Homily of Thirty-Fourth Sunday Year C, Christ the King, 2022

2 Samuel 5:1-3; Psalm 122:1-5; Colossians 1:12-20; Luke 23:35-43

The feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925, not long after the end of the First World War. The pope established the feast as a statement of faith against the prevailing ideologies of communism and secularism at that time. The two ideologies attempted to exclude faith, religion, and God from humanity. This feast is even more relevant to us nowadays that we are facing many anti-Christian and anti-Catholic ideologies, and persecution of Christians. By celebrating this feast, we are upholding the teachings of the Scripture, the teachings of the Church, and continue to proclaim Jesus Christ as our leader and king, no matter the direction the world is moving to.

 In the first reading, all the tribes of Israel came to David and recognize him as their savior, their shepherd, and their king. Our celebration today is a re-enactment of what took place in the first reading. Jesus Christ is our new King David. We are celebrating him as our Savior, our Shepherd, and our King.

The kingship of Jesus is not earthly but spiritual. Jesus’ disciples and followers never understood his spiritual kingship. Even on his last day on earth they still asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). In the second reading, St. Paul explains the spiritual kingship of Jesus, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent (all surpassing) … whether those on earth or those in heaven.” St. Paul states in the reading that we are members of his kingdom; and in him we have redemption and forgiveness of sins. For this reason, 1 Peter 2: 9 call us, “kingly people.” For this reason, also, St. Paul challenges us, “This saying is trustworthy: ‘If we have died with him, we shall live with him, if we persevere, we shall reign with him’” (2 Timothy 2:11).

To reign with Jesus, we are to: put Jesus first in all things; trust and have faith in him; obey his words and imitate him; proclaim him as the way, the truth, and the life; witness him by our words and our actions; suffer for the sake of his name; overcome sin; pray through him; and do all things in his name.

It is through our discipleship that the world continues to see and experience the kingship of Jesus. Indeed, we are kingly people; whom he bestowed the mandate to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19); whom he gave authority over snakes, scorpions, and all powers of the enemy (Luke 10:19); and whom he gave authority to cast out demons and heal the sick (Mark 16:17-18). But if the kingly people become weak, afraid, submissive, timid, confused, and lose their mandate and authority, the kingship and the kingdom will suffer violence.

The kingship and the kingdom suffer even more violence if the members of the kingdom turn against each other, and as a result work against the kingdom. Members of the kingdom cause violence to the kingship and the kingdom when they scatter instead of gather; when they pull down instead of build up; when they fight instead of make peace; when they hate instead of love; when they divide instead of unite; when they incite bad blood instead of reconcile; when they compete instead of cooperate; when they work against instead of work together; when they discourage instead of encourage; when they oppose instead of give support; when they harden heart instead of show compassion; when they are selfish instead of being selfless; and so on. Jesus says, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and no town or house divided against itself will stand” (Matthew 12:25).

The kingdom is not remote in a distant land, or in the heavens, or across the sea. Jesus says, “The kingdom of God is among you” (Luke 17:21). The kingdom is our home, our parish, our church, our neighborhood, our society, our work place, our business place, our market place, our gatherings, someone in need of your help, and so on.

 May we be ruled not by our human thinking, not by the world and its attractions and desires, and not by the Evil One and his works. May we be ruled by Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Amen.

 

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

 

Homily of Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 2022

 

Malachi 3:19-20; Psalm 98:5-9; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12; Luke 21:5-19

 

The Church’s Liturgical Year ends next Sunday with the celebration of the solemnity of Our Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe. Like last Sunday, the readings of this Sunday invite us to continue our reflection on end of time, judgement, and afterlife. The Four Last Things, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, are “Death, Judgement, Heaven, and Hell.”

 

In the first reading, Prophet Malachi re-emphasized some themes that run through the entire Scripture. First, those who lived wicked lives while on earth would not go unpunished. Prophet Malachi’s description is frightening, “the day that is coming will set them on fire…” Second, for those who lived righteous lives, “there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.”

 

There are people who do not believe that there is life after death, or there is judgement and reward at the end of earthly life. We know the fundamental truth; our actions have rewards or consequences. Is it not foolishness to exclude this fundamental truth to what happens at the end of our earthly life?  For us who believe the Scripture, since we look towards meeting God at the end of life, and seeing him as he truly is, let us make the effort to live life that will lead us to him.

 

In the second reading, some Thessalonians misunderstood the meaning of the second coming of Christ. They took the “coming soon of Christ” literally; and for that reason, felt that there was no need to work. Since “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop” they were conducting themselves in disorderly ways. St. Paul warned them, “If anyone was unwilling to work, neither should he eat.” It is true that there are people who want to eat but refuse to work. There are people who reap where they did not sow. There are people who cheat, steal, rob, and kill others to eat. It is to such people Jesus says that they will perish, unless they repent (Luke 13:3). But for us believers, let us fight the good fight, run the good race, keep the faith, and wait for the crown of righteousness the Righteous Judge will award us on that day (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

 

In the Gospel, Jesus prophesied about the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem; “All that you see here – the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”  This prophecy, the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem took place in 70 A.D by the Romans. We can interpret that we represent the temple. And the truth is that at a time, every life will have an end. When we hear about the end of the world, our immediate expectation should not be the day when the world will come to an end. Our attention needs to be on the end of everyone’s life which, as we know, can be at any moment. The important questions are:  Are we fighting the good fight? Are we running the good race? Are we keeping the faith? At the end of our earthly life, St. Paul writes, “each of us shall give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).

 

Jesus warned us in the Gospel about the emergence of false prophets and fake pastors who would use the various disasters and afflictions which occur to people and in places as weapons to frighten and terrorize people. Jesus says, “See that you are not deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them….” They prophesy in Jesus’ name, cast out demons in his name, and do mighty works in his name but they are agents of the Evil One (Matthew 7:22-23). Nowadays, false prophets and fake pastors (evil doers) are everywhere deceiving, cheating, abusing, extorting, killing, and stealing from those who do not listen to Jesus’ warning. Jesus encourages us that afflictions, disasters, and persecution should lead to our giving testimony. Jesus says in the Gospel, “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” For those who persevere, trials are channels of blessings.

 

Unfortunately, some people are afraid or reluctant to reflect about death or make some necessary preparations concerning their death. Reluctance or fear does not remove the reality which faces all of us; everyone will die, sooner or later. No one is sure what awaits him or her. Philosopher Martin Heidegger says, “As soon as we are born, we are old enough to die.” Therefore, getting oneself ready for this reality cannot be over emphasized. Is there a Will to be written? Are there records to be made straight? Is there information to be shared? Are there property or money to be allocated? Are there arrangements to be made? Are there issues to be attended to or be resolved? And so on. Physical preparation is, equally, very important so that at the end of one’s life, those left behind are not left in the dark.

 

The Lord says to each one of us, “‘Behold, I am coming like a thief.’ Blessed is the one who watches and keeps his clothes ready, so that he may not go naked and people see him exposed” (Revelation 16:15).

 

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP