Thirty-fourth Sunday of the Year: C: November 23, 2025: The Feast of Christ the King.

 JESUS THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE

Introduction: Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. To be a king in this world would mean immense wealth, unlimited power over his subjects and having a very comfortable life. He sits on a throne, and men and women under him obey his orders. But today, the Church puts Christ before us not on a throne, but on the cross hanging between two thieves. Jesus our Saviour and Lord has come into the world not to lord over us but to lead us to the Kingdom of God: A kingdom of love and service. He is not a king who has come to conquer the world through power but through His forgiving and unconditional love.

First Reading: 2Samuel 5: 1 to 3

Second Reading: Colossians 1: 11 to 20 

Gospel Reading: Luke 23: 35 to 43

   *First reading is from the second book of Samuel. The process and anointing of David as king of Judea is described. The elders of Israel come to Hebron and anoint David as king over Judea.  Later, northern tribes too accept him as their king. Thus the Lord God chooses David as the king of Israel and the people accept him with respect and esteem. David's kingship becomes a pre-figuration of the universal kingship of Christ the Lord.

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Colossians. Paul gives thanks to God for having delivered humankind from the dominion of darkness and has brought them to the kingdom of His beloved Son Jesus. Christ is the image of the invisible God and head of the Church. He is also the Lord of all creation. All things in heaven and on earth are created in Him and through Him. Paul affirms the pre-eminence of Christ in the whole of creation. In Him the fullness of God dwells. Hence, Paul gives us a teaching on the kingship of Jesus through His pre-eminent  heavenly nature.

The true identity of Jesus the King                                                          Today's Gospel reading is from St. L uke. An inscription placed above the cross of Jesus reads: "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." This proclaims the true identity of Jesus. Jesus is the Messiah (the anointed one) and the King. Even as He dies on the cross, He gives consolation and forgiveness to all those around Him. There are many people standing below the cross of Christ: Soldiers, Pharisees and many bystanders who mock and challenge Him saying: "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself." Again, when the thief on His right pleads saying: "Jesus,  remember me when you are in your kingdom," Jesus immediately assures Him a place in paradise. As He is dying on the cross, He calls His beloved mother and the beloved disciple and entrusts His mother to the disciple and tells His mother: "This is your son," pointing to the disciple. Hence, Jesus' final gift to every believer is His Mother to be our heavenly mother. Hence, Christ's  Kingdom is a very special Kingdom. He has come not to conquer but to love. He has come not  to have possessions  but to give them away (even His own beloved mother) to us. Thus Jesus is truly the King of our hearts and of our minds. In this context St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta says: "Hungry for love, He looks at you. Thirsty for kindness, He begs you. Naked for loyalty, He hopes in you. Homeless for shelter in your heart, He asks you. Will you be that one to him?" David Guzik says: "Rome is gone, Napoleon is gone, Hitler is gone, but the kingdom of Jesus marches on."

 Conclusion: We celebrate the feast of Christ the King on the last Sunday of the liturgical year. We have traveled a long road since the first Sunday of Advent. Christ has been on that road with us as the invisible companion on our journey. Jesus invites us to His Kingdom. He has come not to conquer but to love. He has come not to rule but to serve. He has come not to have possessions but to give them away. Let us ask the Lord to accompany us and help us to walk in His path of love and service. Amen.

May the Lord Jesus, the King of the Universe, bless you with His heavenly blessings that you may walk in His path of love and service. Amen.

(Kindly note: Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph is available on YouTube. Please view, like, share and subscribe to the video version on YouTube. "YouTube/Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph, November 23, 2025. Thanks.)

Thirty-third Sunday of the Year: C: November 16, 2025

             THE END OF THE WORLD

Introduction: The theme of today's liturgy is the end of the present world and the coming of a new world order. First reading from the book of prophet Malachi speaks about the end of the world as a time of judgement for the evil doers and a day of salvation for the upright. In the Gospel Jesus warns about the end of the world: A time of destruction, terror and persecutions. He assures us His protection and promises us a new world order.

First Reading: Malachi 3: 19 to 20

Second Reading: 2Thessalonians 3: 7to 12

Gospel Reading: Luke 21: 5 to 19

   *First Reading is from the book of Prophet Malachi. A vivid description about the end of the world is given. Malachi severely warns the arrogant and those who disobey the Lord God. He gives a message of comfort and consolation to those who fear the Lord God and live upright lives. Hence, for the evil doers, it will be a day of judgement. But for the upright, it will be a day of salvation.

   *Second reading is from the second letter of St. Paul to Thessalonians. Paul admonishes all those who live idle lives and are a burden to the community. He gives his own example to be imitated and urges those who idle their lives to work and earn their living. 

By your endurance you will gain your lives.                                                               Today's Gospel reading is from St. Luke. A detailed description about the end of the world is given. Jesus speaks of the total destruction of the city of Jerusalem and predicts disaster for the rest of the world. In future, there will be nothing left in Jerusalem to admire. He gives us some definite warnings and timelines about the events to unfold: 1. At the end of times, there will be proliferation of pretenders - those who try to deceive people and lead them astray. Jesus warns  us not to go after them. 2. There will be wars, and nations fighting each other. The possibility of a third world war and total destruction of the world is always on the horizon. 3. Jesus speaks about earthquakes, plagues and famines in various places. We are well aware of the many natural disasters and man-made destructions taking place in different parts of the world. 4. Jesus warns us that His followers will face many persecutions for their faith in the Lord. 5. Finally, Jesus speaks of betrayals - betrayals by friends, family and community. But He assures us that His followers need not worry because "not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives." We are asked to take these warnings very seriously in our lives so that we can face the end of the world courageously as and when it takes place. In this context St. Theresa of Avila says: "Anyone who truly loves God travels securely." Richard Bach says: "What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls a butterfly." G. K. Chesterton says: "The end of every episode is the end of the world." 

Conclusion: Jesus warns us about the end of the world. Unlike many false prophets, we have to admit that we do not know  when it will happen. The kind of world that Jesus describes regarding the end times sounds very familiar: wars, revolutions, persecutions of the followers of the Lord. It is indeed comforting that Jesus foresaw all this. We should not be dismayed or surprised. But in all these challenging situations, let us not forget that we are His disciples. Of all the tragedies that take place, betrayal of the Lord and His values would be the most tragic. At the end of times, the greatest threat is not that we might become victims of evil, but rather, that we might lose our identity and lose our sense of mission as Christians. 

May the Lord Jesus, who warns us about the end of the world,  bless you and give you the strength to face the many trials and struggles and come out victorious to reach the new world. Amen. 

(Kindly note: Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph is available on YouTube. Please view, like, share and subscribe to the video version on YouTube. "YouTube/Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph, November 16, 2025." Thanks.)

Thirty-second Sunday of the Year: C: November 9, 2025

 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

Introduction: Today's liturgy invites us to reflect on our life after death and its implications. The month of November is specially dedicated to all the faithful departed. The Church urges us to pray for them. All of us are anxious to know what happens to us in our next life. Today's readings give some glimpse to some of those questions regarding our life after death. The first reading from the book of Maccabees, narrates the story of a Jewish mother and her seven sons who accepted martyrdom rather than violate the Lord God's commandments. In the second reading, Apostle Paul prays for God's grace so that Christians in Thessalonica may remain steadfast in faith and receive eternal reward. In the Gospel Jesus rebukes the Sadducees who question Him about the resurrection of the dead. He tells them that God is not a God of the dead but of the living. 

First Reading: 2Maccabees 7: 1 to 2 and 9 to 14

Second Reading: 2Thessalonians 2: 6 to 3: 5

Gospel Reading: Luke 20: 27 to 38

   *First reading is from the second book of Maccabees. It gives an assurance that our faith in the Lord God dispels all fears in us. We become strong and courageous: Even ready to die for Him, only to be raised to an everlasting life with the Lord God. The readiness of the seven Jewish brothers and their mother to die rather than violate the laws of the Lord God is a source of great inspiration for everyone who has faith in eternal life. 

   *Second reading is from the second letter of St. Paul to Thessalonians. Paul prays for God's grace so that the Christians in Thessalonica (we too) may be able to remain steadfast in faith. God is the ultimate source of all  comfort and strength in our lives. We who follow Jesus will do well in living and proclaiming His Word when we are united with the Lord in faith.  

Life after death                                                                                   Today's Gospel reading is from St. Luke. We have a very enlightening and comprehensive discussion between Jesus and the Sadducees regarding the resurrection of the dead. For them, the consequences of life after death are rather ridiculous and meaningless. Some questions like: Where would one accommodate in the next world all those tens of thousands of people who die daily?  How could anyone rectify all those messed up human relationships which take place in this life? So, they cleverly craft this question about a  widow who is married to seven brothers (one after another, according to the Mosaic law) and finally she too dies without bearing children from any of those marriages. The question is: At resurrection, whose wife will she be (since all the seven brothers were married to her)? Jesus simply and decisively overlooks their silly question and tells them that their understanding of the resurrection of the dead is totally absurd. He mentions about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses: All of them command great respect and reverence in the Jewish community. These men of God did not die for nothing. God is not a God of the dead but of the living. Hence, Jesus unequivocally affirms the resurrection of the dead. During this month of November, we specially remember our dear departed and pray for them because we believe that there is life after death.  1Corinthians 15:42 says: " What is sown is perishable but what is raised is imperishable." It is the same with the resurrection  of the dead. In this context Victor Hugo says: "Dawn and resurrection are synonymous. The reappearance of light is the same as the survival of the soul." St. Augustine says: "I don't care to inquire why they cannot believe that an earthly body can be in heaven, while the whole earth is suspended on nothing." An unknown writer says: "Who would believe that the caterpillar becomes a butterfly unless he has seen it? If we can accept that, how can we deny that death can be transformed into life." 

Conclusion: Our belief in an afterlife should spur us on to live a better and more meaningful life here on earth. Let us not forget that we do not make the pilgrimage to the promised land of eternal life all alone. We make it with others: With the members of God's people. With faith in the words of Jesus, let us go forward together in joyful hope. As someone said: "Sunset is a promise of the dawn to come." Let us not be afraid of the darkness after sunset but walk towards that dawn of eternal life.

May the Lord Jesus, who is the resurrection and the life, bless you with a faith that leads to the risen life in the Lord. Amen. 

(Kindly note: Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph is available on YouTube. Please view, like, share and subscribe to the video version on YouTube. "YouTube/Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph, November 9, 2025." Thanks.)