SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING A
DO YOU BELONG TO THE KING?
MT. 25: 31-46
MESSAGE:
Some Christian groups often go around asking people questions like, “Are you saved?” “Did you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior?” “Have you received baptism in the Holy Spirit?” These questions are often treated as the standard for measuring salvation. However, what does the Gospel tell us? Clearly, these questions are not found there! Instead, the Lord Jesus opens the gates of heaven and invites those who have relieved the suffering of the hungry, thirsty, naked, strangers, and prisoners, saying to them, “Come, enter and inherit the Kingdom.” Jesus did not ask, “Have you accepted me as Lord and Savior?” as the criteria for entering into glory. He makes it abundantly clear that it is not mere words, feelings, emotions, or even extraordinary religious experiences that grant access to heaven. It is a person’s acts of mercy and love that flow from a living faith in God. When St. Mother Teresa initiated her mission in India, Hindu priests protested and called for her to be stopped. The chief of police visited her home for the dying destitutes and witnessed how Mother Teresa and her Sisters tenderly cared for the sick, dying, and abandoned. As he left the place, he addressed the protesting crowd, saying, “If you can make your wives and sisters do what they are doing inside, I will expel her. But if not, we better leave them alone.”
REFLECT:
Faith is indeed crucial for salvation, and it first resides in the heart. However, if it remains confined within, it will grow stagnant and begin to decay. Does your faith translate into actions of love, forgiveness, and service to others? Does it benefit you alone, or does it spread like a sweet perfume to those around you through your kindness and assistance? If your faith is shown in loving actions to your neighbor, then Christ is the King and you belong to his kingdom even now!
ourparishpriest 2023
