Word to the Wise
Sunday, November 22, 2020 - 34th or Last Sunday in Ordinary Time - A: The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King
[Ezek 34:11-12, 15-17; 1 Cor 15:20-26, 28; Matt 25:31-46]"'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited.me.' Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you.?' And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for the least brothers or sisters of ine, you did for me.'" [Matt]
Throughout Jesus' ministry of preaching the Kingdom of God, he met with misunderstanding. People then and now associate kingdoms with "Kings" and "power." Then, as now, "kings" could say, "You're hired! You're fired!" in the minds of those who are fascinated with power. Jesus had to correct his disciples when they showed notions of this. [Matthew 20:20-28]. It would not be hard to lose the meaning of today's gospel passage or even the other two scriptures from Ezekiel and Paul, if we focus on coercive power. I don't think the official title of this day helps us: "Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe!" What we can learn is that Jesus' "kingdom" is to be found in our neighbor, who can be anyone, but especially the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, imprisoned or newly-arrived person. At the end of time, we will be held accountable for how we loved one another. The year 2020 in our land, viewed through the lens of today's gospel, may give us pause to think!!!! In the midst of a virus pandemic, riots and electoral process that brought out the worst in so many, we are challenged to find the kind of love and care pictured in Ezekiel and Matthew, and to see the true reign of God to whom we are all accountable.
In today's gospel, the righteous ask, "When did we SEE....and give, etc." On this feast day we can pray with the blind beggar at Jericho, "Lord, let me see!" [Luke 18:35-43] It is only then that we will know what it really means to be a 'king" in Jesus' kingdom. AMEN