DAILY- HOMILY

20 November 2016

CHRIST THE KING 

[34th and Last Sunday in Ordinary Time]

Solemnity.   White.    

2 Sm 5: 1 – 3 / Col 1: 12 – 20 / Lk 23: 35 - 43

From the 1st Reading: Col 1:  15 - 19

He is the image of the unseen God, and for all creation he is the firstborn, for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible:  thrones, rulers, authorities, powers. 

All was made through him and for him.  He is before all and all things hold together in him.  And he is the head of the body that is the Church. for he is the first,  the first raised from the dead that he may be the first in everything for God was pleased to let fullness reside in him. 

Gospel Reading: Lk 23: 35 – 43

The people stood by watching.  As for the rulers, they jeered at him, saying to one another, "Let the man who saved others save himself, for he is the Messiah, the chosen one of God!"

The soldiers also mocked him and when they drew near to offer him bitter wine, they said, "So you are the king of the Jews?  Free yourself!"  For above him was the inscription, which read, "This is the King of the Jews."

One of the criminals hanging with Jesus insulted him, "So you are the Messiah?  Save yourself and us as well!"  But the other rebuked him, saying, "Have you no fear of God, you who received the same sentence as we did?  For us it is just:  this is the payment for what we have done, but this man has done nothing wrong."  And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you are in your kingdom."  Jesus replied, "Truly, you will be with me today in paradise."

It was now about noon. The sun was hidden darkness came over the whole land until mid-afternoon; and at that time the curtain of the Sanctuary was torn in two.  Then Jesus gave a loud cry, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."  And saying that, he gave up his spirit.

Reflection

Today's celebration may seem outdated.  We celebrate Christ as our King, though kings and kingdoms are mainly remnants of the past.  We still celebrate Christ as King because, deep in our hearts and being, we continue to long for a real king, model and leader in our lives.   

We yearn for someone we could trust completely, for one who would wield real power and not abuse it, for a leader utterly trustworthy, loving, wise, understanding and truly good.

Today's Gospel reading about a crucified man on a cross gives us one such leader and king, Jesus of Nazareth.

First, he is king by origin and birth, being the Son of God.

Second, he is king "whose reign shall have no end." (Lk 1: 33)

Third, he is a king whose rule can never be tyrannical: it is not imposed but proposed to be accepted freely and lovingly.

Fourth, his power is based on self-sacrificial love.  

Christ as king has no armed forces nor political supporters, no propaganda machinery, no police force, no judiciary, no legislature.

Its only force and weapon, if we may call it such, is truth: "Just as you say, I am a king.  For this I was born and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth, everyone who is on the side of truth hears my voice."  (Jn 18: 37)

As king he appeals only to those interested in the truth, to all those committed to lives of honesty, righteousness and fidelity to the truth.

Jesus has risen from the dead and sits in glory at the right hand of the Father.  He speaks to each of us. Each one of us must decide for yourself whether or not Jesus is our king.

When we choose Jesus as king we give up making ourself the center of our world and of our life.

Do I choose Jesus as my king?

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     Shirley D. Garcia

     Ivy Mariel C. de Ramos

     Odelia Almario Tan

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     Charles Kang Lim (Oct 17, 1960 – Nov 20, 1997)

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

**************************************************

These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following: 

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   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  

  +================================================+

19 November 2016 

Saturday, 33rd Week in Ordinary Time 

Green.            

Rv 11:4 – 12 / Lk 20:27 – 40

Gospel Reading: Lk 20: 27 - 40

Then some Sadducees arrived. These people claim that there is no resurrection  and they asked Jesus this question, "Master, in the Scripture Moses told us: 'If anyone dies leaving a wife but no children, his brother must take the wife, and the child to be born will be regarded as the child of the deceased man.' Now, there were seven brothers; the first married a wife, but he died without children; and the second and the third took the wife; in fact all seven died leaving no children. Last of all the woman died. On the day of the resurrection, to which of them will the woman be wife? For the seven had her as wife."

And Jesus replied, "Taking husband or wife is proper to people of this world, but for those who are considered worthy of the world to come and of resurrection from the dead, there is no more marriage. Besides, they cannot die for they are like the angels. They too are sons and daughters of God because they are born of the resurrection.

"Yes, the dead will be raised, and even Moses implied it in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. For he is God of the living and not of the dead, and for him all are alive." 

"Some teachers of the Law then agreed with Jesus, "Master, you have spoken well." They didn't dare to ask him anything else.

Reflection

"He is God of the living." In today's Gospel reading we hear two different questions posed to Jesus – one about living in this world and one about life in the after-life.  In reality life is pretty simple.  God created it this way.  What happens is that our so called "simple life" becomes complicated when we start thinking too much of how bad government is, how our neighbor has a better car or maybe a more handsome and caring husband, how our child compared to others, etc.  Thinking too much of these things complicates our lives and we are unable to be happy.  We work and work, push our kids to excel more than anyone, force the people around us to conform to what we want them to be, etc.  

In the end we are like zombies with no more life in us and just surviving the daily grind.  We are invited to be less complicated and allow the Lord's wisdom to enter so that we can live happily.  We can also be certain that when we die, we can live with him eternally.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     Beth Narciso Navarro

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     Emelinda and Dr. Timoteo L. Yu

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     Esperanza V. Austria

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

**************************************************

These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following: 

  +================================================+

   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  

  +================================================+