SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING (YEAR A)
Ez 34:11-12,15-17; 1Cor 15:20-26, 28; Matt 25:31-46
‘Angels Unawares’ is a bronze sculpture by Timothy Schmalz installed in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican since September 29, 2019, on 105th World Migrant and Refugee Day. At its inauguration Pope Francis said he wanted the sculpture "to remind everyone of the evangelical challenge of hospitality".
The title of the sculpture comes from the Letter to the Hebrews “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it” (Heb 13:2)
There are number of other sculptures of Timothy Schmalz depicting today’s gospel. They have a name plate beside them, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink” and each sculpture depicting the verses of the final judgement. The important thing to notice here is the hands of all the sculptures. They have the wounds of the Crucifixion. The wounds are of Christ himself. The sculpture gives us the message that what we do to the least in our society we do it to Christ.
All the three readings of today give us three important aspects of our King.
1. Our King is a King who cares – He is a Good Shepherd
As we have heard in the first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel - our Lord as a shepherd who cares for his flock. He himself will search for us and find us; he will rescue us from all dangers. He will come after us when we stray. Today’s responsorial psalm elaborates this point.
The Solemnity of Christ the King challenges all the leaders, both religious and secular, who have forgotten their true identity and responsibility and who go after comforts and pleasures. It challenges all to be inspired by a King who hang on the cross for the entire humanity.
2. Our King is a King who conquers – sin and death.
Not a King who conquers in the understanding of the world. But as Paul describes in the second reading, He is the one who conquered sin and death.
3. Our King is also a King with the power to judge
Our King judges us not like the kings of this world. He judges on the basis of what we do and what we failed to do. His judgement depends on how we treat Him in our brothers and sisters. He lives in the hungry and thirsty, sick and lonely, stranger, imprisoned, discouraged and dejected. He is not simply saying of some moral union with us rather he claims his mystical presence in each one of us. It is paradoxical again that our King is a naked, poor, hungry and thirsty King who needs our love and care through our brothers and sisters in need. This, among other things, reminds us of the importance of corporal works of mercy on our road to salvation.
If such judgement is given today in our time Christ would surely ask us:
When I was infected with Covid- you ………..
When I was jobless, you ……………..
When I was working day in and day out in the hospitals and health centres, you……..
When I was walking miles and miles, you……..
When I was lonely during the lockdown, you……………..
when I was in life crisis, you…….
Let us then reach out to the needy, the poor and the marginalised during these troubled times.
(You are most welcome to add your comments and reflections below)
Happy Feast
If such judgement is given today in our time Christ would surely as us:
ReplyDeleteWhen I was infected with Covid- you ………..
When I was jobless, you ……………..
When I was working day in and day out in the hospitals and health centres, you……..
When I was walking miles and miles, you……..
When I was lonely during the lockdown, you……………..
when I was in life crisis, you…….