27 Nov Thirty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 25th, 2018
Father Shawn J. Hughes
Disclaimer:
Homilies are never the creative act of one person. Thus, in posting these homilies on St. Mary’s Cathedral’s website I would like to state first and foremost that there will be little original in the following. My homilies are a result of my prayer, reading and study as it pertains to the particular gospel of the week. Thus, I beg, borrow and steal from the wisdom of those who have gone before me and together with the Holy Spirit acting in my own prayer considering the needs of our particular parish community here at St. Mary’s, a homily appears by the weekend. If there is something that edifies you I can take no credit for it: ‘tis the result of the work of the Holy Spirit and those from whom I have gleaned wisdom over time. If there is something that you might wish to discuss I am always available and would welcome any opportunity to speak about the Scriptures and/or the Spiritual Life.
God bless you,
Father Shawn
This is what the Kingdom of Christ is all about. It is our vocation. Each one of us is called to participate in the Kingdom and to expand it through our thoughts, words and actions.
Today’s solemnity requires us to assess our commitment to Christ the King. He is not our King if we do not listen to him…if we do not love him; he is not our King if we do not serve him, and he is certainly not our King if we do not follow him. We belong to his Kingdom only when we strive to walk with him, when we strive to live our lives fully in the spirit of the Gospel and when that Gospel spirit penetrates every facet of our living. If Christ is really King of my life, he must be King of every part of my life, and I must let him reign in all parts of my life.
You will notice a page in this weekend’s bulletin that replicates a page from Catholic Christian Outreach’s Ultimate Relationship booklet. It presents in picture form where Christ is in my life becomes very clear. Is Christ outside of my life, part of my life or the centre of my life? On this solemnity it is a good examination of conscience: In regards to my relationships…In the area of love, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness with family and friends do I stand under the banner of Christ: completely, partially or not at all? In terms of patience or judgment of others do I stand under the banner of Christ: completely, partially or not at all. In terms of how I conduct my work or my studies do I stand under the banner of Christ: completely, partially or not at all? In terms of my sexuality do I stand under the banner of Christ: completely, partially or not at all? In my concern for the needy do I stand under the banner of Christ: completely, partially or not at all?
Today’s Solemnity reminds us of the great truth that Christ must be in charge of our lives, that we must give him sovereign power over our bodies, our sexuality, our thoughts, our heart and our will. In every moral decision we face, there’s a choice between Christ the King and the evil one, the one who seeks to live in Christ’s Kingdom is the one who says, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven” , and means it.
So we need to ask ourselves the question, “What does Jesus, my King, want me to do or say in this or that situation?” Are we praying each day that our King will give us the right words to say to the people we meet that day, words that will make us true ambassadors of Jesus? Does our home life, the way we treat our spouse and children, as well as the way we conduct ourselves with our friends come under the Kingship of Jesus? Or are we selfish, trying to please ourselves rather than Him?
Jesus came to “bear witness” to the truth. Thus, we are called to be a people who do the same: a people who forgive, a people who will reach out in compassion to the poor, to the marginalized of our society, a people who will support one another in prayer, a people who will realize that we are called to serve, not to be served.
On this solemnity it is good to ask in each area of my life…Do I stand under the banner of Christ…completely, partially or not at all!
…if only partially or not at all…The solution is first to get to Confession … the kingdom of God and the reign of sin cannot exist together…this is so important…the kingdom of God and the reign of sin cannot exist together…and then strive more deeply to follow the teaching of the Church in that area…
Like the time of Pope Pius XI we live in a world that is rebelling against our King. Unless we are Christians who very actively strive to follow Christ, we will slowly slide into rebellion ourselves. There is no standing still in the spiritual life. We are either going forward or going backward.
At the end of this liturgical year this Solemnity calls us to pause and take stalk of our commitment to Christ: Christ, our King, rules in truth and love. The more deeply we are committed to our serving of others with self-sacrificial and forgiving love, and to seeing those in need around us and caring enough to do something about it…the more profoundly Jesus Christ is King of our lives.