OF YOUR TIME, YOUR SPACE AND YOUR LIFE?
1st Reading Daniel 7:13-14
Responsorial Psalm Psalms 93:1, 1-2, 5
2nd Reading Revelation 1:5-8
Alleluia Mark 11:9, 10
Gospel John 18:33B-37
Being the last Sunday of the liturgical year, we celebrate today the Feast of Christ the King. He is not the king we normally know of. He is beyond any king. He is the King of hope, truth and love.
The book of Daniel was written during the time of King Antiochus Epiphanes who desecrated the Temple of Jerusalem, persecuted many Jews who did not adhere to idol worship. The second reading from the Book of Revelations represented an underground document, full of symbolism and images, for the persecuted Christians. In the gospel reading, Jesus is handed over to the Romans by His persecutors for blasphemy.
Many of us only appreciate this hope of a Savior to free us from our bondage of sin and our addiction to worldly pleasures, and the truth of Jesus being, indeed, King and God, when we experience His love in our life.
This is the 593rd installment of our CFC quarantine contemplation series focusing on the daily liturgical readings. But prayer takes on a more intense nature when it has to disrupt the natural flow of things.
[NOTE: All the regular reflections are between 3-7 minutes long, enough time for us to ponder what God’s message is for us individually and to pray that we may live them out in our lives. This video is also available on Facebook Page of Coyoles for Christ and Bong Arjonillo’s Facebook page and on You Tube. Just type ONLY BY GRACE REFLECTIONS]
OnlyByGraceReflections
CouplesForChrist #catholic #catholicreflections
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