CHRIST THE KING Mt 25

CHRIST THE KING

Mt. 25, 31-46

Introduction:   Our proclamation of the kingship of Jesus is the articulate witness to what is going on within us and in our Christian community, and is our faithful submission to the reign of Christ. The Kingdom of God, brought to us by Jesus, is the highest value a human being can realise.

Our Eucharist celebration today is a thanksgiving for the gift of the Kingdom, the royal priesthood of the baptised. We pray our Heavenly Father to bless us with his mercy that makes us fit to belong.

THE HOMILY

Today’s Gospel is a powerful piece of Scripture.  I’d like to recall that this very passage was proclaimed in the Netaji stadium in Calcutta at the funeral service for Mother Teresa on 13th. September 1997. Mother Teresa used to say that the five fingers of each hand reminded her at the end of each day of the five words which summarises the call of Christ, and that whatever use those hands had been put to in the past few hours  “you...did...it...to...me.”  The call of Jesus to match our lifestyle with faith prompted her to rewrite the Divine Praises. After, “Blessed be Jesus in the Most Sacrament of the Altar,” she added, “Blessed be Jesus in the poorest of the poor.” Whatever Jesus did Mother tried to follow.

            The Gospel makes the point that Christ’s kingship is based not on position, privilege or power but service, love and compassion.....the love that is prepared to lay down even life itself for another.  One day a very ill person was picked up quite routinely from the streets of Calcutta and brought to the Sisters’ house. Mother Teresa happened to be in and she could see that the poor man would be dead in a few hours. What could anyone do for him ?  What did Mother do ? She took out a pair of nail clippers and pared the dying man’s toe nails. Within a few hours it would have made no material difference whether his toe nails were clipped or not. But it would make all the difference for eternity for this man that he was treated humanly, with compassion. That is the kingly way !

            In verse 40 of today’s Gospel, the good  deeds (feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, etc.) are not directed at humanity in general but at the least of these my brethren. The term “least” is also used to refer to the disciples; and here’s the vital point: Jesus equates acceptance of his disciples with acceptance of himself. “And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward. So “the nations” will be judged based on their response to Jesus as demonstrated by their response to his disciples, not merely as individuals, but as messengers of Jesus.

            The watchword of the kingdom is service. That is why the smallest act of kindness extended to someone for Christ’s sake is of such high value.  On the leaflet of a certain parish there was printed this indictment: “I was hungry, and your formed a humanitarian club and discussed my hunger. I was imprisoned, and you crept off to your chapel and prayed for my release. I was naked, and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance. I was sick, and you knelt and thanked God for your health. I was homeless, and you preached to me the spiritual shelter of the love of God.  I was lonely and you left me alone to go and pray for me. You seem so holy, so close to God. But I am still very hungry and cold and lonely.”

Like every good teacher and preacher, Jesus preached to himself. He was held to the word by his own homilies. As well as the bridegroom he is the one who watches for the Kingdom’s coming with unfailing oil in his lamp. As well as the master entrusting his property he is the servant who risks everything to gain all.  As well as the king who passes judgement he is the one who first lives by his own laws, who sees his Father’s face in the stricken faces of the suffering, and who is moved by an un-mercenary love. In terms of his own homily he sees humanity hungry and thirsty, estranged and exposed, sick and imprisoned. And he cannot but come to our help. Why ?  Because love is his nature, compassion the divine compulsion. Jesus had to choose daily to be “true to his own name, to his deepest nature, which is always going out of its way, relinquishing itself in unbridled trust and service. And this is the cause of action which crowns him, as it crowns us all  -  with thorns.

The sheer magnificence of the Teacher is that there are almost as many pictures of him as there are minds to works them up. Africans paint him black, Indians brown, Caucasians white, Orientals olive. And they are all on target, for he is personal property of everyone. A certain unknown author wrote this description of the Master that is popular among college students. Beneath the picture of a macho-looking Christ runs this message: “Jesus, also known as Christ, wanted on charges of sedition, criminal anarchy, vagrancy, and instigating overthrow of established government. Dresses poorly, uses carpentry as cover. Has visionary ideas. Associates with common working people, unemployed, drinks wine. Has variety of aliases: Prince of Peace, Son of Man, Light of the world, Resurrection and Life, etc..Full beard, and scars on his hands and feet as result of injuries inflicted by angry mob led by respectable citizens and local authorities.”  Paradoxically, though, no one is surprised that he remains his own man.

This is the Person we come here to salute today on the feast of Christ the King. Call him anything you want  -  Christ the Sultan, Christ the President, Christ the Pharaoh. It matters not at all. He is what he is  -  the Son of God, the Second Person in the Trinity, transcendent Lord of the universe.  Christ is a mystery to be lived, not a problem to be solved.

PRAYER:  (Charles Kingsley  1819 - 1875):

Lift up our hearts, O Christ, above the false show of things, above laziness and fear, above selfishness and greed, above whim and fashion, up to the everlasting Truth that you are, that so we may live joyfully and freely, in the faith that you are our King and our Judge, and that, so long as we are loyal to you, all will ultimately be well.