“MY KINGSHIP IS NOT OF THIS WORLD…I HAVE COME INTO THE WORLD TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE TRUTH” (John 18:36-37)
⏰LAST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B) THE SOLEMNITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE
📕Dan 7:13-14; Ps 93:1ab, 1d-2, 5 (R.v.1a); Rev 1:5-8; John 18:33b-37
It is finally here! We have been talking about it for a long time now and have been waiting patiently for it. It is the Last Sunday of the Church’s Liturgical Year. As we go through our reflection for today, I wish to invite you to also be thinking about something we have also been waiting for THE END TIME! Assuming that end time happens to you now while you read this, will you be ready for the Lord? Will you be receiving him as your King?
Symbolically, on this Last Sunday, with the celebration of the Solemnity of Christ the Universal King, we are invited to reflect and work towards making Christ the King of our lives so that we shall be accepted into his kingdom. During the immediate past week, we read from Luke 19:11-28, and in the end, we saw how the enemies of the King who did not want him to rule over them were thrown out and destroyed. May such not be our lot in the end through Christ our Lord.
To avert that calamity, all the readings of today turn our gaze towards the end when the Kingdom of Christ shall be the only one standing when others have faded away. In the First Reading, Daniel saw a vision which points to the fact that the sovereignty of this kingdom, which Christianity understands as the kingdom of Christ, shall be everlasting. The Second Reading seems to have added that no opposition can stop him at that end.
This kingdom is not like our earthly kingdoms. And that is why Jesus said in the Gospel that his kingship is not of this of this world. That is not the same thing as saying that his kingdom is not found in this world. After all, he added that he has come into the world to bear witness to the truth, and that truth is the revelation of God to man.
He already gave us the injunction to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. Hence, to be part of this kingdom therefore, we must be his co-witnesses to this truth. Remember that the sheep that hear the voice of the shepherd and follow him are the one that belong to him (cf. John 10:4). Whose voice do you follow the voice of Jesus or that of the rulers of this world?
May God give us the grace to hear and follow the voice of Christ so that he may reign as king over us, our homes and all that we do. Amen.
Peace be with you.
