"Thy Kingdom Come!" by Fr. Chris House
The passage from Luke for this Sunday, the Solemnity of Our Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, may be one of the last passages that we would think of having for this day as it presents us with Christ crucified, not the most kingly presentation from a worldly point of view.
Thy Kingdom Come!
The passage from Luke for this Sunday, the Solemnity of Our Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, may be one of the last passages that we would think of having for this day as it presents us with Christ crucified, not the most kingly presentation from a worldly point of view. As Jesus hangs on the cross, he is mocked three times by the “rulers” who are most likely the Jewish religious authorities, the soldiers, and by one of the criminals crucified alongside Jesus. Each mockery is about challenging Jesus to save himself if he truly is the Messiah. The last mockery from the criminal comes with a plea for Jesus to save him from the agony and death that he is experiencing as well. All three mockeries can be summed up as “save yourself from the pain and suffering of this life and we will believe.” That is the messiah the world wants and, at times, it may be the messiah that we want, but that is not the Messiah who is Jesus Christ.
The other criminal gets it right. Tradition calls him “the good thief” and names him Dismas, but of that we cannot be sure as Luke does not name his crimes, which were probably more heinous than robbery given that he and his accomplice have been sentenced to death. This criminal acknowledges his guilt and his repentance is implied in his stating that his punishment is just, he acknowledges the innocence of Jesus, and then follows one of the most beautiful exchanges in all of the Scriptures when he makes his own profession of faith: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom” to which our Lord replies “today you will be with me in Paradise.”
The salvation that our Lord Jesus has accomplished is for us, but it is not for this life. Salvation does not mean that we will be spared from the heartaches and sufferings that are inevitable because of sin. The repentant criminal appears to understand that Christ’s Kingdom truly is not of this world and that the salvation that he is accomplishing will be revealed only through our own exodus from this life.
As we celebrate this great feast of Christ the King, our patronal feast as a parish family, may we remember in times when we may be tempted to expect God to save us from the trials of this life, that God’s will indeed is to save us but that his salvation is not about this world but liberation from it. Those who mocked the Lord could not see beyond this present life and the world continues to mock the crucified Lord today as it holds on to a reality that is fleeting. Thanks be to God that we are called to a hope beyond this world, to a greater life to be revealed, to something better than this world could ever offer. As we prepare for the Season of Advent, let us be mindful that as Christ has come so he will return again in glory with salvation for those who live and die in his friendship. May the grace of Christ lift our minds beyond the cares of this life to the Paradise to be revealed. Thy Kingdom come!
Fifty Years Young
As we celebrate our patronal feast this weekend and fifty years for our church building, let us give thanks to God for the blessings and graces that have been received and celebrated in our church over five decades. Let us also offer our prayerful thanks for those who brought our church into existence: Msgr. Bretz and the other priests assigned to CTK during the years of planning and building, the architects, engineers, and all who labored to build the church, our parishioners who worked and sacrificed to bring our church into being, many of whom are still here today. May God bless all who made our church a reality, and may God bless everyone who continues to support and care for it and our parish family!
With Gratitude
Thank you to the ladies of Altar and Rosary Society and the CTK Men’s Club for providing meals after all of the Masses this weekend! Thank you also to the Ladies for the gifts of the new cassocks and surplices for the servers as well as the new processional cross, and thank you to the Men’s Club for the gift of the new altar cloth and sanctuary chairs. All of these gifts have been given in honor of the church’s 50th anniversary.
Thanksgiving
A reminder that we will have a Mass at 8AM on Saturday, November 26th, the actual anniversary date of the church dedication.
It’s time for Thanksgiving and I can think of no better way to begin Thanksgiving Day than with Mass, so please join me on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday November 24th, for Mass at 8:30AM before the other celebrations or activities that day may have in store for you. As we take time this week to offer thanks to God for his goodness, on behalf of Father Clint, Deacon Scott, and our parish & school staff, I wish you and yours a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!
Blessings to you and yours for the week ahead!
Father Chris House
