THE KING - ONE, TRUE & GOOD

22nd November, 2015: Solemnity of Christ the King

Dan 7: 13-14; Rev 1: 5-8; Jn 18: 33-37

Though monarchy in its ancient form is almost obsolete in today's world and even the remnant societies that uphold monarchy have a newer interpretation of monarchy, the tendencies of the age old monarchy has not disappeared by any means. What do I mean?

Consider people who are in warfare with each other for power and authority! Consider leaders who have ruled all their lives but even at their ripe old age dissent from ceding their power to anyone else. Consider political leaders and parties who make their kith and kin their political heir, and thus the whole state or the polity. Consider people who wield so much power wherever they are, that they do not tolerate even the slightest criticism, much less opposition! Are these not tendencies of monarchy? A post modern era such as today, looks with despise on any form of monarchy! And today we celebrate Christ as King! Are we outdated? Are we obsolete? Are we archaic? Are we irrelevant? 

Celebrating Christ as King is to show how different a king Jesus our Lord is. 

Our King is One... with none as second or with no need to succession! The first reading presents a king who is eternal, without end to his reign! Christ needs to contend with no one, he is the indisputable king and we will do well to acknowledge that.

Our King is True... it is to bear witness to the Truth that he came on earth and gave his life, in his own testimony to Pilate in the Gospel today. He is king, but not of the kind which we find in this world...those which are selfish, power mongering and pleasure seeking, but selfless, servant minded and self giving.

Our King is Good... for he loves us and gives himself totally up for our sake. Unlike the monarchs who demand everything at the cost of anything, Jesus our Lord, demands nothing costing him everything, his life, his body, blood and even his divinity! 

One, True, Good are the metaphysical qualities of a being; in the Indian tradition they are the transcendent qualities of the Atman...yes, Jesus, is Lord! the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, the One, the True, the Good who gives me the very sense of my being! Christ is my King not because he rules, but because he loves, He loves me King Size. He is my King, the only king, the true king, the good king, the king of my heart!

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

Presentation of Mary: 21st Nov,  2015
Zech  2: 14-17; Lk 12: 46-50

Life in God's hands

Just this early morning a youngster calls me up at an odd hour just to say he is feeling bad about the things that are happening in his life. He narrates the things that have happened in the recent past and repeats like refrain the words, "I don't know what's happening to me!" At a point of time I had to stop him and ask a question, "where is God in all this? "

At times we live our life as if everything depended on us! The feast of today reminds us of a life that was lived in God's hands. We see in our Blessed Mother, a person who listened to God's words, heeded God's call and lived a life that was in God's very hands. The challenge is to understand and acknowledge that my life is from God's hands and that it is best lived in God's hands!