Christ the King Year B
‘Mine is not a kingdom of this world’
Almighty, ever-living God,
whose will is to restore all things
in your beloved Son, King of the Universe,
grant, we pray, that the whole creation, set free from slavery,
may render your majesty service
and ceaselessly proclaim your praise.
The last Sunday of the Church’s year is celebrated as the Feast of Jesus Christ, the Universal King. We celebrate the resurrection victory of Jesus over suffering and death, a moment in historical time that has everlasting meaning, and look forward to the end of time when we will know fully the glory, holiness and peace of God’s kingdom.
The readings all bear witness to the glory of Christ Jesus. The First Reading is a prophecy from Daniel that can be seen to foretell the coming of Jesus, when people of all nations and languages will become his faithful servants.
The Second Reading describes the love of Jesus for each one of us; a love that makes us not simply servants, but fills us with his glory even as we mourn his death.
We can trust all that Jesus has done and said; his majesty, power and holiness are unchanged to the end of time (Psalm).
The Gospel recounts the dialogue between Pilate and Jesus in the hours before the crucifixion. Jesus tells us that his kingdom has values that are not of this world. If we seek the truth, we will listen carefully to his voice and live by his words.
This week, we pray that we may learn to know him more fully in our prayer and follow him more faithfully in our lives.
