Reflections
“The Lord is king, robed in majesty."
The Psalm celebrates God’s Kingdom,
in which the Lord reigns with majesty,
“gird about with strength.” God revealed
His kingship when He created the world.
But it is during the end times that the
kingdom of God will be displayed in
all its glory. This is in keeping with
our readings this week, in preparation
for our celebration of the Solemnity of
Christ the King this Sunday.
The prophet Daniel in this Sunday's first
reading speaks of the coming of the Son
of Man during the end times. (Daniel 7:13-14)
Sunday's second reading (Revelation 1:5-6)
is more explicit and brings us into the picture.
Christ’s blood frees us, and makes us into a
kingdom, where we become priests for God
the Father.
The kingdom is to be ruled under the Lord's
decrees, which are firmly established, as the Psalm
reminds us. But as Jesus says in the Gospel,
His kingdom is not of this world. (John 18:36)
His kingdom cannot be observed. But surely
it is among us, and most certainly, in our hearts.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist proclaims, "The Lord is king, robed with majesty,
girded with might." Yet our Lord Jesus did not seek a kingdom belonging
to this world. Where do you find the kingdom of the Lord? How do you
reach our mighty Lord?
2. The Psalm says that the Lord's throne stands firm and is everlasting.
In what way do you gain strength from this verse?
The original 10 commandments were written on tablets of stone. We cannot see the tablets to confirm their truth, nor do we have need to — for the laws of God are written in our hearts.
ReplyDeleteIn the same way, I feel that the kingdom of God can be found everywhere, and most especially, within us. As creations of the most Divine, we can know we have God’s handprint on our hearts, our minds, our bodies, and our talents.
His light within us shines for our world, sometimes more clearly than in other moments, depending on our heart condition — are we walking with the Lord? What are the intentions of our actions — are we humble or proud ?
We can also see the light of Christ in unexpected places — in the gratitude of a homeless person or a small child’s innocent smile.
While touring some old Catholic churches in Europe, I remember being amazed by the small, unassuming door that connects the sacristy to the main altar. The priests have always had to lower their heads in order to pass through … reminding themselves (and others) that humility is required before Mass is to be celebrated. The act of bowing before Jesus brings us close to him… because he was the perfect model of servanthood. And we are about to celebrate his great act of deigning to become one of us.
We find the kingdom of God when we look for him…