JESUS CHRIST, THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE
First Reading: Ezekiel 34: 11-12 and 15-17Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15: 20-26 and 28
Gospel Reading: Matthew 25: 31-46
*First Reading is from the book of Prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel portrays the Lord God as a shepherd who cares for the chosen people of God. The Lord God assures the people and us that He seeks the lost and takes care of the injured and the weak in the community. He is their protector and takes care of them from all types of dangers.
*Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul explains to the Christian community at Corinth regarding the resurrection of Christ Jesus. He assures them and us that Christ is the conqueror of every authority and power in the world. At the end of times, He will hand-over the Kingdom to the Heavenly Father after destroying the last enemy, that is death. Paul affirms that Christ's resurrection is the proof and the guarantee of our own resurrection from the dead.
Christ the universal King Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. The last judgement scene is described in great detail. On the judgement day, Jesus comes as a judge and separates the good and the evil. He tells those on His right hand -those who are blessed- 'as you did it to one of the least of my brothers and sisters, you did it to me'. Those admitted to His kingdom are not people who have done anything special or spectacular in the eyes of the world. The requirements to be part of His Kingdom are very simple and do not go beyond the capacity of any ordinary person. For Christ, the simple human graciousness and charity are ground enough to be joyfully welcomed into the fullness of the Kingdom. Jesus looks upon every kindness done to a person in need, however lowly, as a kindness done to Himself. Those who are excluded from His Kingdom - those cursed- have brought doom and misery upon themselves because they failed to respond to simple human needs. They stand eternally condemned not because of any violent and heinous crimes but because of their failure to act on the simple human needs of the poor and the needy. Hence, in order to honour our King and Lord, we have to stand with the least and the lost of His brothers and sisters and attend to their needs.
"The biggest disease in the world today is not leprosy, TB or AIDS but the feeling of being unwanted and uncared for. The greatest evil in the world is lack of love, the terrible indifference towards one's neighbour. What the poor need even more than food, cloths and shelter is to be wanted." - St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
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