The Feast of Christ the King - A – November 20, 2011

How do we await Christ to return? Do we stop our lives and wait? Or, do we act as if Christ had already returned? If we presume Christ is present, how do we treat others? Do they become the focal point of his presence? Does our care for them become a sign of our faithfulness?

MP3 PODCAST In this week’s audio podcast, we ask the question: “Do we recognize Christ in others?” This question is at the core of the parable concerning the Last Judgment.

FIRST READING Ezekiel gave comfort to the exiles in Babylonian with the image of God as a shepherd. He would gave the lost together, bind up the wounds of the injured, and care for his flock with tender loving care. But, he would separating them, good from bad.

PSALM “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want...” The famous opening line of Psalm 23 described the hopes of a pilgrim on his way to Jerusalem for a festival. The singer prayed for a safe journey and inspired arrival, both at the hands of God.

SECOND READING St. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth about the resurrection and the end times. Many in that local community viewed the notion of the resurrection as an analogy for a spiritual awakening, a heightened consciousness. By describing the flow of the end times, St. Paul sought to correct their understanding of the resurrection and quell the scandals that flowed around the concept.

GOSPEL Matthew presented arguably the most recognized image of the end times: the Final Judgment. The great King would gather everyone before him in a final judgment. Jesus used the image of the shepherd to describe the judgment. He would call the sheep (the docile faithful) from the goats (the obstinate) and praised them for their charity. The saved treated theneedy, the sick and the imprisoned as if they were Christ himself.

CHILDREN’S READINGS In the commentary for the first reading, sheep and goats are described. Sheep are intelligent enough to follow the call of the shepherd and to defend themselves in times of danger. Goats care only for themselves. Are we sheep or goats? In the story for the gospel, Regina is sad because her father lost his job, but that does not stop her from helping others in need. Like the sheep in the gospel story, she cares for others as if she saw Christ in them.

CATECHISM LINK In this week’s Catechism Link, we discuss Jesus as Priest, Prophet, and, especially,King.

FAMILY ACTIVITY In the parable of the Last Judgment, Jesus measured the faithfulness of the saved, not in the strength of held belief, but in charity. In the approaching holiday season, it might be a good time to consider helping the less fortunate to enjoy their Christmas.