by: Br. Azam Mansha [cjm]
Today is the 34th Ordinary Sunday or last Sunday of the Ordinary Time in the liturgical calendar. This Sunday is also known as Christ the King Sunday. The Solemnity of Christ the King has a significant place in the life of the faithful community. This solemnity has two-fold meaning: (1) to see Jesus Christ as the beginning and the end of life, which means to acknowledge Jesus Christ is the “Alpha and Omega”(Rev 1: 8). (2) To accept Jesus Christ as the King of the Church and of the universe.
As a university student, I enjoyed studying History of Asia, particularly, Sub-Continent (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh). It was astonishment for me that foreign kings came with a small army and invaded the whole land in a few days. The horses were running all over the country and blood was shed. In the aftermath, the natives became strangers or aliens in their own land. After conquering the land, the kings were not obliged to answer to anyone for their cruelty. In truth, they ruled the natives like their slaves.
In contrast, when I see Jesus, as the King, I get a different picture. My whole history lessons laugh at me and question what type of king is HE?, Who entered into the world as a stranger (Lk. 2: 7), who did not have a place to sleep (Mt. 8: 20), who teaches to forgive (Mk. 11: 26), who rides on a donkey (Mt. 21: 1-11), who does not allow the sword (Jn. 18: 10-11) and who does not fight for kingship (Jn. 18: 36).
But to accept Jesus Christ as the King, is an honor and inner satisfaction for me. As Christians, we must be proud that we have a king who did not harm anybody. His kingship does not make us strangers. His kingdom is open to everyone, and whoever enters into His kingdom, he/she becomes a member of the royal family (1Peter 2: 9). We should be also proud of our king who rules over the entire world as the Creator of the world:
“…the Creator of the world is king above and below, in heaven and on earth and its corners, east and west and north and south, in the great abyss, and in his own 248 organs. But if he keeps so much in mind, he should think: the Lord who is now our God will one day be One (for all the world).”[1]
The solemnity of Christ the King demands from us five possibilities:
Firstly, to accept God as the Creator of the world, secondly, to allow Christ the King to work in our life and families, thirdly, to leave our comfort zone, such as: technology or things on which I depend, and rely more than the providence of the LORD, fourthly, to love the creature of the Creator, and fifthly, to love ourselves because our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we are members of the royal family.
As we are celebrating the solemnity of Christ the King, let us fully participate in the Eucharistic celebration because St. Ambrose of Milan trusted, the power by which the WORD took flesh is the same power by which he comes among us today in the Holy Mass.[2] Let us invite Christ the King in the Eucharist and allow Him to work in our lives.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario