23/11/2008 - 34th. Sunday Christ the
King - Year A
1st. Reading Ez 34,11-12.15-17 Psalm 22 2nd. Reading 1Cor 15,20-26.28 Gospel
Mt 25,31-46
"I believe the Church...Catholic". "Catholic" means universal,
"all over the earth". The Church is Catholic because she can gather
around Jesus men and women from every people and nation, of every language and
race that exists on the planet. Jesus sends his apostles to all the nations:
he said and made it clear when he sent the 72 disciples to announce the coming
of the Kingdom of God; they were 72, as the peoples listed in the Bible in the
times of Noe'! And the apostle John announces this truth with the image of the
net that is thrown in obedience to the risen Lord, gathers hundred forty three
big fish without being thorn. It was the number of peoples known in that historical
time. The Church is catholic because the head, Jesus, was sent by the Father
and he came for everybody. The Gospel according to Matthew comes to an end with
the sending of the eleven: "go, therefore, and teach all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit".
He truly loves all men, and all can welcome his love and love him in return,
all can receive from him the Holy Spirit, who is Spirit of communion, and therefore
can be reunited in the Church as the place of fraternity and life. The Church
is therefore "catholic"! For almost a century this word has been used
to designate the Church who lives in full communion and obedience to the bishop
of Rome, the Pope, to distinguish her from the Christians and churches who does
not recognize his authority. We believe that all men are called by God to form
part of the Catholic Church, that is, of the fold that Jesus would have wanted
one, as his body is one, the building that the Father founded on him, the headstone.
Who does not believe, or even though believes in Jesus, but does not feel united
with the Church, could, with the help of God's grace, arrive to faith and full
communion: because of this we already call everyone brothers and sisters. They
are our brethren in Jesus Christ, either because they are already reunited in
the one Church, or because they can be: it is the hope that we cultivate in
our love for them, a missionary love!
Today we come to the end of the Liturgical Year with the solemnity of our Lord,
Christ the King! The Gospel of Matthew presents us with a parable of Jesus in
which he refers to himself the title of King. He, 'the Son of man", "will
sit on the throne of his glory"; in fact, when he will proclaims the judgment,
he is called "the King"! He is the King in front of whom all are to
present themselves, and he will pronounce the sentence. Who will be forgiven?
Who will be condemned? At this point the King becomes a shepherd, a shepherd
who organizes his flock, separating the sheep from the goats. The image of the
shepherd is taken from the Old Covenant, from Ezekiel, from whom today we listen
to. Here the shepherd gathers the sheep and takes care of them, so that they
won't remain without food, and those sick receive the necessary care. This page
concludes with the assurance that the same shepherd will judge between 'sheep
and sheep, muttons and goats". This is a word that gives trust and security,
because the shepherd loves his sheep, and therefore his judgment will be surely
in their favor. Jesus continues the parable giving an example of goodness and
righteousness of his judgment. All those, among the peoples, who have had a
love for him, even without knowing, are called blessed and receive eternal life!
These are those who have empathies with the sufferings of others and came to
their help. "All that you have done with even to one of these little ones,
you have done it to me": Jesus identifies himself with his little brothers,
the most in need. Who are "my little brothers"? This expression can
be understood in either a wide or narrow sense: Jesus could think of those who
believe in him, therefore the Christians who suffer persecutions because they
are Christians, but he could also think of every man who suffers for any reason.
This is the common reading that the saints have also done, a reading that come
to us too easy, keeping in mind the rest of the teaching of Jesus, who loves
all men, sinners, pagans, enemies, known and unknown persons. This parable of
the Lord brings together and creates a harmony between faith and love: to believe
in him is the basic for a love always active and effective, the love that we
exercise towards every single person, even if the one who exercises does not
know Jesus, is equal to the merit of faith. This parable on the other hand opens
our horizon to the future, beyond death. Death does not create emptiness: after
death there is judgment day, even for those who do not know or want to ignore
it, and judgment is not for Jesus, the Son sent by the Father to die and rise
for all. St. Paul repeats it again to us today. Its obvious that we turn our
eyes always on the Lord, our attention to the Word, our desire to his heart,
so that he can be truly the King, first of the whole universe, of our will,
of our every action and of our every relationship with the sons and daughters
of God!