judgement

34th Sunday of Year A, Feast of Christ the King – 2023

Today’s feast celebrates Christ as King of the universe.
But, in the texts of our celebration, God is presented not as a king but as… a SHEPHERD.
This is how he wants to be known.
Both the first reading (Ezekiel 34:11-12,15-17), and the gospel text (Matthew 25:31-46), describe him as such.

We see him searching for the lost, rescuing those in darkness,
showing them where to rest, bringing back the stray,
bandaging the wounded and making the weak strong.
watching over all of them…

And it is to a shepherd that Jesus has identified himself as he said:
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

In the gospel text, He invites us to have for others the same concern and care that he has for us, his sheep.
In fact, it will be on this very attitude that we will be judged –
not only on what we did but also… on what we did not do!…

We celebrate, not his dominion, but his compassion.
And he expects us to show this compassion to all those we live and meet with…

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at:https://image-i-nations.com/34e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-christ-roi-2023/

Source: Image: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

28th Sunday of Year B – 2021

Daydreaming can bring someone to wish for all kinds of things –
The things that Royalty and wealthy people can have already:
power and privileges, gold, silver, and precious stones.
And sometimes, health and beauty are added to this rich mixture!

In today’s 1^st reading (Wisdom 7:7-11), we meet the great King Solomon who enjoyed these and yet…
Yet, he said that, in his eyes, all these counted for nothing compared to… WISDOM.
An amazing statement…
I wonder how many people would endorse these words today?

In true wisdom, we can find learning, knowledge, sound judgement, insight, discernment.
To these qualities, the ancient Greeks, known for their wisdom, added prudence and self-control.

It is the attitude of someone who sees what is GOOD, judges what is RIGHT, follows what is JUST.
A wise person behaves in the way appropriate to someone created in the image of God – no less!

Of course, this is beyond what we can manage on our own – this is why Solomon says:
“I prayed… I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.”

We should not expect God’s ‘visitation’ to come in some unusual form or extraordinary apparition.
God’s Spirit of Wisdom can reach us in:

a conversation,
the chapter of a book,
a talk on the radio,
a television presentation,
a silent reflection,
and so many other shapes and occasions…

Like the many small pieces of a jigsaw puzzle it then makes up our daily experience –
the experience of someone who has learnt to listen, to hear, and… to follow God’s inspiration from day to day…

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/28e-dimanche-de-lannee-b-2021/

And a blog, in French, offers also a reflection on the theme of wisdom at: https://image-i-nations.com/sage-bien-sage/

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34th Sunday of Year A, Feast of Christ the King – 2023

Source: Image: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

28th Sunday of Year B – 2021

Source: Images: commons.wikimedia.org Dreamstime.com