Sunday

Solemnity of Christ the King

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Today we celebrate the last Sunday in Ordinary time by celebrating the Solemnity of Christ the King. The liturgical year symbolizes the history of salvation, and the Solemnity of Christ the King celebrates when, at the end of time, salvation history comes to its fulfillment. We conclude the liturgical year today by remembering when, as John tells us in today’s Second Reading, Christ will come amid the clouds, and all eyes will see him. It is a moment to celebrate that Jesus is the Lord of Life and History. As today’s First Reading reminds us, Jesus is not just Our Lord.

Daniel reminds us that Jesus, after completing His mission on earth, appeared before Our Heavenly Father and “received dominion, glory, and kingship; all peoples, nations, and languages serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion.” When Jesus stood before the Sanhedrin, and the High Priest asked him if he was the Christ, Jesus responded with the very words we have considered in the First Reading today, and in exchange for declaring His kingship, he was beaten, tortured, and nailed to his throne, the Cross. And all these horrors didn’t change the fact that he was the Lord of Life and History, a fact we celebrate today.

In the Gospel today, Jesus told Pilate that his kingdom was not of this world, and that he had come to it to testify to the truth. Those who belong to the truth hear his voice. Those who belong to the truth let Christ reign in their lives, even Christ crucified, because he is truly our King. This is why we pray, “Thy Kingdom Come!” whenever we recite the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus received his Kingship by suffering and dying on the cross and fulfilling his mission, His Father invested him with eternal life. We see the glory of his kingship in the Resurrection, and we know that the reign of eternal life and love will come for each of us, if we belong to the truth and hear Jesus’ voice.

The Second Reading today also speaks of that day when Our Lord returns and everyone, good and bad, will see Him: the Last Judgment at the end of the world. After Jesus’ resurrection, before he ascended to His Heavenly Father, he only appeared to those who had believed in Him. In the eyes of the world he had suffered, died, and disappeared. St. John reminds us in the Second Reading that the day will come when Jesus returns and all will see him, including those who pierced him. Everyone will see him at the end of salvation history, good and bad. If Jesus is the Lord of Life and History, what will happen to those who persist in their rebellion, who do not let Him reign in their lives? It is a call for all of us to pray and sacrifice for those far from God.

Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us see how, in our day to day life, we can be be true witnesses to God’s love so that the desire that Christ’s Kingdom Come be reflected in our actions as well as our words. May His Kingdom Come.

Readings: Daniel 7:13–14; Psalm 93:1–2, 5; Revelation 1:5–8; John 18:33b–37.

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

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Today is the next to last Sunday in Ordinary Time. We’ll celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King next Sunday, and today’s readings remind us how close that is. The liturgical year symbolizes the entire work of redemption throughout history, and that work is about to be concluded so that the year can start anew with the First Sunday of Advent. Next Sunday we celebrate the moment of the work of redemption where Christ becomes all in all, as St. Paul would say. It’ll be the day in which the Christian prayer “Thy Kingdom Come!” is completely answered: the Second Coming of Christ.

Today’s First Reading reminds us what will happen on that day: the end of the world as we know it. When we hear those words each of us must examine ourselves so see what they mean to us. They probably fill us with fear, but they should fill us with hope too. Daniel’s prophecy speaks of a great distress in the world, but also the help of St. Michael the Archangel, the guardian of the Church, just as each of us has a guardian angel, watching over us and helping us in all of life’s trials. Often it seems the end of the world is something sad and distressing, because the world as we know it is about to end. In those moments we must remember the Lord’s promises in the Beatitudes: we’ll have the Kingdom of Heaven, justice, consolation, and mercy. If we strive to live the Beatitudes they fill us with hope, because we know Our Lord always keeps his promises. As today’s Second Reading reminds us, Christ himself, by becoming a sacrifice, has performed a perfect sacrifice that bring us forgiveness and will continue to bring us forgiveness. Our Lord has already won the war. Our trials in life are the last battles of a conquest the Lord has already achieved, winning over soul after soul until the end of time until “his enemies are made his footstool”: until the forces of evil are definitively defeated.

Today’s Gospel reminds us we won’t know when Christ will return in glory, but also to be vigilant. In contemplating the end of the world let’s be vigilant, but also full of hope, even though a little healthy concern keeps us on our toes during these last battles of the war Jesus has already won.

Readings: Daniel 12:1–3; Psalm 16:5, 8–11; Hebrews 10:11–14, 18; Mark 13:24–32.

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

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In today’s readings we see a parallel between the First Reading and the Gospel: the generosity of a widow who shows faith and hope. In the First Reading Elijah asks for a handout while Israel is suffering an extended drought. The widow doesn’t disagree, she simply thinks she’d have to choose between her, her son, or Elijah: one would starve to death for the sake of another, and ultimately as well. Elijah gives her an opportunity in faith to trust in the Lord’s Providence: she’ll be provided for until the drought ends for her generosity. She provides for her son and helps the Lord through helping Elijah and everything works out.

In the Gospel Our Lord is moved by the generosity of a poor widow who gives all she has to the Temple treasury. She sacrifices her livelihood for the sake of giving alms, and no one notices her, because the amount seems so insignificant. It’s not insignificant to her, which is why it is so generous. She’s not doing it for good public relations, as the rich men are doing out of their surplus. She’s not even negotiating like Elijah and the widow in the First Reading. Little does she know that God himself is looking upon her sacrifice with contentment through the eyes of the Son, and making it an example for the disciples to follow.

We all know the expression “give ’til it hurts”; if we put a little of our comfort and livelihood on the line in giving, whether time, talent, or treasure, Our Lord sees and will bless us, even if the world doesn’t. Let’s be generous today in sharing what we have with others, knowing if we take care of others Our Lord will take care of us abundantly.

Readings: 1 Kings 17:10–16; Psalm 146:7–10; Hebrews 9:24–28; Mark 12:38–44. See also 9th Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday.

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

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In today’s First Reading Jeremiah describes the gathering of the scattered Israelites in exile as a sort of new Exodus, a new pilgrimage, where even the weak, sick, and helpless will not be left behind. It is a return to the Promised Land for everyone, despite their failings and limitations, with the Lord guiding and leading them, leaving the tears of exile and separation behing in order to return to joy.

In today’s Gospel we see Our Lord starting to gather together everyone and lead them. Crowds are starting to follow him, and in Biblical symbolism moving away from Jericho is often considered as moving away from sin, especially when heading from there to Jerusalem. In the midst of all the excitement we find poor and blind Bartimaeus, who is stuck. He ekes out an existence begging and knows with his blindness that going anywhere is difficult if not impossible. He hears the commotion and doesn’t know it is Jesus of Nazareth passing by, but when he does, he starts to beg Our Lord for mercy. The people in the crowd try to silence him, probably thinking he’s giving the same old line he uses for begging from others, but, as the Second Reading reminds us, our High Priest is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring: Jeremiah said no one would be left behind, and Our Lord is fulfilling that prophecy and curing the crowds from a spiritual blindness toward another’s needs. Jesus restores Bartimaeus’ sight and Bartimaeus joins the pilgrimage too: the Lord is leading him to a more joyous life.

When we are stuck in life, especially spiritually, struggling with our faults and failings and unsure how to get out of the rut we’re in, we too can ask the Lord for help. He will help us see a way forward, but not just a few directions to get us down the road: he will help us see so that we can follow him to where we truly need to go. Let’s follow him and also imitate him, not leaving anyone behind.

Readings: Jeremiah 31:7–9; Psalm 126:1–6; Hebrews 5:1–6; Mark 10:46–52.

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

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In today’s Gospel James and John are seeking glory, but they don’t entirely understand the path to it or the kind of glory to be won. Our Lord works with them; he doesn’t simply tell them they’re being ambitious and should focus on other things. Followers of Christ will be glorified if they persevere in the faith, but it’s the Lord who sets the terms as to what that glory consists of and how to get there. We can contemplate earthly glories and they pale in comparison to what awaits us in eternity. James and John think they know exactly what they want, but it is a vision of glory tainted by their ignorance and by visions of earthly glory.

When Our Lord asks them if they’re prepared to do what it takes to achieve glory, he speaks of a cup to drink and a baptism to receive. At Gethsemane we see that the cup is the Passion: it is suffering, just as it was foretold in today’s First Reading, which speaks of the Suffering Servant. Suffering has a purpose in this case: through Christ’s suffering, his “descendants” will receive a long life, the Lord’s will is accomplished, and many are justified. He too shall “see the light in its fullness.” In the Second Reading we see the glory that Our Lord received for drinking the cup of suffering: our High Priest in Heaven, a reward for enduring the trials that were sent his way. Suffering and trials are the path to glory for a disciple of Christ, but not senselessly: through suffering and trials we too serve others and give our lives for them to be “ransomed” from sin.

James and John were bold in seeking glory, and we have an advantage over them: we have seen the path to glory that Our Lord has traced out for us. Let’s seek the glory that not only benefits us, but others as well: a glory only won through suffering and trials for the sake of others in imitation of Christ.

Readings: Isaiah 53:10–11; Psalm 33:4–5, 18–20, 22; Hebrews 4:14–16; Mark 10:35–45.