On this feast of Christ the King, we acknowledge Jesus as the just judge before whom we will one day stand. May we pause to reflect on the story of our life, making the necessary changes to insure it will be acceptable to the Lord when the last chapter on earth is finished.
Here are some of the themes that surface in the Mass readings for the Feast of Christ the King.
1st Reading – Ezekiel 34:11-12,15-17
God will shepherd the people: tending, seeking, rescuing, healing, protecting.
God will also judge and separate the sheep rightly, between rams and goats.
Psalm – 23:1-3,5-6
“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”
God leads and refreshes, prepares and anoints, so that goodness and kindness will follow us.
2nd Reading – 1st Corinthians 15:20-26,28
Through one man (Adam) death entered the world; through one man (Christ) all shall be brought to life.
At the end, Christ will judge all creation, and the last enemy will be death.
The Son will then be subjected to God, who will be all in all.
Gospel – Matthew 25:31-46
When the Son of Man comes in glory with all the angels, he will judge all the nations, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates sheep and goats.
Our response to the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, ill, and imprisoned will be treated as if it were done to Christ himself – the accursed to eternal punishment and the righteous to eternal life.
As we remember the Faithful Departed on this All Souls Day, we humbly pray for all our loved ones who have gone before us, entrusting them to the mercy and compassion of God.
On this Solemnity of All Saints, we unite our prayers to those who have gone before us in faith, drawing hope and inspiration in their help as we fight our spiritual battle here on earth.
On this Feast of St. Luke, we acknowledge our need to receive the message of the Evangelists so that we can be evangelists in the world – announcing to others the Good News of Jesus.
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