Texts taken from the Missalette “On Your Word” November-December

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Solemnity) (B)
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FIRST READING

From the book of the prophet Daniel (Dn 7:13-14)
As I watched in the night visions, behold, one like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven; he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. To him were given dominion, glory, and kingship; all peoples, nations, and languages served him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship shall never be destroyed. - The Word of the Lord.

Commentary on the first reading

“Son of Man” is the title Jesus uses most frequently when speaking about himself. Even at the crucial moment of his trial before the Sanhedrin, before his condemnation to death, Jesus declares: «I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven» (Mt 26:64), thus bringing Daniel’s prophecy to complete fulfillment. In the prophetic vision of the Son of Man, Christians have always recognized a prophecy of Jesus’ kingship, which extends throughout history and embraces all the peoples of the earth. With the vision of the “Son of Man” who comes «on the clouds of heaven», an entirely new kingdom coming from God himself is foretold. We will find an echo of these words in those that the archangel Gabriel will say to Mary at the Annunciation: «Behold, you will conceive a son and bear him, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end» (Lk 1:31-33).

SECOND READING

From the Book of Revelation of Saint John the Apostle (Rv 1:5-8)
Jesus Christ is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will beat their breasts because of him. Yes, Amen! Says the Lord God: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty! - The Word of the Lord. 

Commentary on the second reading

Jesus - the Catechism teaches us - «is the one whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and established as “Priest, Prophet, and King”». By virtue of our Baptism, we too share in these three functions of Christ. By virtue of the common priesthood, we can unite ourselves to Christ’s offering of himself to the Father for the salvation of the world. This means that our entire life, our day, our prayers, our works, our labor, our family life, the patient endurance of suffering and adversity - all of this, if lived in the Spirit, becomes a sacrifice pleasing to God, which in the celebration of the Eucharist we can offer together with the offering of the Lord’s Body. As participants in Christ’s prophetic office, we can welcome the Gospel in faith and proclaim it in word and deed, allowing the newness and power of the Gospel to shine forth in daily life. To share in Christ’s kingship, on the other hand, means a constant commitment to overcome the kingdom of sin and to grow ever more, through the gift of ourselves, in love for God and our brothers and sisters.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to John (Jn 18:33b-37)
At that time, Pilate said to Jesus: «Are you the King of the Jews?». Jesus answered: «Do you say this on your own, or have others told you about me?». Pilate said: «Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?». Jesus answered: «My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have fought so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingdom is not from here». Then Pilate said to him: «So you are a king?». Jesus answered: «You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice». - The Gospel of the Lord.

Commentary on the Gospel of the day

Christ’s kingship should neither be thought of nor understood in the manner of the kingship of this world. Christ’s royal power is that of giving eternal life, freeing us from the terrible slavery of sin and Satan, and eliminating death, which exercises a paralyzing power over our existence. Christ’s kingship is the kingship of love, capable of touching hearts, especially the most hardened ones. After the multiplication of the loaves and fish, Jesus went into hiding from the crowd that sought to make him king. Now, however, before Pilate, on the eve of his Passion, he openly declares not only his kingship, but shortly afterward he will also openly declare his kingdom, assuring a place to the good thief who begged him to remember him. Before Pilate, Jesus solemnly affirms: «For this I was born and for this I came into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice». Many today doubt that truth exists and prefer to it a marketplace of personal opinions. Every day we are called to choose between the truth, which is Christ, and the lie that continually seeks to insinuate itself into us. There is a struggle and there is victory: Christ the King.