1) Who's king in today's world? The one judged by: the Size of the car, house, iPhone, number of likes in social media, position, title, pay packet, employees under....?
2) Who's the King of the Kingdom of God? Each one gets 1 denarius, look after the vineyard, talents to invest and multiply, come to the wedding feast, beloved son...., shepherd and servant leadership....
3) King who is a judge and our accountability. Reckoning day. We are forgiven by mercy and condemned by judgment. Health, wealth, responsibility, talents, wedding garment, shepherd, vineyard responsibility ......
4) Our baptism, confirmation, Eucharist does not matter at the end of the day, we wonder...? Mt 25 means these are foundations to look after the children of God. These give us the strength, inspiration, direction to do that. They are not titles, positions or entitlements for salvation...
T.K.
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in the Sistine Chapel, Rome
Michel DeVerteuil
General Comments
Modern Western culture does not have kings – or queens. The few left do not exercise any real power; they play ceremonial roles and we associate them with pomp and pageantry. In the biblical culture, however, kings are leaders of their communities. They are “judges” in the sense that they set moral standards for the community. Rightly then, today’s gospel reading celebrates Christ’s kingship as an act of “judgement”.The second clarification is that Jesus is a special kind of king – his way of “judging” is very different from what prevails in the world. This is what the feast celebrates – the “good news for the poor” of Christ’s (God’s) standards of judgement. It is also a call to repentance addressed to us as individuals and as a Church, since our “judgments” (in word or action) are often far removed from those of Jesus.
As always in the bible, Christ’s kingship is taught not in abstract language but through a dramatic story – an event we are invited to identify with.The story is of a future, final judgment – like the parable of two weeks ago, “the kingdom of heaven will be like this”. Our present judgments are never “final”, the final one will occur only “when the Son of Man comes in his glory escorted by all his angels”. For now, all we can be certain of is that God’s judgement will surprise us, and so we are humble in his presence. To the extent that we are complacent and self-satisfied we are not ready for God’s judgement. St Paul sums up our attitude: “There must be no passing of premature judgement. Leave that until the Lord comes: he will light up all that is hidden in the dark and reveal the secret intentions the human heart” (1 Cor 4: 5).
This is not the whole picture, however. Today’s passage invites us to remember the temporary and fleeting “judgement moments” we may have experienced
– we became seriously ill– our marriage broke up– we fell into a fault we thought we would never succumb to
– our country experienced national disaster, floods, famine, civil war.
These experiences are authentic encounters with God in that they reinforce the teaching of the entire bible that when God comes into the world “the lowly are lifted up and set in the company of princes”, “the barren wife bears countless children”, “the last come first”.
– We thought that certain people were the “least”. Now we realise they were sacred, divine in fact, since what we did to them we did to Christ and what we refused them we refused to Christ.
– We thought we met Christ in moments of prayer or in holy places. Now we realise that we meet him when we feed and clothe those in need, when we visit hospitals and prisons.
– We realise that leadership in religious organisations counts for nothing before God. In his judgement, the only thing that counts is humble service.
As always in the bible, the judgement causes two reactions and we have experienced them both at different times:
– wonderful relief at knowing we were right. Good actions which we (and others who had power over us – “chief priests and elders”) looked on as trivial were in fact truly great, recognised in the presence of God (and of all right thinking people) and never to be forgotten. It is a homecoming experience, we “take for our heritage the kingdom prepared for us since the foundation of the world”.
– terrible sadness when we realise that we have missed the boat – like the foolish bridesmaids of two weeks ago. We are consumed by remorse, “the eternal fire”. The contrast with the virtuous is striking; for them it was a homecoming, whereas these feel deep alienation – the fire was “prepared for the devil and his angels”, they “go away” to their fate.
As on the past two Sundays, we remember the context of this teaching. Jesus’ imminent crucifixion would be a “judgement moment” in that it broke down all barriers:
– the humblest person there was the Son of God,
– the holy place was outside the city,
– the person of faith was a Roman soldier.
In those degrading circumstances, the “son of man” was present “in his glory escorted by all the angels, with all the nations assembled before him”. We remember experiences which seemed to be disasters but in fact were judgement moments showing us how wrong our values were.
We note once more the down-to-earthness of Jesus’ judgement. The sign that we have met him is that we discern between good and evil, “goats and sheep are separated; one placed on the right, the other on the left”.
His teaching is not airy fairy – “you must live with the consequences of your actions”. “Good news” is implied however – “other chances will arise so don’t miss out next time”.
Scriptural Prayer
“It is we who lose when we allow the venom of hatred and revenge to circulate through our spiritual veins.” ….Archbishop Pantin of Port of Spain, Trinidad
Lord, forgive us that in times of great crisis – national or personal –
we become vengeful,
wanting to consign people to the eternal fire
prepared for the devils and his angels.
Help us to wait for the day when the Son of Man comes to his glory,
escorted by all the angels, takes his seat on his throne of glory,
with all the nations assembled before him,
and separates good from evil, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
Lord, we tend to think of you sitting passively on your throne,indifferent to what is going on in the world.
But whenever we enter your presence, it is always an experience of discernment,
of goodness being put on one side of you and evil on the other,
like sheep being separated from goats.
Lord, we thank you for those beautiful moments when we relieved someone’s pain.
– Someone was hungry and we gave them food, thirsty and we gave them drink;
– we clothed someone naked, made a stranger welcome;
– visited one who was sick, went to see a prisoner.
Quite suddenly it dawned on us that we had experienced a blessed moment,
had a personal meeting with you and had come to the best of ourselves;
we had taken possession of a kingdom that had been prepared for us
since the foundation of the world.
Lord, part of each one of us has no compassion,
can see the hungry and never give them food,
see the thirsty and never give them anything to drink,
never wants to make strangers welcome, clothe the naked,
or visit the sick and those in prison.
Sometimes this part of ourselves seems very influential,
but it is not the truth of ourselves;
it is evil, destined for the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Lord, a moment of grace is like coming home,
entering a kingdom prepared for us since the foundation of the world.
Thank you, Lord.
“We can never really love others unless we feel a certain reverence towards them.”…Cardinal Newman Lord, help us to move from helping the poor with condescension
to experiencing that to do a favour to one of the least of our brothers and sisters
is to be given the privilege of doing it to you.
Lord, we thank you for those who are grateful to us.
So often all we did was to help them in some basic way,
but they make us feel that we looked after you
and now deserve to be put on your right side,
Lord, we have to make a journey in our relationship with you.
At first, we think that we will draw close to you by doing plenty of “holy” duties.
Then we realise that you want us to be free and spontaneous,
just to be compassionate, and leave judgement to you.
“The abdication by the Christian churches of one whole department of life, that of social and political conduct, as the sphere of the powers of this world and of them alone, is one of the capital revolutions through which the human spirit has passed.” … R.H. TawneyLord, we pray that your Church will always proclaim Jesus’ teaching
that when the Son of Man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels,
to take his seat on his throne of glory
with all the nations assembled before him,
his judgement will be based on whether the hungry were given food
and the thirsty were given drink,
whether strangers were made welcome, the naked clothed,
and whether the sick and those in prison were visited,
because when these things are done to the least of his brothers and sisters
they are done to him.
“Christ himself wishes to be identified with and recognised in every refugee.” …Pope John Paul II
Lord, we thank you for those who make strangers to their country welcome.
In doing so, they are welcoming you.
“Why can’t Christians see the poor wounded part inside themselves?
Can they not see Jesus there? Why do they always have to see Jesus
outside themselves?” ….Carl JungLord, we thank you for those people who have helped us to see that this passage speaks of what is naked within ourselves and needs to be clothed,
of the stranger in us needing to be made welcome,
the sick and the prisoner within us who must be visited.
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Thomas O’Loughlin
Introduction to the Celebration
Way back in January we began the year by celebrating the Baptism of Jesus when a voice was heard calling him ‘the beloved Son’. During the year we have greeted Jesus under all the views of him we find in the gospels. Now today, at the end of the year, we greet him with the all-embracing title: Jesus Christ, Universal King.
The Christ is the one who will gather us all together at the end of time, the one who will judge the living and the dead, and then present his kingdom to the Father. In our pilgrimage of faith that kingdom of justice, truth, and peace is to be our beacon, and Christ our guide. But before we join Christ in his banquet, we must ask pardon for the times when we followed other paths and other ways, when we listened to false prophets of greed and materialism, and for when we have failed to work for the coming of the kingdom
Homily Notes
1. One of the most lyrical passages in the whole liturgy is the preface for this day. It was produced in the immediate aftermath of the First World War, and appeared with the institution of this feast in 1925. It is a masterpiece of theology that, in many respects, anticipated the theology of the liturgy of the Second Vatican Council. However, it is rarely heard, and when it is heard each year on this feast it can be lost, as many prefaces are, as it is just a brief interlude between the bustle of the’ offertory’ and the more serious-minded tone of the prayer after the Sanctus.
At the end of the liturgical cycle there is a note of reflection, on what has happened and on the End-times, in today’s liturgy and this can be fostered by replacing a preached homily with a reflection on this preface.
2. The simplest way is just to draw it to the assembly’s attention, and then just read through it slowly, line-by-line.
3. One can add a commentary, but care has to be exercised that commentary does not take over from reflection. There is a thin line between the helpful comment aiding reflection and the series of glosses on the way towards the lecture.
4. Such a reflection, given the nature of the text, has an additional effect: it produces a nice, quiet way to end the Year next week the liturgy will be all agog as everyone starts thinking of Christmas.
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John Littleton
Gospel Reflection
What do we think about how we will be judged when we die and about the general judgement at the end of the world? Do we, for example, believe in heaven as a state of eternal happiness in God’s presence and in hell as a state of eternal alienation (and, in this sense, damnation) from God? These may seem rather gloomy questions but they are the questions that must be asked after reading the parable about the Son of Man coming to separate the virtuous from the wicked as the shepherd separates sheep from goats.Many people no longer believe in life after death or in the existence of heaven. They insist that earthly life is the only life and that there is nothing after death. Some Christians — who are meant to believe in life after death — query the existence of hell. They argue that if God is all loving and compassionate, then God will save everyone from the consequences of their sins and ensure that they will be in heaven. How could such a merciful God not save everyone?
However, there is a fallacy in this argument. It disregards the uncompromising words spoken by Jesus in the parable. This argument also ignores a basic Christian belief regarding free will. While God certainly desires that all people would share eternity in heaven, he respects our freedom and accepts the outcomes of our choices and decisions.
If we knowingly and freely ignore the fundamental needs for sustenance, kindness, well-being and friendship of other people we meet, we are making a statement about our selfishness and self-interest. In deciding not to respond to these people, we are also deciding not to respond to God who lives in them. We disregard those people who need our help and encouragement.
In effect, we are judging ourselves to be self-centred rather than God-centred, to be uncaring and indifferent. If such practices continue throughout our lives without repentance, we will be judged accordingly when we die. If we opt not to respond to God during this life, then why would we opt to respond to God in the next life? Thus we will be our own judges on the day of general judgement.In other words, we are largely in control of our own eternal destiny. Blaming God or God’s harsh judgement will be futile if heaven is not to be our final destiny. We will not be able to claim astonishment about our ultimate fate because we ourselves will already have determined that fate by our attitudes and behaviour during this life.
In summary, there are two basic types of people in the world: those who care about God and others, and those who focus their attention solely on themselves. To which type do we belong? Jesus taught that when we help the needy we are actually helping him. That is why when Mother Teresa of Calcutta was asked how she could touch a disease-ridden man, she said that she was not touching him but touching Jesus.
Are we ready for judgement? If we consistently ignore Christ in this life, on the Last Day he will be consistent and treat us likewise. Remember that while our salvation depends on the grace of Christ, it also depends on our choices during this life.
For meditation
He will take his seat on his throne of glory … and he will separate men from one another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. (Mt 25:32)
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Donal Neary
The ‘I’ word!
We know this story well. The most important word in it is ‘I’. Jesus identifies himself with the people he is talking about. He doesn’t say people were in prison and you visited them, or sick or naked. He says I who am in prison, sick or naked. It’s even more than being a brother or sister of Jesus. He identifies with each of us especially in need. Created as we are in the image of God, Jesus sees right through us to see God. God is the divine life of God in each person.
That makes the difference.We don’t help the needy person only because he or she is needy, but because each is in the image of God and Jesus sees him or her and says ‘that’s me.’
This can be a programme for life. For the young – can yo make a decision for your life that includes deep care from your love of those in need? For those in their busy lives already and who have chosen their way – how can you show deep care for those in need. For the elderly – can you pray for those in need each day and encourage those more active to care for them?
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From the Connections:
Mother Teresa of Calcutta put today’s Gospel theme so succinctly when she said: “At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by I was hungry and you gave me to eat . . . I was naked and you clothed me . . . I was homeless and you took me in. Hungry not only for bread – but hungry for love; naked not only of clothing -- but naked of human dignity and respect; homeless not only for want of a room of bricks, but homeless because of rejection. This is Christ in distressing disguise.”
In nations ruled by a royal family, the concept of monarchy is based on two premises: that the king rules by “divine right,” that is, by the authority of God; and that the character of the entire nation is vested in their king, sometimes expressed in the idea of the sovereign being the “father” of his children, the governed. In this light, Christ is indeed King. Jesus is the anointed one of God, the Christus, the Messiah raised up by the Father. And he is the very essence of his people, the Church. His Gospel is the bond that unites us as Church; the Eucharist, his body, gives life to that Church.
To claim that Christ is our “King,” to proclaim ourselves to be “Christians,” demands a clear and conscious decision by each of us, not passive compliance to a “herd” spirituality. To truly celebrate this feast means to welcome Christ not just into the compartments and slots of our lifestyles marked “religion” but into every thread and fiber of the fabric of our lives.
One company’s recent application included an interesting — and cynical — provision: In their proposed building, people residing in the more affordable apartments would have their own entryway — in a back alley behind the building.
A company spokesman explained: “No one ever said that the goal was full integration of these populations . . . I think it’s unfair to expect very high-income homeowners who paid a fortune to live in the building to have to be in the same boat as low-income renters, who are very fortunate to live in a new building in a great neighborhood.”
A pastor of a church in Manhattan reacts to the plan:
“Predictably, news of the poor door has ignited flames of outrage. But they’ll die down. The poor doors in luxury buildings are just the latest manifestation of what goes on every day. Our systems of health care, education, immigration, and criminal justice all have their poor doors in the back alleys of edifices built for the more privileged.”
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ILLUSTRATIONS:
Jesus rarely spoke about the final judgment, but on one occasion he did paint a picture for us in one of his stories. The parable that I just read gives a strong jolt to those who are heavy on doctrine but short on ethics.
A shepherd divides the sheep from the goats, said Jesus, so too shall there be a great division on the final day. Those on the right hand will be allowed entrance into the kingdom, while those on the left will be denied it. And the great surprise is that those who thought they were religious turn out to be not as good as they thought, and those who thought they failed were told they did a better job than they supposed.
I would like to suggest three points that this parable is attempting to make this morning...
3. We Are Judged by the Good We Do Not Do.
At first, Craddock says, he couldn't follow what she was saying. Eventually, it dawned on him, as it did all the other listeners. She was reading the same sentence over and over, each time in a different language. Finally, at the very end, she spoke the sentence in English. All the time she was saying, "Mommy, I'm hungry. Mommy, I'm hungry."
She was the most powerful speaker of the entire conference, Craddock says. At least, she had the most impact upon him. As he and his group drove back to Atlanta, alongside the highway he read a billboard he had seen numerous times. Before, he had hardly even noticed it. This time he did. It said, "All You Can Eat Buffet, $4.99." This time, Craddock says, that message seemed to him to be obscene.
Guilt can be a powerful motivator.
Randy L. Hyde, The Scavenger Hunt
He worked for a summer as a porter on a train and happened to meet a man early in the morning who couldn't sleep and wanted to talk. This man was impressed by a black porter working to earn money for college and tipped him the unimaginable sum of five dollars.
Alex Haley tells us what happened next: "When Dad arrived on campus, the president called him into his office and showed him a letter he had just received. The letter was from the elderly man whom my father had met on the train, and it contained a check for $518 to cover Dad's tuition and living expenses for one full year." The kindness of an unknown friend made all the difference in the life of Alex Haley's father, Alex Haley himself, and every succeeding generation of that family.
As a person who has been in just a minor degree of need, I know what the acts of love and care performed by virtual strangers can mean.
Let me tell you about a man named Floyd. According to the standards of the world Floyd was nobody. Floyd traveled around the country looking for work at harvest time. Floyd had no home and no place to go. A couple invited him into their home and gave him a home-cooked dinner. Floyd said very little as they ate. The wife, Nancy, offered to wash his clothes for him but Floyd declined the offer. He picked cherries in the orchard next to their home that day and slept under the trees that gave him his livelihood.
Early the next morning Floyd returned to the couple who had shown him kindness. While he finished one last project in the orchard, Nancy, on an impulse, wrote him a letter telling of God's love. Then she tucked it with a little cash into a New Testament. She found his backpack in the yard, and stuck the packet inside. She imagined him traveling that day looking for work and at the end of the day bedding down somewhere under the stars, weary and all alone. She was warmed by the thought of Floyd's surprise when he discovered her note, the New Testament and the cash she had planted in his backpack.
This Christian couple never saw Floyd again. Four years later Floyd's sister wrote to the them, telling of his death. As Floyd's sister was going through his few belongings she found the New Testament and the letter Nancy wrote telling of God's love. "They must have been very dear to his heart," Floyd's sister concluded, "for he carried them with him until he died."
It was such a simple gesture " a note, a Bible and a little cash " but little counts for a lot in the kingdom of God. I don't know about you, but I want to be surprised at finding myself among the sheep on that day of judgment. More importantly, want to possess a faith that's real. I want to take advantage of one of the most joyous opportunities Christ gives us, to minister to him.
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3. From Fr. Tony Kadavil's Collection:
1) On His Majesty’s Service: Polycarp, the
second century bishop of Smyrna, was arrested and brought before the Roman
authorities. He was told if he cursed Christ, he would be released. He replied,
“Eighty-six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong; how then can
I blaspheme my King, Jesus Christ Who saved me?” The Roman officer replied,
“Unless you change your mind, I will have you burnt.” But Polycarp said, “You
threaten a fire that burns for an hour, and after a while is quenched; for you
are ignorant of the judgment to come and of everlasting punishment reserved for
the ungodly. Do what you wish.”
2) The King of Kings is a silent film directed by Cecil B. De Mille in 1927. It is a religious movie about the last weeks of Jesus on earth, with H. B. Warner starring as Jesus. It was a production acclaimed by world-famed scholars, the press and the public in the U. S. and abroad, as the most ambitious presentation of the final years of the life of Jesus ever pictured on the screen. It was seen by over a billion people all over the world. De Mille claimed that the most important tribute to the movie he had ever received came from a woman who had only a few days to live. Her nurse wheeled her to a hall in the hospital to see the movie. After viewing the whole movie she wrote to the producer DeMille: “Thank you sir, thank you for your King of Kings. It has changed my expected death from a terror to a glorious anticipation.” She shared the feelings of the good thief who heard the promise of Jesus: “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Both of them were suffering, both expected death and both received new hope from the dying King of kings for only he could give them what he promised because he is God, the King of kings and Lord of all. –Today, as we celebrate the feast of Jesus, the King of kings, and as his Calvary sacrifice is re-presented on our altar, let us approach our Lord with repentant hearts and trusting Faith in his promise of eternal life. (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
3) Long live Christ the King! In the 1920s, a totalitarian regime gained control of Mexico and tried to suppress the Church. To resist the regime, many Christians took up the cry, “Viva Cristo Rey!” [“Long live Christ the King!”] They called themselves “Cristeros.” The most famous Cristero was a young Jesuit priest named Padre Miguel Pro. Using various disguises, Padre Pro ministered to the people of Mexico City. Finally, the government arrested him and sentenced him to public execution on November 23, 1927. The president of Mexico (Plutarco Calles) thought that Padre Pro would beg for mercy, so he invited the press to the execution. Padre Pro did not plead for his life, but instead knelt holding a crucifix. When he finished his prayer, he kissed the crucifix and stood up. Holding the crucifix in his right hand, he extended his arms and shouted, “Viva Cristo Rey!” At that moment the soldiers fired. The journalists took pictures; if you look up “Padre Pro” or “Saint Miguel Pro” on the Internet, you can see that picture. (Fr. Phil Bloom) (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
4: Christ is in charge: Susan C. Kimber, in a book
called Christian Woman, shares a funny piece of advice she
received from her little son: “Tired of struggling with
my strong-willed little son, Thomas, I looked him in the eye and asked a
question I felt sure would bring him in line: ‘Thomas, who is in charge here?’
Not missing a beat, he replied, ‘Jesus is, not you, Mom.’ ”
5: Sleep-inducing sermon on Christ the King: “I hope
you didn’t take it personally, Father,” an embarrassed woman said to her pastor
after the Holy Mass, “when my husband walked out during your sermon on Christ
the King.”
“I did find it rather disconcerting,” the pastor replied. “It’s not a
reflection on you, Father,” she insisted. “Ralph has been walking in his sleep
ever since he was a child.”
6: Co-pilot Christ the King: Many people love bumper
sticker theology. Bumper stickers may not always have the soundest theological
statements, but they generally at least have the ability to make us think. One
such, “God is my Co-pilot,” has also been found on Church signs,
where the theology is just as much fun and sometimes sounder. In this case, the
Church sign says, “If Christ the King is your Co-Pilot, change seats.”
1)”We have a King.” About three centuries ago,
Spaniards besieged a small French town, St. Quentin. The city walls were in
ruins; fever and famine plagued the people. One day the Spaniards shot over the
walls a shower of arrows to which were attached little slips of parchment
promising that if they surrendered, their lives and property would be spared.
The mayor of the town was a devout Huguenot. For answer, he tied a piece of
parchment to a javelin and hurled it back to the Spaniards. On the parchment
was the message: “Regem habemus” — “We have a king!” Christians also can
say, “We have a King.” Jesus is our King. We belong to his Kingdom. (Fr.
Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
2) Desperate deaths of autocratic Kings & Dictators: The
death of Josef Stalin (1879-1953), the Communist Dictator, was described by his
daughter as difficult and terrible. Silenced by a stroke shortly before he
died, Stalin’s “last words” were more visible than audible. Newsweek magazine
quoted Svetlana Stalin who said, “At what seemed the very last moment, he cast
a glance over everyone in the room. It was a terrible glance, insane, angry and
full of fear of death. With one final menacing gesture, he lifted his left hand
as if he were bringing down a curse on us all.” Philip III of Spain (1578-1621)
who proved himself an unfit king, indifferent to the plight of his people,
breathed his last wishing, “Would to God that I had never reigned. What does
all my glory profit, but that I have so much the more torment in my death?”
Charles IX, who in 1572 had ordered the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre of the
Huguenots throughout France met death with despair, “What blood! What murders!
I am lost forever. I know it.” When she lay dying, Queen Elizabeth I of England
(1533-1603) was said to have bargained, “All my possessions for a moment of
time.” Today’s Gospel challenges us to compare Christ the King’s death on the
cross, offering his life to God his Father in all serenity and elegance.
(Patricia Datchuck Sánchez). (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
3) Mother Teresa and Leo Tolstoy recognized the King in
disguise: The story is told of Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa),
observing a novice using tweezers to pluck maggots from the leg of a dying
leper. The young woman stood at arm’s length to perform the odious task. Gently
but firmly, Mother Teresa corrected her charge. Taking the tweezers and putting
her face quite near the wound, she said, “You don’t understand, my dear. This
is the leg of Christ our Lord. For what you do to this man, you do to Him.” Or
again, Leo Tolstoy’s story, “Martin the Cobbler,” tells of a lonely shoemaker
who is promised a visit by our Lord that very day. Eagerly all day he awaits
his arrival. But all that come are a man in need of shoes, a young mother in
need of food and shelter, a child in need of a friend, all of whom he helps.
Martin the cobbler ends the day thinking, “Perhaps tomorrow He will come,” only
to hear a voice reply, “I did come to you today, Martin; not once, but three
times.” Christ is a King who goes about in disguise as the poor, the sick, the
cripples, the tortured, the marginalized. (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
4) INRI: A Jewish boy was lazy in his studies
and misbehaved in the public school. So, his parents enrolled him in
a Catholic school to see if he would improve. His parents were surprised
to observe that the boy stopped his excessive watching of TV, limited his time on
computer games and spent most of his time in studies. At the end of the year,
he was the best student in class. His baffled parents asked him what had
happened. “The first day I went to school,” he explained, “and saw that
man hanging on a plus sign at the main entrance of the school building, I knew
you couldn’t fool around here and get away with it.” Today’s Gospel reminds us
that the Man on the cross is not an object to frighten naughty kids, but our
God, our King and Savior Who died for us promising us eternal life, and Who
will come in Glory to judge the world on the day of the Last Judgment.
5) Jesse Owens challenging Adolf Hitler: The
black man standing in the arena was an affront to Der Fuehrer’s authority. The
scene was the 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin, Germany. The black man was
Jesse Owens of The Ohio State University representing the USA. He was aptly
called “the fastest human alive.” Der Fuehrer was Chancellor Adolf Hitler, who
had recently risen to power championing an arrogant theory that his “Aryan
race” of “supermen” would conquer the world. In implementing his theory, Hitler
began systematically to stamp out the Jews in a bitter expression of prejudice
and discrimination. Hitler also publicly denounced Blacks – Negroes, as they were
called then — as an inferior race. Jesse Owens, in Hitler’s estimation, should
not even be present at the Games. Jesse Owens was not only present, but he went
on to win four gold medals in the 100-meter-dash, the 200-meter-dash, the broad
jump and the 400-meter relay race. He demolished Hitler’s claim that the Aryan
race was superior to all others. Furthermore, this soft-spoken black athlete
embarrassed Hitler and undermined his pompous authority in the heart of the
Fatherland. We may not be in danger of being seduced by an evil power like
Hitler, but we may not be clear on the Authority to Whom we give allegiance. We
owe our allegiance to Christ the King who redeemed us by shedding His Blood to
save us. (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
6) “Super Savior”-– A Church in Ohio did it with a
large icon–a 62-foot-tall statue of Jesus with upraised arms, installed in a
cornfield just north of Monroe, Ohio on Interstate 75. The statue–dubbed “Super
Savior”– was erected by the Solid Rock Church, in Middletown. Here is what is
interesting. Traffic fatalities on this notorious stretch of road have dropped
dramatically since the Super Savior statue was raised. Is that pure
coincidence, or has the Styrofoam and fiberglass Christ really aided road
safety? Nobody knows. [Dr. John Bardsley. Source: National Catholic
Reporter (10-28-2005), p. 3.] Certainly a giant statue of Christ does
no harm, and if it improves traffic, that’s fine. But do not be confused. This
is not the best way to express our allegiance to Christ. The best way to
express our allegiance to Christ is to make our lives worthy of the name
Christian. (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
7) Feast of Christ the King: In 1925, Pope Pius
XI wanted people to know that this was Christ’s world, not the property of the
emerging dictators of that day. Both Josef Stalin in Russia and Benito
Mussolini had been in power for three years. Adolf Hitler had been out of jail
only a year, and was finding great popular support for his fledgling Nazi
party. The Pope had the courage of his convictions to declare, despite
dictators, that Christ was King, reminding Christians where their ultimate
loyalty lay! (From a sermon by Don Friesen, Ottawa Mennonite Church). (Fr.
Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
8) Unfinished work: A newspaper story some time
back recorded the grim incident of a police officer shot and killed in the line
of duty. His great desire before he was killed was to see his family’s back
yard completely landscaped, a desire he never saw fulfilled, because of the
bullet that ended his life. Some of his fellow officers, who had grown to love
their fallen comrade, donated their time and money to complete the work.
Because it was the policeman’s desire to finish the project it became his
friends’ desire. [Allen Hadidian, Discipleship (Chicago: Moody
Press, 1987).] The application to those of us who love Jesus Christ and accept
Him as the King of our lives, is clear. What He loved and desired, we should
love and desire — and work to complete. His work is to see lost men saved and
built up. His work is to see this world redeemed. His work is to see this
unfinished world brought to completion. We who love Him are called to complete
the task with His grace. (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
9) King of kings and Lord of lords. Listed in
any history book among the greatest leaders that the world has ever known would
be the name, Caesar Augustus. It was Caesar Augustus who fixed the limits of
the Roman Empire. It was during his reign that the Pax Romana, the
peace of Rome that lasted for over 200 years, was initiated. It was Augustus
who ordered the building of roads linking the colonies of the great Empire and
allowing rapid access to subordinate governments. It was he who gave Rome its
constitution, creating the office of Emperor and investing in that office
unlimited power, though he never used the title Emperor himself. The age of
Augustus was a bright spot in literature and the arts. It was the era that gave
the world Virgil, and the great historians. Caesar Augustus was truly a great
ruler. Is it not ironic, then, that 2000 years after the reign of Caesar
Augustus, he is mainly remembered because every year at Christmas time, we read
these timeless words: “In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that all the world should be taxed” (Luke 2:1) Among those to
be taxed, of course, were Mary and Joseph from Nazareth. Caesar Augustus would
truly be shocked to realize that during his reign was born One who was far greater
than he. He was the One Who had been anointed King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
It was a minor official in the Roman Empire, Pontius Pilate, who first asked
him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” (John 18:33). Jesus
obviously convinced him that he was. We often see engraved on crosses the
letters INRI. They stand for Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum, Jesus
the Nazarene, King of the Jews. St. Teresa of Avila, the 16th century
Carmelite reformer, always referred to Jesus as “His Majesty,” and so He is.
After 2000 years, His stature has not diminished. (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
10) The forgiving King: Rev. Tony Campolo says
that in his teenage years he was terrified by a visiting pastor’s depiction of
Judgment Day. This pastor claimed that one day God would show us a movie of
every single sinful thought, word, or action we ever committed. And he ended
his lurid description with the announcement, “And your mother will be there!”
But Tony claims that Judgment Day will more closely mirror what happened during
the trials over the Watergate scandal. The prosecutor brought in a tape of a
conversation between Nixon and his aides. Just at the most crucial part of the
tape, the section that revealed their crimes, there was an eighteen-minute gap
of silence. Nixon’s faithful secretary, Rosemary Wood, had erased the
incriminating evidence! In the same way, Campolo says, Jesus will erase all the
incriminating evidence against us, as he did for the repentant thief crucified
at his right side. (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
11) “You’re with Him; go on in.” A few years
ago, Pastor Erwin Lutzer and his daughters were visiting Washington, D.C. While
there, they met a man who served on former President Bush’s Secret-Service
security team. The gentleman offered to give them a guided tour of the Oval
Office. Pastor Lutzer and his daughters passed through many security
checkpoints the next day on the way to the Oval Office. At each checkpoint,
they expected to be searched and questioned. But instead, the guards took one
glance at the Secret-Service man and announced, “You are with him; go on in.”
Pastor Lutzer wrote that he expects our entrance into Heaven will be like that.
We will have no credentials of our own that could possibly get us in. But Jesus
will be walking along beside us. And at each gate, the angels will take one
look at Jesus and announce, “You’re with Him: go on in.” [Erwin Lutzer, “Do
Many Paths Lead into God’s Presence?” Preaching Magazine March/April,
2001), p. 20.]. (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
12) King Who conquered death: Worldly kings do
not have this power. Their last enemy is death, which ends their power, wealth,
and prestige. In Vienna there is a crypt under a Capuchin church. In this crypt
are buried 140 Kings, Queens, Princes and Princesses. Each sarcophagus is
sculptured in steel. The largest is a double tomb for Maria Theresa and her
husband. On each sarcophagus was carved a cross and the Royal crown. On each
corner of one sarcophagus was a skull wearing a crown. The message was clear:
Death was king! Even kings are conquered by death. But the King of God’s realm
lives in spite of death. And so we, as Christians belonging to Him, have no
fear of death, for by the power of His cross, death was defeated for us all.
(Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
13) “Thy Kingdom come:” Those of us who live in
the United States have no experience with royalty or with “Kingdoms” ruled by
Kings or Queens. We have no Royal Family, so we have to invent our “Royalty.”
We had the “King of Rock’n’Roll,” Elvis Presley. We had the “King of Pop,”
Michael Jackson. We had a “King of Soul,” James Brown. We have a “Queen of
Soul,” Aretha Franklin. We have a “King of all Media,” Howard Stern. We have a
“Queen of Clean,” Linda Cobb. We even have a “King of Greasy Goodness” for the
“Queen of Clean” to clean up: “Burger King”! But in countries like the
Motherland, Great Britain, there is a real Royal Family. And the public can
always keep track of where their Monarch is through an ancient tradition. When
the ruling Monarch is in residence, the Royal Standard, the flag of the ruling
Monarchy of the United Kingdom, flies above. When the Queen is at Windsor
Castle or Buckingham Palace, the Royal standard flutters overhead. When she is
NOT in residence, the Royal Standard is replaced by the Union Flag (the “Union
Jack”). At her residences in Scotland, the Royal Standard flies above Holyrood
Palace or Balmoral Castle when she is present. When she is absent from the
grounds, the ancient Royal Standard of Scotland is hoisted. Long before there
were reliable news sources, just one glance overhead would let the citizens of
the kingdom know whether their Monarch was present, or where “the King was in
the Kingdom.” Maybe it is our lack of any historical connection to a “Royal
Residence” that makes us so clueless about the concept of the Kingdom of God when
Jesus talks about it. We are not very educated in being a “Kingdom” or even in
knowing what “Kingdom come” means. (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
14) The King of kings is here! The old Cardinal
Hugh Latimer often used to preach before King Henry VIII. It was customary for
the Court preacher to present the king with something on his birthday, and
Cardinal Latimer presented Henry VIII with a pocket handkerchief with
this text in the corner -‘Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge’; a very
suitable text for King Henry. Then he preached very forcefully on the sins of
lust, and did not forget the personal application to the King. And the King
said that the next time – the next Sunday — when the Cardinal preached, he must
apologize. The next Sunday, when the Cardinal stood in the pulpit, he thought
to himself, “Latimer, be careful about what you say, the King of England is
here.” At the same time a voice in his heart said, “Latimer, Latimer, be
careful about what you say, the King of Kings is here.” Strengthened by this,
he preached what God wanted him to preach. -Today we celebrate the feast of
Christ the King. We must enthrone Jesus as our King in our hearts and in our
homes. (John Rose in John’s Sunday Homilies). (Fr.
Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
15) Dismas House — built to serve the
parolees with “royal priesthood” of Christ the King: The salvation of
the ‘good thief’, later named Dismas in Christian thought, reminds me of those
heroic people who have tried to bring hope and saving concern to criminals in
our society. I remember especially Fr. Jack Hickey, OP, a dynamic and
charismatic chaplain at Vanderbilt University. Despite reservations from many
quarters, but with help from dedicated lay partners, he founded “Dismas House.”
Unlike the setup of other Dismas houses, recent parolees lived and worked with
college students in the hope that mutual understanding and healing would take place.
In the last years of his life, Jack fought virulent cancer and exercised his
‘royal priesthood’ from his personal cross, serving the parolees. Since his
all-too-early death from cancer in January 1987, the movement has blossomed
into ten such houses. (John Donahue in Hearing the Word of
God). (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
16) The real King? This happened a number
of years ago when the late King Baudouin was reigning in Belgium. As the
Constitutional Monarch, one of his duties was to “rubber stamp” all the bills
passed by Parliament with his signature, thereby officially promulgating them
as law. In 1990, the Belgian parliament passed a reprehensible bill that
basically removed all legal sanctions against abortions. As a practicing and
conscientious Catholic, King Baudouin objected to abortion vehemently, and so
he could not and would not endorse the measure. But according to the
Constitution, he did not have a choice – as figurehead Monarch, he had to
ratify the bill, so by refusing to sign the bill into law, he was, in effect,
attempting to veto the parliament, and putting his throne on the line! The
parliament simply dethroned him for one day, promulgated the law on that day
when there was no reigning monarch in Belgium, and then re-instated him on the
next day. Granted, earthly Monarchs need Constitutional limitations to prevent
the abuse of power. But, that’s not true for the Heavenly Monarch, the
all-good, all-loving God, for any time we attempt to impede Christ’s reign in
our lives, we’re just erecting an obstacle to the good that He could be in our
lives. Clearly then, there’s false comfort and perilous perdition in that
illusion of ultimate self-determination: if someone on the street swears at you
and says, “Go to Hell!” sure, it’s easy to invoke your autonomy then and shrug
it off with the slur, “I’m free – I don’t have to go anywhere I don’t want to
go!” Yet when the people who declare self-determination their highest law (and
have thus pretended to enthrone themselves as the sovereign moral authority by
dethroning Christ the King in their hearts), hear HIM solemnly speak those same
words as the judgment of their eternal damnation, they will discover the
absolute limits of personal freedom, limits constituted by the True and
Almighty King of all Creation. (John Ruscheinsky in Daily
Online Reflections’). (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
17) Jesus Wins : George III of England,
America’s enemy in the Revolutionary War, felt terrible about the loss of the
colonies. It was said, in fact, that for the rest of his life, he could not say
the word “independence” without tripping over it. He was an odd duck in many
ways, but he had good insights. When the fighting in America stopped, King
George and all his royal cronies in Europe were sure that George Washington
would have himself crowned “Emperor of the New World.” That’s what they would
have done. When he was told, on the contrary, that Washington planned to
surrender his military commission and return to farming at Mt. Vernon, George
III said, “Well, if he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.”
There is power in giving up power, in emptying oneself. Jesus knew it, Pilate
didn’t. Jesus wins, Pilate loses. (William R.
Boyer, A Confusion of the Heart; quoted by Fr. Tony Kaila). (Fr.
Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
18) Freedom Riders : Recently I heard someone tell a
story about the experiences of the Freedom Riders in the American South during
the ’50s and ’60s and their struggle for civil rights. The story was a vivid
illustration of how life changes when Jesus has the last word, when Jesus is
King. When the Freedom Riders traveled through the South staging their sit-ins
and marches and protests, they were often arrested and jailed. The guardians of
racial segregation and the status quo were not going to let them have the last
word. While in jail, the Freedom Riders were often treated poorly and brutally
in order to break their spirits. They were deprived of food or given lousy
food. Noise was blasted and lights were flashed all day and night to keep them
from resting. Sometimes even some of their mattresses were removed in order
that all would not have a place to sleep. For a while it seemed to work.
Their spirits were drained and discouraged, but never broken. It happened more
than once and in more than one jail. Eventually the jail would begin to rock
and swing to sounds of Gospel singing. What began as a few weak voices would
grow into a thundering and defiant chorus. The Freedom Riders would sing of
their Faith and their freedom. Sometimes they would even press their remaining
mattresses out of their cells between the bars as they shouted, “You can take
our mattresses, but you can’t take our souls!” The Freedom Riders were
behind bars in jail, but they were really free. They were supposed to be
guilty, but they were really innocent. They were supposedly suffering, but they
were actually having a great time. They were supposedly defeated but they were
actually victorious. Why? They may not have said it, but they could have:
because Jesus has the last word, because Christ is King! [Steven E.
Albertin, Against the Grain — Words for a Politically Incorrect Church,
(CSS Publishing); quoted by Fr. Tony Kaila.] (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
19) Gandhi’s Strength: In the published diaries
of Joseph Goebbels, the infamous Nazi Propagandist, there are two or three
references to Mahatma Gandhi. Goebbels believed that Gandhi was a fool and a
fanatic. If Gandhi had the sense to organize militarily, Goebbels thought, he
might hope to win the freedom of India. He was certain that Gandhi couldn’t
succeed by following a path of non-resistance and peaceful revolution. Yet as
history played itself out, India peacefully won her independence while the Nazi
military machine was destroyed. What Goebbels regarded as weakness actually
turned out to be strength. What he thought of as strength turned out to be
weakness. Jesus the King won freedom for mankind and won the hearts
of mankind by his death on the cross. (Kevin M. Pleas, Sufficient Grace;
quoted by Fr. Tony Kaila) (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
20) Man for All Seasons: There is a great
scene in the play A Man for All Seasons that fits so well
here. You might remember that the play was about the determination of St.
Thomas More to stand for the Faith against the persuasion and eventually
persecution of Henry VIII of England. In the scene I’m referring to, Henry VIII
is trying to coax his second in charge, Thomas More, to agree with him that it
is proper for him, the King, to divorce his wife Catherine since she was his
sister-in-law and since she did not give birth to a male heir to the
Kingdom. After the King made all his arguments, Thomas More said that he
himself was unfit to meddle in this argument and the King should take it to
Rome. Henry VIII retorted that he didn’t need a Pope to tell him what he
could or couldn’t do. Then we come to the center point. Thomas More
asks the King, “Why do you need my support?” Henry VIII replies with
words we would all love to hear said about each of us, “Because, Thomas, you
are honest. And what is plenty in the Kingdom who support me, but some do
so only out of fear and others only out of what they can get for their
support. But you are different. And people know it. That is why I
need your support.” In the presence of
integrity, Henry VIII knew who was King and who was subject. (Quoted by
Fr. Tony Kaila) (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
21) St. Ignatius of Antioch: The patron of our
parish, St. Ignatius of Antioch, was the second most powerful Christian in the
Roman Empire, second only to the Bishop of Rome. He had written letters
to Christians to stand up for the Faith in the face of persecution. And
then he, as a venerable old man, was arrested. He was put on a ship that
would eventually end up sending its cargo to Rome. There he would be fed
to the lions in the Coliseum. Many early Christians could not bear the
thought of losing Ignatius. He was too important, too needed in the
Church. They plotted to raise money to bribe the sailors in one of the
ports the ship would stop before reaching Rome. They had plenty of time
to do so, the trip would take two to three years. Evidently, they also
had plenty of money. Wealthy Christians were determined to save
Ignatius. They just didn’t understand Ignatius’ integrity. He was
not going to buy his way out of a fate that he had encouraged others to have
the courage to accept. Nor was he going to use some sort of
skillful legalese to save his skin. So he walked into the Coliseum with the
other Christians in control of the direction of his life. He was a frail
old man; yet, he was more powerful than the lions who would destroy him or the
Romans who did not have the courage to stop the absurd spectacle.
Ignatius was a man of integrity.—– Ignatius of Antioch and Thomas
More and so many others followed Jesus Christ in being people of
integrity. The powerful Pilate could have Jesus tortured and killed, and
he did, but Pilate himself remained a prisoner because he lived a lie.
And Jesus remained a King because he testified to the truth to his last breath.
(Quoted by Fr. Tony Kaila) (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
22) “I die the king’s good servant, but God’s first.” St
Thomas More is the patron saint of politicians. He was a brilliant lawyer and
diplomat in 16th century England. His patriotism and loyalty to the throne
attracted the attention of King Henry VIII who made him Lord Chancellor of
England. What Henry VIII did not know was that Thomas More’s first
loyalty was to Christ, the King of kings. When Henry VIII, decided to divorce
his wife Catherine of Aragon, marry Anne Boleyn, and make himself head of the
Church of England, More knew this was not right. Rather than approve what he
believed to be against the Divine will, he resigned from his prestigious and
wealthy position as Lord Chancellor and lived a life of poverty. Since he would
not give his support to the king, the King had More was arrested, convicted of
treason, imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1534 and beheaded in July of the
following year. On his way to public execution, More encouraged the people to
remain steadfast in the Faith. His last recorded words were: “I die the king’s
good servant, but God’s first.” For More, it was not simply enough to confess
Christ privately in the safety of one’s heart and home; one must also confess
him in one’s business and professional life as well as in the laws and policies
that govern society. (Fr. Munacci; quoted by Fr. Tony Kaila). (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
23) King with a difference: In the year 200AD
Jingo, the Empress of Japan, invaded Korea. Following the defeat, the Korean
king placed valuable treasures before the empress and promised to pay “homage
and send tribute until the sun no longer rises in the East, but comes from the
West; until the courses of the rivers turn backwards and the river pebbles
ascend and become stars in Heaven.” When the Queen of Sheba visited King
Solomon, she crossed the Sahara desert into Israel with more than 797 camels,
donkeys, and mules too numerous to count. She gave the king 120 talents of
gold, a very great store of spices, and precious stones. The value of the gold
alone, which she gave to King Solomon, was of great worth. (1 Kings 10:2-5) It
was customary, in the ancient world, to place great treasures and gifts before
the emperors and kings to please them.
When the Magi heard about the birth of a King for the Jews
they set out with royal offerings- Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. After 33
years, the same king stood elevated on the cross with the inscription INRI,
(Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum – “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews”).
By placing this title Pilate on Jesus’ cross, Pilate had made an involuntary,
but historical proclamation that Jesus is the King not only of the Jews but of
the Universe. Many a time such involuntary proclamations of Jesus’ Kingship are
heard from unbelievers. The soldiers made a crown of long, sharp thorns and put
it on his head, and they put a royal purple robe on him, and shouted, “Hail!
King of the Jews!” (Jn 19:2-3) Fr. Bobby Jose). (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
24) “I have nothing more to give”: Some years
ago divers located a 400-year-old sunken ship off the coast of
Northern Ireland. Among the treasures they found on the ship
was a man’s wedding ring. When they cleaned it up, they noticed that it had an
inscription on it. Etched on the wide band was a hand holding a heart. Under
the etching were these words: “I have nothing more to give you.” Of all the
treasures found on that sunken ship, none moved the divers more than that ring
and its beautiful inscription. The etching on that ring and its inscription “I
have nothing more to give” -could have been placed on the cross of Christ. –
Mark Link. (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
25) Brothers and Sisters of the King: Sometimes
Americans wonder why the English bother with the monarchy, since the Queen is
little more than a figurehead with no authority. Yet, within most people there
is a wish for a person to whom we can look up, someone who personifies dignity
and wins our respect, a person who makes us feel better about ourselves. Many
Americans found that kind of a person in the election of John F. Kennedy as
President of the United States. He was young, handsome, intelligent and
articulate. He was married to a beautiful woman who, it seemed to us, had become
his Queen. The White House became known as Camelot. The United States had a
family to whom many Americans attributed royalty. But on Friday Nov. 22, 1963
the dream was shattered with the President’s assassination. The dream of
Camelot was gone, and the illusion of royalty was dimmed. All along we had been
looking in the wrong direction, towards the White House as if it were a palace.
We should have been looking back at Calvary, because the cross is truly the
throne of Christ the King. We do not need an earthly sovereign to give us
self-respect. Our King is truly royal. His kingdom is not an imaginary Camelot.
It is an eternal and universal Kingdom, a Kingdom of truth and life, a Kingdom
of holiness and grace, a Kingdom of justice love and peace. Our King is Christ
the Lord. (Charles Miller in Sunday preaching; quoted by Fr.
Botelho) (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
26) Won’t you come down, King? A king once fell in love with
a poor girl. At first, he thought of simply bringing her to the palace and
marrying her, but he realized this wouldn’t work since she would soon realize
the immense difference in their backgrounds and not be happy. After much
reflection, he decided to renounce his kingdom and go and live near her, so
that she’d realize how deeply he loved her. Shocking one and all, he left the
palace. This story –adapted from philosopher Kierkegaard’s original –somehow
reveals to us the great love of our king Jesus Christ, who ‘comes down’ that we
might be raised up. (Francis Gonsalves in Sunday Seeds for Daily Deeds;
quoted by Fr. Botelho).
27) “I could have been down there.” There is a story about a South Dakota rancher which reminded me that many of us know how near the Kingdom really is, but we just don’t talk about it in that way. The story goes that following the disastrous winter of 1997 with its many blizzards and ice storms, and its record losses of cattle, an older rancher welcomed several helping professionals to his ranch. They had come to visit with him on behalf of his Church, and to assess the extent of his losses from these disasters. He led them out to a hill in the pasture near his ranch, and told them they were standing on the grave of his herd of cattle. All but a small number had been frozen to death in an early April storm. The visitors were stunned by the enormity of his loss, and by his matter-of-fact manner in relating it to them. They questioned and probed a bit for some sense of his feelings about all of this, until he responded… as many South Dakotans did in the face of such disasters: “Well, it could have been worse.” The visitors were more sure than ever that this man must be deep in denial to have such an attitude about losing his life’s work in one weekend storm. They questioned and probed a bit more. How could it have possibly been worse? Having been pushed to explain himself, and probably having sized up the visitors as city folks, he finally responded by pointing down to the hill or grave they were standing on and said, “I could have been down there.” The story speaks volumes to me about rural people and their daily understanding of the nearness of the Kingdom of God. (Rev. Andrea DeGroot-Nesdhal). (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
28) Christ the King on the day of Last Judgment:
“Whatever you did for one of the least
brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” A story is told of a priest assigned in
a seminary who took his sabbatical year in Kolkata, India to work with Mother
Teresa. Towards the end of his sabbatical, he wondered what he could take back
to his seminarians. Thinking back, he remembered how Mother Teresa received
Holy Communion: her eyes and face glowed with love for Jesus as she expressed
the desire to give him back her love completely. For the priest, that was
understandable for she was then already known as ‘a living
saint.’ But what he could not understand was what he saw one evening when
she was with a sick person. The same glow in her eyes and face was present when
she was attending to him. Reflecting on these two experiences, the priest
discovered why. For Mother Teresa, that sick person was Jesus himself for did
he not say: “Whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine,
you did for me.” Do we see Jesus’ face in others, especially the
poor, needy, marginalized, deprived, downtrodden, sick and suffering, and so
on? Jesus meets us in their disguise. They are his true face. (Fr. Lakra) (Fr.
Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/
29) “Please, don’t be angry with me, my brother.” Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910 C.E.), the great Russian author was also a great Christian who took seriously the demands of the Great Sermon (Matthew 5-7) and attempted to live his life accordingly. One day a beggar stopped him while he was out walking and asked him for alms. Tolstoy searched his pockets for a coin but finding none he said with regret. “Please, don’t be angry with me, my brother, but I have nothing with me. If I did, I would gladly give it to you.” At that, the beggar’s face brightened with joy. “You have given me more than I asked for”, he said, “You have called me brother!” Tolstoy had not only grasped the intent of the Great Sermon but he had also penetrated the truth of today’s Gospel. He regarded the poor man, asking for alms, as a brother because he had understood and made his own the great commandment (Matthew 22:37). But he had also learned to see the face of Christ in the poor, and because of that insight, he met the criteria of judgment set forth for our consideration in this Matthean text. (Sanchez Fles). (Fr. Tony) http://frtonyshomilies.com/ L/20
