Christ the King Sunday! Rejoice!
Christ the King
Mt 25:31-46
This weekend closes the Church’s liturgical year of 2014. Next week, a new year will begin with the First Sunday of Advent. Closing the year means that the Church has led us through 12 months of careful instruction about Jesus.
The feast of Christ the King joyfully summarizes the lessons of the past year. The Lord is king! He reigns! He lives!
The first reading comes from the ancient Book of Ezekiel. In this reading, God speaks in the first person, promising protection of the flock, in other words the people of God. He is the shepherd, seeking the lost, caring for the injured, rescuing the imperiled. Also, God will distinguish between the sheep and others who assume other identities because of their voluntary unfaithfulness.