Homily for the Solemnity of Christ the King

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King. Our Gospel reminds us that Christ, the King and shepherd, takes care of his flock through our actions, attitudes, words, and even our souls. By serving the needs of others, we pay homage to him.

As followers of Christ, we act as his hands and feet. We are the instruments through which God provides for the needs of others by feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, comforting the sick and dying, and visiting and assisting prisoners. We recognize that every person, regardless of their standing in society, is a dwelling place of God. Therefore, by serving others, we are serving God.

We are all called to follow the example of Jesus and serve others. By serving others, we are promised a reward from God. The Gospel emphasizes that if we fail to serve others with a genuine heart, we put ourselves in serious danger.

There are various causes that can prevent us from helping others. It could be that we are too preoccupied with our own concerns or that we don't allow ourselves enough time in our busy schedules to assist those in need. Sometimes, we may be afraid of failing to help them. However, the biggest reason is often the fear of rejection. Most of us have tried to genuinely extend our help to someone, only to have them refuse our offer. Even Jesus was rejected by the very people he came to help. If we truly want to follow Jesus, we must be prepared to face the possibility of rejection from the people we reach out to, even from those we love.

As believers, we are responsible for preparing the world for the Kingdom of Heaven. We are called to actively spread the love, compassion, and healing of God's presence to those who are in need. This requires sacrifice and a strong sense of responsibility on our part.

There’s an old story about a holy hermit who saw passing by, a crippled person, a mother begging for food for her malnourished child, and a victim of what must have been a severe beating. Seeing them, the holy man turned to God and said, “Great God, how is it that such a loving creator can see so much suffering and yet do nothing about it?” And deep within his heart, he heard God reply, “I have done something about it: I made you.”

To see Christ in others and be Christ's love and action to others. That is our calling in this life.