Unlike Any Other King

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe

25 November 2018

First reading                                                                  Daniel 7:13-14
As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him. To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.

Second reading                                                     Revelation 1:5-8

Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, is the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Gospel                                                                     John 18:33-37

Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Whoever belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Reflection

By Benj Santiago

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty”.

Today is the Solemnity of the Christ the King! A fitting closure of the Liturgical Year! Our “King”  born not in a great palace, but in a poor and smelly manger inside a cave. 

He has outlived all the kingdoms of this world as predicted by prophet Daniel even before He was born: “given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed”. He will continue to reign for He is the beginning and the end. As John the Beloved wrote in Revelation “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty”.

But unlike any other king, Jesus came to serve and to love, not to lord it over His dominion. He came to offer His life as a supreme sacrifice that we may all be redeemed from our sins. In different ways, we too exercise some degree of leadership - in our family, work, or community. Do people see in us the servant leadership of Jesus or are we like any other king out there? Let Christ's Kingdom continue to reign in our hearts!

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, our King of Kings, our Supreme Redeemer, the One Who Reigns forever, we worship and praise You! We give You thanks and all the glory! We pray that You continue to inspire our leaders and all of us to be more like You. We pray that You reign in our hearts and minds forever and ever. Amen.