HOMILY | Solemnity of Christ the King
November 24, 2024

In today’s Gospel, (Jn. 18: 33-37) Pilate asked Jesus: “Are you the King of the Jews?” It is a historical question. Jesus asks you and me today: “Who is your King? Am I your King?” Pause for a moment. What is your response to Him?

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WHO IS YOUR KING?
By Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD

The story is told about a mouse who told the lion, the king of the jungle: “O, Lion King, I am about to get married. What advice can you give me?“ The Lion replied: “Mr. Mouse, just remember, that before I got married, I thought I was a king, now I know that I am just a mouse.”
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Today is the Solemnity of Christ, the King of the Universe. In today’s Gospel, (Jn. 18: 33-37) Pilate asked Jesus: “Are you the King of the Jews?” It is a historical question. Jesus asks you and me today: “Who is your King? Am I your King?” Pause for a moment. What is your response to Him?
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Is there something or someone greater than yourself that you are living for? Are you serving, are you accountable to something or someone greater than yourself? Life takes on a new meaning when we realize that we are servants. We are not kings! We begin to really live when we stop feeling we are kings or queens. Let us bring back that “me-servant-feeling,” and stop that “me-king-feeling!”
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So obsessed with money, power, pleasures, and fame, we often forget to really know and serve our King, and we offer incense and adoration to our worldly kings and queens who are mortals like us, and cannot really help us in the end. Let us cast out our idols and false gods and kings, starting with our own selves.
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Feeling empty and unhappy? That is because, so in love with ourselves, we have forgotten our King; so unfocused, we have started to follow and serve our worldly kings. Keep focused on Christ, our Lord and King!
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As a little boy, I was often fascinated with a beautiful bird called a kingfisher, especially when I see it dive into the water to catch a fish. Older now, I realize that we all should be a “kingfisher,” that is, to be fishers for our King. May we bring people closer to God. May we continue to tell the world about our King who loves us without end.
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I have seen the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separates North and South Korea. It is in the 38th parallel, about 4 kilometers wide, and 250 kilometers long that is uninhabited, closed, guarded, and not accessible, a “no-man’s land.” Is there an area in your life that is not accessible, and remains closed to Christ, your King?
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Sharing with you a beautiful prayer of Padre Pio: “Lord, I leave my past to Your mercy; my present to Your love; and my future to Your providence.” Today, let us surrender our past, present, and future to our King, and allow Him to have total access and claim to our lives, to our very souls.
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Many of us spend our whole lifetime vacillating between commitment and half-commitment. By the grace of God, let us pray today: “As for me and for my house; we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15) In humility we pray today: The rest of my life, the best of my life, for You, my Lord and my King!
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What have I done for Christ, my King? What have I sacrificed for Christ, my King? What have I shared for Christ, my King? Let us continue to ask these questions now, so that we will know how to answer them when we finally come face to face with Him.
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Do you know that our King appreciates every little deed, sacrifice, and sharing we do for Him? But, let us not forget that He appreciates it more if we do it with the heart. It is our heart that He asks of us. His most Sacred Heart wants to connect with us “heart-to-heart.” The Lord asks us today: “Your lips are sweet, your deeds are plenty, but where is your heart?”
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Next Sunday is already the first Sunday of Advent. Christmas is near! Especially this time of the year, amidst the rush and the glitters, let us not forget that the best preparation and celebration has to happen in the heart.
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Inviting you for the 33rd Eucharistic Congress at the Pink Sisters’ Convent in Hemady St., Quezon City on November 30, Saturday. It starts at 7 a.m. with talks by Fr. Aris Martin, SVD; Fr. Dave Concepcion, and Bishop Pablito Tagura, SVD, D.D. who will also lead the Mass in the afternoon. Let us honor our Eucharistic King!
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A moment with the Lord:
Lord, Jesus, You are my Lord and my King. Amen!

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer


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