The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Lectionary: 161
Reading I
Daniel 7:13-14
As the visions during the night continued, I saw
one like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
when he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
the one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 93:1, 1-2, 5
R. (1a) The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed;
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
Reading II
Revelation 1:5-8
Jesus Christ is the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father,
to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
Behold, he is coming amid the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
All the peoples of the earth will lament him.
Yes. Amen.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, " says the Lord God,
"the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty."
Alleluia
Mark 11:9, 10
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
John 18:33b-37
Pilate said to Jesus,
"Are you the King of the Jews?"
Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?"
Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?"
Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here."
So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?"
Jesus answered, "You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
May Thy Kingdom Come!
Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” John 18:36
Today, on the final Sunday of our Church year, we celebrate the glorious Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Next Sunday begins Advent. On this day we profess the profound truth that our Lord is King! He is the King of all things. He is King of the Universe. And He is King of Heaven and all spiritual realities. However, in the Gospel passage quoted above, Jesus responds to Pilate who was questioning Him about whether or not He was the King of the Jews. Jesus is clear that He is a King, but that His Kingdom does not belong to this world. So where is His Kingdom?
We can look at Jesus’ statement from two points of view. First of all, if Jesus would have claimed that He were an earthly king, one with civil authority, then Pilate would have judged Him to be guilty of trying to overthrow the Roman authority. This would be unlawful and would be punishable by death. In that case, Jesus could have been found legally guilty of violating civil law.
But Jesus was purely innocent. He was morally perfect in every way, and that included His obedience to all legitimate civil law. But Jesus was a King. He was The King of all Kings! Therefore, so as to exercise His Kingship, He declared that His Kingdom was not of this world. In other words, it was not a Kingdom that was in competition with the Roman authorities or any other civil authority. To that, Pilate did not know how to respond.
Today and always, God desires that His glorious Kingdom reign in every way. God begins by reigning in our souls. He invites us to invite Him to enter in and take control of our lives. He desires to be the ruler of every passion, desire, thought and action that is ours. When this happens, His Kingdom is firmly established within us.
It also needs to be pointed out that Jesus wants His Kingdom to grow. First, it must grow in the minds and wills of all people. But from there, He wants every person to then work to conform every part of our society to the governance of Him as King. This means that as the hearts of civil leaders are converted, they will be called to enact laws that fully support and build up God’s Kingdom on earth. It means that business leaders, as they convert, are called to govern their businesses in accord with the will of God so that their businesses contribute to the establishment of God’s Kingdom here and now. It means that as the leaders of our schools, sports programs, social programs and the like all invite Jesus to reign in their hearts as King, The King of the Universe will then guide them to conform all of their endeavors to His will and to the continued upbuilding of His Kingdom.
The first duty of the Christian, in regard to the governance of every aspect of society, is not to impose God’s law from without, as a ruthless authoritarian would. Rather, it is to convert minds and hearts so that God’s governance comes forth from within. As God’s Kingdom is established in the lives of His people, all objectively grave evils embedded within our earthly laws must be overturned. For example, the legalization of abortion stands out as perhaps the greatest of moral evils, since it involves the taking of a completely innocent life. This and countless other immoral earthly laws must be replaced by the laws of God as hearts and minds are converted to His Truth.
Reflect, today, upon your duty to help bring forth the Kingdom of God here and now. Start by seeing your duty to allow God’s Kingdom to grow within you and your family. From there, be open to the many ways that God wants to use you to help others do the same. As you do, do not be afraid to work toward the external establishment of God’s Kingdom in all that you do and in all that falls within your responsibility. Jesus is King, and He desires to reign everywhere. Cooperate with Him, and His Kingdom will indeed come.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
MAKE JESUS YOUR RULER
“...Jesus Christ the faithful Witness, the First-Born from the dead and Ruler of the kings of earth.” —Revelation 1:5
What “rules” your life? Does the clock rule you? Does the opinion of your neighbors rule you? Does your boss rule you? Your spouse? Your children’s needs? Your political party? Your body’s appearance? The culture’s expectations? Your favorite sports team? Many things compete for your allegiance. They all want to make you their obedient and faithful subject.
Jesus is not simply one more “thing” competing for your attention and allegiance. Jesus is “King of the Universe,” as the title of today’s solemnity proclaims, “Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.” Jesus is “Ruler of the kings of earth” (Rv 1:5). As King of the Universe, Lord Jesus does not compete for your allegiance; He demands it. He is Ruler of all (1 Tm 6:15). He is almighty and absolutely sovereign, to be instantly obeyed.
Scripture presents Jesus as “gentle and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29). He is meek, patient, kind, and compassionate. He understands us and gives His life for us. He is full of love and “rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4). So it is possible for us to forget that Jesus is a mighty King. Recall that He forcefully ejects the money-changers from the Temple and drives out animals and merchants from the Temple area (Jn 2:15). He casts out demons (Mk 1:27). He silences His opponents (see Mt 22:34, 46).
Today, fall on your knees before the Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. With all people on earth, shout: “Your Kingdom come!” (Mt 6:10). Pledge your attention and allegiance to Him.
Prayer: King Jesus, with all of mankind my knees bow before You (Phil 2:10). I freely choose to bow before You today in awe, adoration, and worship. Be the King and Ruler of my entire life.
Promise: “Anyone committed to the truth hears My voice.” —Jn 18:37
Praise: King Jesus, reign in glory and majesty. Alleluia!
Reflection 3
Shared from Daily Liturgy
Jesus replies to Pilate that he is King but his kingdom is not of this world. Jesus is King of the universe and rules the hearts of all those whom God loves. No one on Earth is able to destroy or reinstate the Kingship of the Son of Man. He didn’t make any empty promises but bore witness to the reign of God, touching the hearts of people. Daniel’s nocturnal vision shows the Son of Man coming on the clouds of Heaven. His dominion is eternal and his Kingdom will never be destroyed. In the Second Reading, taken from the Book of Revelation, Saint John explains Jesus Christ as the faithful witness and ruler of the kings of the Earth. The Kingdoms of the world are won by fist and fury but the Kingdom of Heaven happens in this world by carrying out God’s will in and through us. Let us not forget the fact that where there is love and peace, there God abides and where there is faith tested in fire, God reigns Supreme.
Prayers
My glorious King, I choose You as King of my life, and I dedicate to You all my actions and endeavors. Please use me to further Your Kingdom. I pray for wisdom, prudence and courage as I am sent forth by You to help bring forth Your merciful and just reign in the lives of all people and within the entire Universe that You created. May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done! Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus Christ, you are my King and there is no other. Be the Lord and Master of my heart, mind, body, and soul. May I always seek to do your will and to serve your kingdom above all else.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 328: Heaven
Heaven invites us into a life of glory and fulfillment that is beyond what we could ever comprehend. Not even in Heaven will we fully comprehend the glorious mystery of God and His Mercy. From Heaven, the saints, radiant with glory and grace, look down upon us with love, seeking to lavish us with the Mercy of God. Seek Heaven as your primary and ultimate goal in life. Do all things with this goal in mind and the treasure you will build up for all eternity will be more abundant than you could ever hope for (See Diary #1592).
Do you think about Heaven as your one true desire in life? Every act of love offered here on Earth will be remembered and exalted in Heaven. Everything we do on Earth should be but a preparation for the glorious day of our passing from this world into our eternal home. Ponder your desires and if the glories of Heaven is not front and center, be aware of that fact, redirect your focus and seek to place your eyes on this ultimate prize. As you look at the beauty and splendor of Heaven, the Lord will draw you to it with a burning desire.
Lord, please flood my heart with the joyful delight of Heaven. Help me to keep my eyes on this goal and to do all in this life as a preparation for that sweet encounter. I love You, dear Lord, and have great hope in the day of our perfect union. Jesus, I trust in You.
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