Readings: Dan 7:13-14; Ps 93:1-2,5; Rev 1:5-8; Jn 18:33-37
JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE
One of the peculiar paintings on Jesus is The Last Judgement of Michelangelo at Sistine Chapel where the conclave takes place. You see a six-pack macho Jesus! In Chess, King is the most vulnerable piece! Our King is the most powerful one of the universe and the weakest.
1. Power- King. The Alpha and the Omega. The Word that created all. He is larger than any church or religion. “There is no Catholic God. I believe in Jesus who is my creator…my Being. (Pope Francis)”.
2. Love-King. He is Love. His name is mercy. “Ceaser, Alexander and I built empires by force. Jesus built his empire on love (Napoleon)”.
3. Poor- King. HE is the suffering and the persecuted. “Jesus is the naked, to be clothed, Jesus is the lonely to be loved… (M Teresa)”.
English is funny at times. Pineapple is neither pine nor an apple. Guinea pig does not come from Guinea nor a pig. But, a Christian without Christ is ian…i.e. I AM NOTHING.
TODAY we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. His reign extends over the entire world. And his reign shall last until the end of time.
– Christ rules over our minds because his doctrine is truth, it is proclaimed to us through the natural law. It is proclaimed through the pages of Holy Scripture. It is proclaimed through the voice of the Church.
– Christ reigns over our wills. We proclaim ourselves to be members of his kingdom whenever we choose good instead of evil, whenever we choose purity over immorality or honesty over dishonesty.
– Christ too reigns in our hearts. We proclaim his reign when we show an act of love to our fellow man.
We cannot take a procession in honour of Christ our King, nor can we erect a statue of Jesus right here, but there is one thing we can all do is to live out our Christian promises and privilege that we received at our Baptism: PRIEST, PROPHET AND KING. We can all carry our King in our hearts today and always proclaiming him through our lives, let us be truly happy to be servants of our King.
BELOW IS AN ADORATION
TO CHRIST THE KING
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: O SALUTARIS
The King of kings is here among us. Let us pay our deepest adoration and love to Him. The One who has made us not just brothers and sisters, not just princes and princesses, but has made us heirs of the Kingdom of God.
Gospel Reading: John 18:33b-37
REFLECTION: In the deck of cards we have 4 suits and they have 4 Kings – King of Spades – King of Diamonds – King of Flowers – King of Hearts SPADE: – Spade is a symbol of Work, destruction, removal of unwanted debris – Symbol of hard work and our WORK – Manual work that we do, be it in school, at home, in the office or in society. We have been given work by God through the hands of loving people.
o For the times we have not done our work well
o For not allowing others to do their work
o Above all we are all Called to work for the Kingdom of God
o Let us be sorry
– Spade could also be used to throw mud or dirt on others.
o We ask for forgiveness For the times we have done so
o Sorry for the times we have not dealt with people justly.
– Symbol of destruction and removal of unwanted, for which we DIG
– Remove hatred, malice, anger, fear, Ego, sin
o Let us pause for a moment to tell Jesus our King that I am sorry for these things and much more of evil and sin that has been accumulated in my heart and that we want to remove the same.
Pause for a minute or so.
– Let us make our lives straight. Remove all that takes us away from our King.
– One who makes us clean
o Removes all that is not needed in our lives
o Call to make our path straight and level
– Make us dig into our lives to remove sin and fill us with his love
o Let us go within our hearts and remove one sin that keeps us away from God and neighbor.
HYMN: KING OF KINGS (FIRST VERSE)
DIAMOND
– Where your treasure there is your soul. Diamonds are precious
– Every time we are sorry for our faults and return back to our KING, we once again become children of God, we are made PRINCE and PRINCESS
– We are precious…carved in the palm of His Hand
– We are individuals of great pearl
o Paid a price for us
– It shows the generosity of the King
– Jesus made us rich by his poverty
– Let us Thank Jesus for becoming Poor that I may be Rich.
– Diamond symbolize our wants and wealth. God always provides for us and our needs
– Let us pray in a special way for those who are poor:
o Spiritually and
o physically
– Use of wealth and posterity that God has given us? How are we using them?
o For us or for others
o For the betterment of society
– It also means that we are given all the treasures of heaven
– Having given all and yet sometimes it could be that we
o Are seeking false treasures in our lives
o For not using wealth and resources well
o For being selfish with what God has given us
– Christ offers us the Kingdom in all its richness…
o The best treasure
– In all His teachings, he told us the kingdom and its values
– Talents that God has given, have we used it and multiplied
– Let us thank Jesus for the various talents we have. And promise Him to make use of the same. [pause]
HYMN: KING OF KINGS (SECOND VERSE)
FLOWERS
– Use at the altars, Use to adore
– Flowers are our prayers and prayer life
– For always forgiving us; For making us rich
– Let us spend time adoring Jesus, let us do this through our spiritual flowers
– Flowers that God wants us to offer is that of Good deeds, done to
o Love of neighbor and
o Love God
– Flowers help us to bring about beauty in our lives and that of others.
– Above all flowers to offer praise.
– Let us make a loud our praise and adoration to Jesus for a few minutes
– Let us thank the Lord for all the graces given to us
– Thank Jesus for one special gift given to you
– Thanksgiving
o To Jesus for all that he has given us and done for us
o Thank Jesus for dying for us
HYMN: KINGS OF KING (3RD VERSE)
HEART
– The ultimate King, Kings of hearts
– God is love He so loved the world Jn 3:16
– Love that dies for us
– Call to love others as God loves us
– The best, because we have
o Reconciled
o We are precious
o We have spent time in adoration and therefore we do all this because
o We LOVE our King. God is love.
– He is our heartbeat
– Always there to love us unconditionally
– Let us be loyal to our King
– For the times we have been unfaithful…. Let us say sorry too.
– Let us pray for one person who deserves my love more…so that I will be able to be like Jesus the King of hearts.
HYMN: KING OF KINGS (4TH VERSE)
CONCLUSION
Kingship of Christ
– That of total self-giving
– That of service
– That of obedience
– That of sacrifice
Our King is that of Service and not of power and name
Throne was his cross
Crown was that of thorns
Spector was that of nails in his hands and feet
– Crucified and of blessings
Royal clothes none he had, bare belongings
We are called to be
– Loyal to our King
– Loyal subject and citizen of the kingdom of god.
– Sing his praises always
– Carry him on our shoulders and more still in our hearts
– Call to give his kingdom message to all
– Call to be His witness
– Call to be his soldiers
HYMN: JESUS, MY LORD, MY GOD
BENEDICTION HYMN: TANTUM ERGO
Fr. Franco Pereira, S.D.B.
