CHRIST THE KING: Ez 34:11-12, 15-17; I Cor 15:20-26, 28; Mt 25:31-46

In today's first reading, God is presented as the Good Shepherd. God is our king, he is a shepherd-king who looks for the lost one, brings back the stray, bandages the wounded, and makes the weak strong. Christ the King is Christ the life-giver, who works to bring us from death to life, both in the course of our earthly lives and at their end.

The judgment topic is interlaced in today's liturgy with that of Jesus, the good shepherd. The responsorial psalm says: "The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want, fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose" (Psalm 22:1-2). The meaning is clear: Now Christ reveals himself to us as the good shepherd; one day, he will be obliged to be our Judge. Now is the time of mercy, then, it will be the time of justice. It is for us to choose while we still have time.

The standard of judgment is simple enough; 'whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did it to me'. What may surprise us is God's identification with the most insignificant of his brothers: 'you did it to me. When we do any good for others even though we may not realize how it works, we do it for Christ, who became one of us. He will consider this as the basis for our judgment.

 

The Church believes there are two types of judgements: particular and general. Why will there be a general judgment if there is a particular judgment? Will those who are already in hell or heaven be brought down to the scene of final judgment?

The Catechism (CCC 1022) refers to the "particular judgment" immediately upon the death of each human person. Each man receives eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the moment of his death. This truth is attested to in texts of Scripture like Hebrews 9:27: "it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment." And it is implied in Luke 16:19-23, when Jesus gives us his famous parable of Lazarus and the rich man.

It should be noted that there will be exceptions to the "death" part of this equation. St. Paul tells us those who are "alive and remain" at the time of Christ's coming will never taste death (1 Thess. 4:16-17; cf. 1 Cor. 15:51).

The Church refers to the final judgment at the end of time, in which all will be judged corporately and publicly. According to  Sacred Scripture, this is clearly separate and distinct from the particular judgment, as CCC 1038 declares: The resurrection of all the dead, "of both the just and the unjust" (Acts 24:15), will precede the Last Judgment.

It is fitting that there be a final judgment after the particular judgment for three essential reasons. First, and most importantly, the final judgment will fully reveal God's justice and glory for all to see. This is not accomplished in each man's private and particular judgment.

Furthermore, the full implications of the good and evil that we do in our lifetime will not be fully realized at the time of our particular judgment. These will have ripple effects on our children, our children's children, etc., and on those around us and those around them,  down through the years between our particular judgment and the end of time. All this will be fully revealed at the final judgment.

And finally, since we sin and perform virtuous acts as a body/soul composite, it is fitting that we be judged as a body/soul composite as well. This, too, does not occur at our particular judgment, at the final judgment. Otherwise, only the soul suffers for the acts that the body-soul together acquired.

Will the damned be "taken out of hell, judged, and thrown back into hell then?"  Both heaven and hell are not principally locations; rather, they are states of being. Hell is, as CCC 1033 says, "[the] state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed." And when it comes to the punishments of hell (and we could add purgatory here as well), CCC 1472 says:

These two punishments (speaking of purgatory and hell) must not be conceived of as a kind of vengeance inflicted by God from without but as following from the very nature of sin.

Thus, again, hell is not so much a "place" that one can be "thrown into" in a literal sense as it is a state of being. So in that sense, one cannot be "taken out of hell" because hell is wherever the damned are!

Moreover, because the damned do not have bodies before the end of time, they do not have location as you and I understand it. They are pure spirits. So we can't really speak of hell being a "place" right now, at least, not as we understand "places." However, after the resurrection, because those in hell will have bodies we could certainly speak of them having a "location" or "place" of sorts. Hell and heaven are essentially present wherever the damned and the just are "located," even after the resurrection of the body.

On this Feast of Christ the King, when we profess our faith in the second coming of Christ and his final judgment, let us renew our baptismal commitment, when we were anointed priest, prophet and King - 'King' for we are to be instruments of Christ in bringing about the reign of God on the earth.

Jesus Christ alone is our King; his claim on our lives is greater than that of any earthly ruler or political system. The Solemnity of Christ the King is not just the conclusion of the Church year.   It is also a summary of our lives as Christians. On this great Feast, let us resolve to give Christ the central place in our lives and to obey His commandment of love by sharing our blessings with all his needy children. 

 

 

 OT 33 [A] : Prv 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; I Thes 5:1-6; Mt 25:14-30

The Church places the parable of talents before us today, and this coming Sunday, we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. In our liturgy, we are reminded not just of the end of the liturgical year but of the end of all things and the preparations we need to make.  The Bible tells us that we are all created in the image and likeness of God, and he has placed on us multiple gifts and blessings.  He expects us to utilize these blessings for his kingdom and his people and develop the talents he has given us.  He wants us to be diligent and watchful for the coming of the Lord, who will take into account all that we have done.

The Reading from Matthew today involves two stories. The first reminded us of the necessity to be watchful at all times. The second, the Parable of the Talents, informs us why we must persevere in our living faith and be fruitful in all our thoughts, words and actions.  This parable illustrates the teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven and how everyone will be judged according to his use of the gifts God gives to human persons. 

The readiness for the Lord’s coming requires both foresight and an investment of effort on the part of His disciples. A disciple of the Lord does not just idly wait for the Master’s return, wasting his time without paying attention to his own spiritual growth and hoping that he can make up for lost time at the end or defend his actions or inactions with some lame excuse.

In today's second reading, St. Paul tells the people of Thessalonica that the day of the Lord, the end of time, will come like a thief in the night when people least expect it. Some of these people took Paul so seriously that they quit working and caring for their families. They expected everyone else to take care of them as they braced themselves for the end. Paul had to write a second letter to them telling that those who refused to work should not eat. Perhaps time will not end before we die, but when we die, our personal time comes to an end. We spend the month of November praying for our loved ones, and all the souls of the faithful departed who have died. Death is a reality everyone has to face. But it comes unexpectedly. So, keep working at the talents given to us.

The master in the gospel parable entrusts his possessions to three servants and then goes on a journey. When he returns, he calls them to see how they invested them, rewarding the first two who had returned more to him than he had given them and punishing the third who buried the talent in the ground. He was like a farm worker handing back a seed he had been given and saying to the farmer… here it is… you gave it to me... I have preserved the seed…  froze it… and here is the seed back exactly in the same condition as you gave it to me. The seed is meant for the sowing. It is intended for planting and germination. It is to produce a plant that will bear fruit. But he did not do it.

 Our unique gifts are not limited to grand gestures or extraordinary talents. They manifest in the small, everyday moments. Consider the friend who always knows how to make us smile, the colleague who effortlessly diffuses tension with humor or the family member with a knack for turning ordinary gatherings into cherished memories.

Let us embrace the truth that within each of us lies something extraordinary. It may be a skill, a passion, or a way of connecting with others. In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we often overlook the reservoir of potential that resides within each one of us. Our journey is to uncover these gifts, nurture them, and let them shine.

The journey of self-discovery is not always easy. It requires courage to step outside the familiar, to challenge ourselves, and to confront the unknown. The gifts within us are not meant to be kept hidden; they are meant to be shared with the world, adding unique threads to the rich fabric of human experience.

Often, people hesitate to take risks and remain in passive complacency.  The reason is that they think their little contribution will not make much difference in society.

One day, a man was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a young person reaching down to the sand, picking up something, and very gently throwing it back into the sea. As he got closer, he called out, “Good morning! What are you doing?” The young person paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish into the sea.”  Why are you throwing starfish into the sea?” he asked. “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”  “But, don’t you realize that there are miles of beach here and starfish all along it. You can’t possibly make a difference!”  The young person listened politely. Then knelt down, picked up another starfish and, threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said…”Made a difference to this one.” 

Even when our contributions are seemingly very little, it can make a change to us and in different ways in the lives of others. There are also countless stories of saints and famous people over the many ages who overcame great obstacles (including feeble health), and limitations of all sorts to produce the most amazing fruits and astounding results in their lives. They did it by determination, hard work  (and, of course, by the grace of God), and utilizing well the talents and vision they did possess.  

All of us in the Church today have received at least one talent: the gift of Faith. Our responsibility is not just to preserve and “keep” the Faith, but to work with it. We need to promote and add value to Faith by living it out. May the Lord give us the grace to preserve the faith, or any other talent that God has given us to put it to work and make it bear fruit.

 OT XXXII [A]: Wis 6:12-16; I Thes 4:13-18; Mt 25:1-13

 

Christian spirituality has always insisted on the need to live this life as a clear and certain preparation for the future eternal life. The mere desire of eternal life is not sufficient, but the life a person lives must show in practical ways this preparedness and the worthiness for the Kingdom of Heaven.  The message given to us today is one of watchfulness and to be ready to receive the Lord. As we approach the end of the Liturgical Year, the Church seems to place these very mysteries before us.  

Today, we reflect upon a parable from the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus shared with his disciples. It is a story about ten bridesmaids awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom. This parable conveys profound truths about spiritual preparedness, vigilance, and the importance of being ready for the coming of the Lord.

The story of Noah and the Ark is a classic example of preparedness in the face of impending disaster. Noah, righteous in his generation, was instructed by God to build an ark to escape the flood that would cleanse the earth of sin. Through his obedience and preparedness, Noah and his family were saved. This narrative emphasizes the importance of heeding God's warnings and being prepared for the challenges that may come.

The Passover story highlights the importance of preparedness for the Israelites. God instructed them to be ready to leave Egypt in haste, with their sandals on their feet and staff in hand. The preparedness of the Israelites allowed them to follow God's guidance and escape from slavery. 

The Bible consistently teaches the importance of preparedness in various aspects of life—spiritual readiness, stewardship of God's gifts, obedience to His instructions, and anticipation of future events. Being prepared is not just a temporal or practical matter; it carries profound spiritual implications, shaping our response to God's call and our readiness for the eternal realities that await us.

Life is unpredictable, much like a journey into unknown terrain. It is marked by unexpected twists and turns, presenting challenges and opportunities when we least expect them. In the face of this uncertainty, preparedness becomes our guiding star, illuminating the path forward.

Consider the analogy of sailors embarking on a voyage. They meticulously check their vessel, ensuring it is seaworthy and stocked with provisions. They chart their course, aware that the seas may be calm or turbulent. Such preparedness isn't born out of fear but out of respect for the unpredictable nature of the ocean.

Similarly, in the grand tapestry of life, preparedness is not a manifestation of anxiety but a manifestation of wisdom. It is an acknowledgement that our journey may take us through uncharted waters, and being ready equips us to navigate the unknown with resilience and grace.

One incident that vividly illustrates the lesson of being prepared is the story of the Titanic disaster in 1912. The sinking of the Titanic serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of insufficient preparedness in the face of unexpected challenges.

The Titanic, considered unsinkable by many, set sail on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, on the night of April 14, 1912, the ship struck an iceberg and began its tragic descent into the icy waters. The incident resulted in the loss of more than 1,500 lives.

What makes the Titanic a poignant lesson in preparedness is the insufficient number of lifeboats on board. The ship, designed to accommodate over 2,400 passengers and crew, had lifeboats for only about 1,200 people. The lack of adequate lifeboats was a fatal oversight that contributed to the high casualty rate.

In our fast-paced world, where change is the only constant, preparedness is our anchor. It is the compass that points us in the right direction when the winds of uncertainty blow. Whether we face personal challenges, professional endeavours, or societal shifts, prepared minds and hearts are resilient, adaptable, and capable of transforming adversity into opportunity.

Several years ago, a Fortune 500 company advertised in the New York Times to fill a vacancy in its sales force. They received an application unlike any other. This particular job-seeker wrote: “I am at present selling furniture at the address listed below. You may judge my ability as a salesman if you will stop in to see me at any time, pretending that you are interested in buying furniture. When you come in, you can identify me by my red hair. I will have no way of identifying you. Such salesmanship as I exhibit during your visit, therefore, will be no more than my usual workday efforts and not a special attempt to impress a prospective employer.” — From among more than 1500 applicants, this guy got the job!  He keeps plenty of oil in his lamp.

The conclusion to be drawn from today’s parable is this: the time of the arrival of our Lord as judge of the universe, the day on which the eternal wedding feast of Christ with his elect will begin, it is as uncertain as the arrival of the bridegroom.  There is one sure way to be found ready for that all-important moment to be ever prepared and ready to meet the bridegroom.  A follower of Christ cannot afford to be casual and unprepared for that moment. Like the foolish bridesmaids, many will fail to make use of the means provided for salvation and only realize their folly when it is too late. As we draw close to the end of the liturgical year, the church, through the gospel, invites us to contemplate the end – the end of our lives and the end of the world. Jesus has told us that the Son of Man will come back on the Last Day to judge the living and the dead. How and when that will be, we do not know for sure. May the Lord give us the wisdom to draw a lesson of preparedness from this parable of the wise virgins. 

 O.T. XXXI: Mal 1:14b-2b, 8-10; I Thes 2:7b-9,13;Mt 23:1-12

Today’s readings, especially the first and the gospel, contain a list of stinging indictments against corrupt religious leaders who should have known better but are guilty of dereliction of duty and misplaced priorities.
The priests of Malachi’s day doctored the message of God, which they were entrusted to transmit to their people. They wanted to be more popular with the people than faithful to God’s Word. They catered to itching ears and told folks what they wanted to hear, not necessarily what they needed to hear.

The harshness of Malachi’s prophetic words is outmatched by the diatribe which our Lord heaps on the scribes and Pharisees, the religious leaders of His time. Our Lord’s rant against the Pharisees’ ostentatious dressing and certain cultural norms of honour could easily be applied to the Catholic Church and serve as the perfect foundation for any ad hominem anti-clerical attack on the Catholic hierarchy, or so many think. For, aren’t Catholic clergy known for dressing up in flowing robes and having seats of honour in churches and even social functions? Aren’t our priests simply addressed as “Father”?
It is clear that our Lord was attacking the hypocrisy and self-aggrandising attitude of the religious leaders of His time. He was not making a statement about fashion styles, nor was He attacking the cultural norms of giving places of honour to honoured guests.  He affirms their authority, saying they occupy the chair of Moses, and therefore, people must listen to them and do as they say. Hypocrisy and self-aggrandisement are not malady that is exclusive to clerics but can infect anyone. Whenever we make a show of our status or our outward practices to win men’s admiration, we are as guilty as the Pharisees and scribes described in today’s gospel.

Forbidding us to call anyone “teacher” or “father,” our Lord’s admonition is against the false assumption of any kind of title or mark of respect for self-glorification, thus detracting from the primacy of God’s authority in a very real way, putting oneself in God’s place. Our Lord was not outlawing the title “father” in legitimate usage. He Himself referred to the prodigal son’s parent as a father and quoted the commandment “Honour your father and your mother.” And He did not correct those who called Him “Rabbi” or “Master.”

Likewise, St Paul was unaware of any prohibition of the spiritual use of the title "father," telling the Corinthians: “I became your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel” (1 Cor 4:15), and speaking of his relationship with Timothy said that “as a child with a father he has served along with me in the cause of the Gospel.” (Phil 2:22) The spiritual use of the term father was not questioned in the Church for centuries, and Jesus’ words were never invoked to cause question or concern about the practice. Early teachers and revered spiritual guides were known as the Fathers of the Church. Even the Pope is known as the “Holy Father.”

At the end of the day, if our criticisms are confined to attacks on dressing, cultural practices and titles, it would only expose our superficiality. We seem to be focusing on the externals and ignoring what is fundamentally interior to a person. Wouldn’t that be an apt description of one of the major sins of the Pharisees? Although we can judge the external behaviour of another, none of us can or are qualified to judge their intent. Our Lord could do this because He is God. Let us not flatter ourselves by thinking that we are on par with Him and can, therefore, do the same. In pointing finger to another let’s also be aware that we would stand in the same or even worse sin than the other.

Thomas Jefferson was the chief drafter of the American Declaration of Independence. One cannot but admire the brilliance and boldness of the words, “All people are created equal and have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Thomas Jefferson was also one of the signatories of the Declaration. — It will come then as a surprise to learn that Jefferson and some of the other signatories were slave owners. It is one of the ironies in history that they denied to millions of people the very freedom they were demanding for themselves. This illustrates the immense disparity between human aspirations and human performance.

Jesus was very strong in his criticism of the category of masters who "preach but do not practice." Jesus was reprimanding the leaders who "bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger."

What does it mean when Jesus says he is the only master? Does it mean that this title cannot be used henceforth by anyone else, that no one has the right to have himself called master? It means that no one has the right to have himself called master with a capital letter as if he were the ultimate owner of truth and taught, in his own name, the truth about God. Jesus is the supreme and definitive revelation of God to men, who contains in himself all the partial revelations that have existed before and after him.

The key to Jesus’ teaching today is found in the last few lines of today’s passage, where he exhorts us to follow this standard: “The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.” This standard is not meant just for leaders, though they should take special heed of this, but it is for everyone.

The measure of a true Christian is not how many servants he has, but how many people he serves.”  As we go from here today, let’s keep reflecting on his words: ‘The greatest among you must be your servant …  Anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’