This is the last Sunday in Ordinary time -The Solemnity of Christ, The King. Next Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the four weeks of preparation for the birth of Christ, the Child Jesus like Lent it is a penitential season when violet vestments are worn. This is a time when the church concerns herself with the last things, heaven, hell, purgatory and judgment.
The image of Christ as King brings to mind the final victory of the Lord, and His rule being established over all, and in all. For good or ill. Forever.
In the 12th chapter of John’s gospel is the scene of Palm Sunday, the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the last words of Jesus to the people.
What kind of king do we have? Jesus said to Pontius Pilate “My kingdom is not of this world”, in vs. 13~14 are these words “Hosanna blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel! Fear not Daughter Zion. Behold the King comes, sitting upon a colt of an ass.”
In the 3rd chapter of John vs. 14 Jesus refers to “Moses lifting up the serpent on a pole in the desert for the healing of those who hooked upon it.” He says, “even so must the son of man be lifted up, that those who believe in Him may not perish. Bat may have life everlasting.”
There is a likeness between Jesus the King and our understanding the role of a world leader. But Jesus is a ruler like no other ruler. His Kingdom is not of this world. His kingdom is one of obedience to the one who sent Him, “Our Father” and our citizenship is one of acquiescence to Our Father who created us. Citizenship in heaven has another characteristic. It is child like, it is little and lowly and humble. In Mt. 18:2 Jesus speaks against ambition in these words, “The disciples had asked the question, ‘who is greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?’ Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in their midst, and said, ‘Amen I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.’ Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Such as the birth of the child Jesus at Christmas.
Note Jesus word “amen “which means “so be it” and the word “unless” which is conditional and the words “will not” which are final. Concisely Jesus tells us that we must give up ourselves that we must die to ourselves . That we must become like Him if we would enter His Kingdom which is not of this would. You are to be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect.
The beginning of our Christian life came about in Baptism. In the water poured over us and the coming of the Holy Spirit. We died and became a new creation in Christ. “I live now not I, but Christ lives in me.” St. Paul said, “and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live in the faith of the Son of man, who loves me and gave himself up for me.” In Mt. 10:39 Jesus tells us “And He who does not take up his cross and follow me, is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake, will find it.” In Mt. 16:26 Jesus continues, “For what does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, but suffer the loss of his own soul?”
The people of this generation, Christians and Catholics included, are seeking the kingdom of this world and are like those referred to in Mt. 15:8 by Christ, “This people honors me with their lips but their heart is far from me, and in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine the precepts of men.”
People think that if they just stay out of trouble heaven will be a continuation of existence, as they have known it. That attitude is one of complacency. Jesus paid the price for my sins and I can live as I please.” But think of the parable of the talents where the master went on a journey and left ten talents to one servant, five to another and one to a third, and said traffic with these sums of money so that on my return there is a profit. The one with the ten produced an additional ten and the one with five doubled his five. But when the master asked the servant who had the one he said he had buried it in the ground because he was afraid. He earned nothing, he provided no fruit. And all the master had from that unprofitable servant was the one talent he had given him. Nothing came from it.
The Master took the one away from him and gave it to the servant with the ten. For he who has much will be given more and from him who has little even that will be taken away.
Christ and His Church came to be at the will of the Father for the purpose of making us heirs of the kingdom of heaven. We find ourselves challenged at every stage of our earthly lives. Challenged to submit to the process of conversion and transformation, to submit to the process of dying to ourselves so that Jesus has room to live and grow within our soul which is immortal and made in God’s image.
Listen to Christ’s words in John 12:23, “Amen, Amen I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. He who loves his life loses it; but he who hates his life in this world, keeps it unto life everlasting. If anyone serves me, let him follow me; and where I am there also shall my servant be. If anyone serves me, my father will honor him.”
Christianity is counter cultural. Christ’s ways, his words, his gospels are a direct contradiction to the ways of the world and to the demands of human nature. A Christian, in order to reach the kingdom of heaven must choose to serve the Lord with his whole being. He cannot live a divided life. He must be single minded with his goal set in stone before Him always.
The last things are heaven, hell, purgatory and judgment.
If one dies in mortal sin, that is without sanctifying grace, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. If one is in sanctifying grace but with the temporal punishment due to their past sins unsatisfied, then they go to purgatory. The particular judgment occurs at that moment of our death when we meet Christ face to face. We will recognize that judgment as just and fair, and even though we might wish it were different, it will be too late to change it.
Christ through St. Faustina wants everyone to know of His great mercy. To know it now and to approach it now and to not delay for the Son of man, Christ the King, will come when He is least expected.
Through the treasury of the church the keys of the kingdom of heaven, the power to loose and to bind given to Peter by Christ we have the partial and the plenary indulgence. The remission of the temporal punishment due to sin either partially or completely. A Plenary indulgence removes entirely the temporal punishment due to sin. The conditions are that on certain occasions such as All Saints Day praying for the dead at a cemetery (this is called an indulgenced work) accompanied by sacramental confession, Eucharist, the communion and prayer for the Pope’s intentions. But the most important condition is the exclusion of all attachment to sin, even venial sin.
Today in the gospel we see Christ the King crucified between two thieves. One of whom says to Jesus, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.” But the other man rebuked him, acknowledging his guilt and recognizing that Jesus is innocent and says” Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied : “ amen(So be it) I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Receive a complete pardon)
In Lk. 13:23 someone put the question to Jesus:”Lord, are only a few to be saved? Jesus replied, “Strive to enter by the narrow gate.”
In the gospel today we see that half was saved and halve was lost. One out of two or fifty percent.
Christ is king and His ways are not our ways and our ways are not His ways.
The image of Christ as King brings to mind the final victory of the Lord, and His rule being established over all, and in all. For good or ill. Forever.
In the 12th chapter of John’s gospel is the scene of Palm Sunday, the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the last words of Jesus to the people.
What kind of king do we have? Jesus said to Pontius Pilate “My kingdom is not of this world”, in vs. 13~14 are these words “Hosanna blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel! Fear not Daughter Zion. Behold the King comes, sitting upon a colt of an ass.”
In the 3rd chapter of John vs. 14 Jesus refers to “Moses lifting up the serpent on a pole in the desert for the healing of those who hooked upon it.” He says, “even so must the son of man be lifted up, that those who believe in Him may not perish. Bat may have life everlasting.”
There is a likeness between Jesus the King and our understanding the role of a world leader. But Jesus is a ruler like no other ruler. His Kingdom is not of this world. His kingdom is one of obedience to the one who sent Him, “Our Father” and our citizenship is one of acquiescence to Our Father who created us. Citizenship in heaven has another characteristic. It is child like, it is little and lowly and humble. In Mt. 18:2 Jesus speaks against ambition in these words, “The disciples had asked the question, ‘who is greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?’ Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in their midst, and said, ‘Amen I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.’ Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Such as the birth of the child Jesus at Christmas.
Note Jesus word “amen “which means “so be it” and the word “unless” which is conditional and the words “will not” which are final. Concisely Jesus tells us that we must give up ourselves that we must die to ourselves . That we must become like Him if we would enter His Kingdom which is not of this would. You are to be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect.
The beginning of our Christian life came about in Baptism. In the water poured over us and the coming of the Holy Spirit. We died and became a new creation in Christ. “I live now not I, but Christ lives in me.” St. Paul said, “and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live in the faith of the Son of man, who loves me and gave himself up for me.” In Mt. 10:39 Jesus tells us “And He who does not take up his cross and follow me, is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake, will find it.” In Mt. 16:26 Jesus continues, “For what does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, but suffer the loss of his own soul?”
The people of this generation, Christians and Catholics included, are seeking the kingdom of this world and are like those referred to in Mt. 15:8 by Christ, “This people honors me with their lips but their heart is far from me, and in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine the precepts of men.”
People think that if they just stay out of trouble heaven will be a continuation of existence, as they have known it. That attitude is one of complacency. Jesus paid the price for my sins and I can live as I please.” But think of the parable of the talents where the master went on a journey and left ten talents to one servant, five to another and one to a third, and said traffic with these sums of money so that on my return there is a profit. The one with the ten produced an additional ten and the one with five doubled his five. But when the master asked the servant who had the one he said he had buried it in the ground because he was afraid. He earned nothing, he provided no fruit. And all the master had from that unprofitable servant was the one talent he had given him. Nothing came from it.
The Master took the one away from him and gave it to the servant with the ten. For he who has much will be given more and from him who has little even that will be taken away.
Christ and His Church came to be at the will of the Father for the purpose of making us heirs of the kingdom of heaven. We find ourselves challenged at every stage of our earthly lives. Challenged to submit to the process of conversion and transformation, to submit to the process of dying to ourselves so that Jesus has room to live and grow within our soul which is immortal and made in God’s image.
Listen to Christ’s words in John 12:23, “Amen, Amen I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. He who loves his life loses it; but he who hates his life in this world, keeps it unto life everlasting. If anyone serves me, let him follow me; and where I am there also shall my servant be. If anyone serves me, my father will honor him.”
Christianity is counter cultural. Christ’s ways, his words, his gospels are a direct contradiction to the ways of the world and to the demands of human nature. A Christian, in order to reach the kingdom of heaven must choose to serve the Lord with his whole being. He cannot live a divided life. He must be single minded with his goal set in stone before Him always.
The last things are heaven, hell, purgatory and judgment.
If one dies in mortal sin, that is without sanctifying grace, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. If one is in sanctifying grace but with the temporal punishment due to their past sins unsatisfied, then they go to purgatory. The particular judgment occurs at that moment of our death when we meet Christ face to face. We will recognize that judgment as just and fair, and even though we might wish it were different, it will be too late to change it.
Christ through St. Faustina wants everyone to know of His great mercy. To know it now and to approach it now and to not delay for the Son of man, Christ the King, will come when He is least expected.
Through the treasury of the church the keys of the kingdom of heaven, the power to loose and to bind given to Peter by Christ we have the partial and the plenary indulgence. The remission of the temporal punishment due to sin either partially or completely. A Plenary indulgence removes entirely the temporal punishment due to sin. The conditions are that on certain occasions such as All Saints Day praying for the dead at a cemetery (this is called an indulgenced work) accompanied by sacramental confession, Eucharist, the communion and prayer for the Pope’s intentions. But the most important condition is the exclusion of all attachment to sin, even venial sin.
Today in the gospel we see Christ the King crucified between two thieves. One of whom says to Jesus, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.” But the other man rebuked him, acknowledging his guilt and recognizing that Jesus is innocent and says” Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied : “ amen(So be it) I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Receive a complete pardon)
In Lk. 13:23 someone put the question to Jesus:”Lord, are only a few to be saved? Jesus replied, “Strive to enter by the narrow gate.”
In the gospel today we see that half was saved and halve was lost. One out of two or fifty percent.
Christ is king and His ways are not our ways and our ways are not His ways.
