Dear Brothers and Sisters, Christ is King!
The last Sunday of our Catholic liturgical year is devoted to the Kingship of Jesus Christ. What type of king is our King Jesus? What is His Kingdom, the Kingdom that we belong to, like? What are citizens of that Kingdom like?
We hear today that the Good Thief made out pretty well on that Good Friday. He confesses His sinfulness and makes the greatest theft of his life: He steals the Heart of Jesus. (NB: I’m not certain, but I may have heard that from Fulton Sheen.) Or so it seems! It is really the Heart of so good a King that captures and reclaims what is rightfully His: the heart of that good, repentant thief.
Thus, the Crucified Jesus reveals that He is a merciful King who has come to give us sinners new, abundant, everlasting life. The love of His Heart, freely given, can transform our hearts, if we let it!
Consequently, this merciful love becomes the essence and center of the Kingdom of Jesus and, so too, the essence of His family the Church! The two are inseparable.
The Love of the King and the Kingdom built upon it is what every heart wants: a Love that is stronger than sin and death; a Love which, as St. Paul teaches, is patient and kind, not jealous or boastful, arrogant or rude, irritable or resentful; it is a Kingdom of Love that rejoices in truth and bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. The triumph of this love is what each of us as members of the Church get to give and make known to the world. What a joyful task!
Do my attitudes, affections, desires, motivations, and plans reflect those of a citizen of this Kingdom of Love? How can I belong more sincerely and entirely to Jesus our King? How does Jesus want to capture and reclaim me for Himself? How can I build up this Kingdom in my home, my pastorate, my neighborhood, my work place?
We have an invitation for you.
The Eucharist is Jesus. His Kingdom is in the Eucharist and flows from the Eucharist. So please join us next Sunday November 30 for Eucharistic adoration as we begin the new liturgical year on the first Sunday of Advent. The consecrated Host will be exposed for adoration and prayer from 12:30pm to 6:00pm at St. Jane.
Eucharistic Adoration is an extension of the Mass. It is a prolonged time of Holy Communion as we adore and pray before Jesus in the Eucharist. Come and go as you please. See the afternoon schedule in the bulletin. An older parishioner recently said she had never been to adoration. After going, she said, “I never knew I could feel the presence of Jesus in this way.” In every Communion, in every tabernacle, Jesus awaits you. Please join us next Sunday!
Our Pastorate is so thankful to the Lord for those participating in the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults. Many participated in the Rite of Welcome today at St. Jane where we solemnly welcomed them into our community and recognized and affirmed their desire to enter more deeply into formation to formally enter the Catholic Church. Please pray for them!
God bless you!
Fr John
