Ez 34:11-12,15-17 Ps 23 1 Cor 15:20-26,28 Mt
25:31-46
On this particular Sunday - this last Sunday in the church year,
the Church proclaims in a particular way that Jesus Christ is sovereign over
all the universe. And so we call this
feast day the “Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King.”
The readings that the church selects for our reflection are a
powerful teaching. The first reading
from the book of the prophet Ezekiel describes God as being like a shepherd
tending his flock. Likewise, Psalm 23
describes the Lord’s actions as being like a shepherd of the flock.
The prophet Ezekiel describes the Shepherd doing these things for
the sheep. Consider this list of the
tasks.
1. Rescue
them when they are scattered
2. feed
them with good pastures.
3. give
them rest.
4. seek
out the lost and the strayed and bring them back.
5. bind
up the wounded and heal the sick.
Psalm 23 is a strong reflection of these same ideas from
Ezekiel. These are wonderful and
consoling verses of sacred scripture.
They remind us of how much God loves us and how God chooses - in great
humility - to serve us in love. God
showed us this love in a very concrete way through Jesus. He truly is the good shepherd who loves us
and who helps us.
When we think about it - we have all experienced the love of
Jesus the good shepherd. For he does
these things for us.
Jesus heals our sickness.
Jesus frees us from the prison of sin and death.
Jesus welcomes us who were once strangers to his covenant.
Jesus clothes us in baptism.
Jesus feeds us with the food and drink of His own body and blood.
Our God has shown us amazing love in Jesus our Good Shepherd.
The scriptures then take us a step further. The reading from the 15th chapter of 1st
Corinthians and also from the 25th Chapter of Matthew depicts Jesus as the
sovereign with every authority and power.
He will sit upon his glorious throne and will judge the nations.
His measure of judgment is quite clear. The blessed are the ones who fed the hungry,
gave drink to the thirst, welcomed the stranger, clothed the naked, cared for
the ill, and visited the imprisoned. The
condemned are the ones who did not do these things.
This means that the connection between the first reading and the
psalm with the second reading and the gospel are very clear. God has shown each of us great kindness and
love. And God commands that we do
likewise if we want to enter into his presence.
So, here we are in his
presence.
We have gathered in his name - and he is present among us.
We have listened to the Word - and he has spoken to us.
Jesus himself will take the bread, bless it, break it, and give
it to us through the hands of the priest.
Jesus himself will feed us.
Many saints have seen a very real connection between what Jesus
is saying in this gospel reading and in his presence in the Holy
Eucharist. Mother Teresa of Calcutta
said it this way. “In Holy Communion we have Christ under the appearance of bread. In our work we find Him under the appearance
of flesh and blood. It is the same
Christ. ‘I was hungry, I was naked, I was sick, I was homeless.’”
The readings today call us to recognize Jesus and follow
him. First of all, let us recognize the
kindness of Jesus toward us as a Good Shepherd.
Let us offer him our thanks for the many ways in which he has cared for
us. All the ways in which he has blessed
us. Let us give thanks to the Lord our
God. It is right and just.
Second of all, let us respond to Jesus’ call to practice that
same loving service by recognizing him in the least of these our brothers and
sisters. He comes to us disguised as the
hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the homeless, the sick, and the
imprisoned. Jesus is here among us in
the distressing disguise of the poor. Do
we see him as he has seen us? Do we love
him as he has loved us? Do we care for
him as he has cared for us?
The condemned in the gospel have one basic vice in common. They ignore the presence of Jesus by ignoring
the needs of others. Like the parable of
the rich man and the poor beggar Lazarus - the rich man was condemned to eternal torment because he never saw Lazarus in his great need. The opposite of love truly is apathy. And so it is that they will go off to eternal
torment, having chosen their eternal separation from God.
The blessed in the gospel have one basic virtue in common. They minister to Jesus who comes to them in
the distressing disguise of the poor.
They choose love. And because of
their love they will be able to hear these words from Christ the King.
“Come, you who are blessed
by my Father. Inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
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