MINGGU BIASA XXIV/A: HR TUHAN KITA YESUS KRISTUS RAJA SEMESTA ALAM

Yeh. 34:11-12,15-17; Mzm. 23:1-2a,2b-3,5-6; 1Kor. 15:20-26,28; Mat. 25:31-46.

Pendahuluan: Bacaan Kitab Suci hari ini berkisar pada adegan Penghakiman Terakhir tentang kedatangan Yesus Kristus dalam kemuliaan dan kuasa. Paus Pius XI-lah yang membawa Pesta Kristus Raja ke dalam liturgi pada tahun 1925 untuk membawa Kristus sebagai Penguasa, dan nilai-nilai Kristiani, kembali ke dalam kehidupan umat Kristiani, ke dalam masyarakat, dan ke dalam politik. Pesta ini merupakan pengingat bagi pemerintahan totaliter Mussolini, Hitler dan Stalin bahwa Yesus Kristus adalah satu-satunya Raja yang Berdaulat. Meskipun Kaisar dan Raja sekarang banyak terdapat dalam buku-buku sejarah, kita tetap menghormati Kristus sebagai Raja Alam Semesta dengan menobatkan Yesus di dalam hati kita, menyerahkan hidup kita kepada Tuhan. Pesta ini menantang kita untuk melihat Kristus Raja dalam diri setiap orang, terutama mereka yang dianggap paling tidak penting oleh masyarakat kita, dan untuk memperlakukan setiap orang dengan kasih, belas kasihan, dan kasih sayang yang sama seperti yang ditunjukkan Yesus. (+ anekdot pembuka homili)

Pelajaran Kitab Suci, yang dirangkum: Bacaan pertama, diambil dari Nabi Yehezkiel, memperkenalkan Allah sebagai Gembala yang Baik, mengingatkan kita akan klaim Kristus sebagai Raja Gembala yang Baik, yang memimpin, memberi makan dan melindungi domba-domba-Nya. Dalam Mazmur Tanggapan hari ini (Mzm 23), kita bersukacita di dalam Yesus, Gembala yang Baik bagi kita. Dalam bacaan kedua, Santo Paulus menampilkan Kristus sebagai Raja-Penguasa yang mahakuasa yang membangkitkan orang mati dan kepada-Nya segala bentuk kekuasaan dan otoritas pada akhirnya harus menyerah. Injil hari ini menggambarkan Kristus Raja yang datang dalam kemuliaan Surgawi untuk menghakimi kita, berdasarkan bagaimana kita membagikan kasih dan berkat kita kepada orang lain melalui tindakan amal yang tulus dalam hidup kita. Yesus hadir di hadapan kita saat ini, tidak hanya sebagai Gembala Baik yang memimpin, memberi makan, dan menyembuhkan domba-domba-Nya, namun juga tinggal bersama orang-orang yang kita sayangi. Dalam perumpamaan pemisahan domba dari kambing pada Hari Penghakiman Terakhir, setiap orang yang kita serahkan diri kita, “lapar, haus, atau orang asing, telanjang, sakit, atau dalam penjara,” dinyatakan kepada kita sebagai orang yang paling berdosa. bangkit Yesus. Pahala atau hukuman kita bergantung pada bagaimana kita mengenali dan memperlakukan Yesus yang telah bangkit dan berada dalam kemiskinan.

Pesan-pesan kehidupan: 1) Kita perlu mengenali dan menghargai kehadiran Kristus di dalam diri kita dan menyerahkan hidup kita pada pemerintahan Kristus: Karena Kristus, Raja kita, hidup di dalam hati kita bersama Roh Kudus dan Bapa Surgawi-Nya dan memenuhi jiwa kita dengan rahmat-Nya, maka kita kita perlu belajar menyerahkan hidup kita kepada-Nya, hidup dalam Hadirat Kudus-Nya, dan melakukan kehendak Tuhan dengan membagikan kasih pengampunan-Nya kepada orang lain di sekitar kita. Menyadari kehadiran-Nya dalam Alkitab, Sakramen-Sakramen, dan dalam komunitas yang beribadah, kita perlu mendengarkan dan berbicara kepada-Nya.2) Kita perlu belajar menjadi pelayan: Karena Kristus adalah Raja-Hamba, kita diundang untuk menjadi Raja-Hamba-Nya. warga negara yang setia dengan memberikan pelayanan yang rendah hati kepada orang lain dan dengan membagikan belas kasihan dan pengampunan Kristus kepada orang lain. 3) Kita perlu menggunakan otoritas kita untuk mendukung pemerintahan Yesus. Pesta ini merupakan sebuah undangan kepada semua orang yang mempunyai kuasa atau otoritas di ranah publik atau privat untuk menggunakannya bagi Yesus dengan memberikan kesaksian tentang Dia dalam cara hidup kita. Orang tua diharapkan menggunakan otoritas yang diberikan Tuhan untuk mendidik anak-anak mereka dalam cita-cita Kristen dan cara hidup Kristen yang berkomitmen. 4) Kita perlu menerima Yesus Kristus sebagai Raja kasih. Yesus. yang datang untuk mewartakan kepada kita semua Kabar Baik tentang kasih dan keselamatan Allah, memberi kita perintah kasih-Nya yang baru: “Kasihilah satu sama lain seperti Aku telah mengasihi kamu,” (Yoh. 13:34), dan menunjukkan kasih itu dengan mati demi kita orang berdosa. Kita menerima Yesus sebagai Raja kasih kita ketika kita mengasihi orang lain sebagaimana Yesus telah mengasihi kita — tanpa syarat, tanpa pengorbanan, dan dengan kasih agape.

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33rd SUNDAY YEAR A: PRESERVE OUR FAITH

Ams. 31:10-13,19-20,30-31; Mzm. 128:1-2,3,4-5; 1Tes. 5:1-6; Mat. 25:14-30

Introduction: This penultimate Sunday of the liturgical year reminds us not only of the end of the liturgical year but also of the end of all things and of the preparations we need to make to reach Heaven. The main theme of the three readings is an invitation to live in such a way that we make the best use of the talents God has given us, so that at the hour of our death Our Lord will say: “Well done, my good and faithful servant!… Come and share the joy of your master” Mt 25: 21).

The Scripture lessons: The first reading suggests that we should be as diligent and industrious as a loyal and faithful wife, in the use of our God-given gifts and talents with “the fear of the Lord.” Unlike the one-talent man, she takes her gifts and “brings forth good, not evil”; she “reaches her hands to the poor and extends her arms to the needy.” In today’s Responsorial Psalm, Ps 128, the Psalmist echoes the concept of the blessedness of the faithful servant of the Lord. The Psalm affirms that the fear of the Lord is the key to human happiness and success. In the second reading, Paul advises us to keep awake and be sober, encouraging and building each other up as we wait for the “Day of the Lord.” He challenges the Thessalonians to turn fear of the Lord into positive, constructive and life-affirming action. Today’s Gospel challenges us to ask the questions: Are we using our talents and gifts primarily to serve God? Are we doing everything we can to carry out God’s will? The parable of the talents challenges us to do something positive, constructive and life-affirming with our talents here and now.

Life messages: 1) We need to trust God enough to make use of the gifts and abilities we have been given. We may be especially talented in teaching children or cooking meals or repairing homes or programming computers. So, we should ask ourselves how we are using our particular gifts in the service of our Christian community and the wider society.

2) We need to make use of our talents in our parish. In addition to our homes and families, the best place to do this is in our parish. This means that we should be always willing to share our abilities in creative worship in the Church and in various ministries of our parish, such as Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, lector, usher, Sunday school teacher, singer in the choir, volunteer, and member of one or more parish organizations and community outreach programs.

3) We need to “trade” with our talent of Christian Faith: All of us in the Church today have received at least one talent namely, the gift of Faith. Our responsibility is not just to preserve and “keep” the Faith, but to work with it. We need to promote and add value to Faith by living it out. The way to preserve the Faith, or any other talent that God has given us, is to put it to work and make it bear fruit.

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32nd SUNDAY YEAR A: PREPARING NOW RATHER THAN WAITING

Keb. 6:13-17; Mzm. 63:2,3-4,5-6,7-8; 1Tes. 4:13-18 (panjang)

 Introduction: This Sunday’s readings bring the usual warnings about preparation for the end of our own world, the end of our own time, and our passage to another world. They tell us that a searching, watching, and growing heart is essential for a lively, dynamic Faith in God. They ask us whether we are ready for these events and how we are preparing for them. (+ an anecdote)

Scripture lessons summarized: Because Jesus’ parable in today’s Gospel has five well-prepared wise women, the first reading chosen for today is one that personifies wisdom as a woman. The author advises Jews in Alexandria not to envy the wisdom of the pagan philosophers, because they themselves have true wisdom in their Sacred Scripture, a wisdom which regulates not only this life but the next also. Hence, they must live their lives in strict conformity with the Divine wisdom given them so generously by God. In the second reading, Paul offers Christian wisdom, assuring those Christians who expected Jesus’ second coming in their lifetime that the death and Resurrection of Jesus is powerful enough to save even those who die before Jesus’ second coming. But they need to be alert, well-prepared, and vigilant. In the Gospel parable of the ten virgins, the foolish virgins represent the “Chosen People of God” who were waiting for the Messiah but were shut out from the messianic banquet because they were unprepared. The parable teaches us that, like the five wise virgins, we should attend to duties of the present moment, preparing now, rather than waiting until it is too late.

Life messages: 1) We need to be wise enough to remain ever-prepared: Wise Christians find Jesus in the most ordinary experiences of daily living — in the people they meet, the events that take place, and the situations in which they find themselves — and they carefully make their daily choices for God. They are ready to put the commandment of love into practice by showing kindness, mercy and forgiveness. 2) Let us be sure that our Lamps are ready for the end of our lives: Spiritual readiness, preparation, and growth are the result of intentional habits built into one’s life. We cannot depend on a Sunday Mass or morning service to provide all our spiritual needs. We cannot depend on Christian fellowship to provide us with spiritual development. The meeting of spiritual needs and spiritual development itself come through routine, mundane attention to ordinary spiritual disciplines — making sure we have enough oil or spiritual fuel: oil of compassion and mercy, oil of patience, sympathy, and forgiveness. We open ourselves to receive these graces by taking time for prayer, and being alone with God; by reading God’s Word; by living a sacramental life; by offering acts of service to others; by moral faithfulness, by loving obedience, and by spending time with other Christians for mutual prayer, study, and encouragement. When we receive the graces we need, we thank God for His generous love. As taking these ways becomes habitual, they cease to be a struggle and begin to be a source of strength and blessing. They make our lives powerful against the onslaught of the world.

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31st SUNDAY YEAR A : LIVING THE FAITH WE PROFESS

Mal. 1:14b-2:2b,8-10; Mzm. 131:1,2,3; 1Tes. 2:7b-9,13; Mat. 23:1-12.

Introduction: The central theme of today’s readings is a strong invitation and challenge to render humble, selfless, diligent, committed, loving service to others in the community without expecting honor or rewards in return. Today’s Gospel is a warning against hypocrisy and status-seeking, given to the early Church and to our own Church communities.( A homily starter anecdote may be added here)

Scripture lessons: In the first reading, the prophet Malachi condemns the irresponsible, proud, lazy priests of his day. In the second reading, St. Paul presents himself as an ideal example of servant leadership in a serving Christian community. In today’s Gospel, Jesus offers a word of judgment against contemporary religious leaders who are more concerned about self-promotion than service to others. Christ-like leadership calls for integrity and honesty from all those in authority, whether priests, parents, teachers or politicians. There should be in leaders no double standards. Rather, there should grow a deep sense of equality with, and mutual respect between, leaders and those they rule. Each should seek to serve the other. Service, not status, is the mark of this new community, and true humility is the only position its members should seek.

Life messages: 1) We need to become servant leaders in a serving community: The Church is a servant community in which the hungry are to be filled; the ignorant are to be taught; the homeless to receive shelter; the sick to be cared for; the distressed, consoled; and the oppressed, set free so that they may more fully realize their human potential and more readily enjoy life with God. Hence, the leaders should have a spirit of humble service in thought, word and deed. “The measure of a true Christian is not how many servants he has, but how many people he serves.” 2) We need to live the Faith we profess. Religious people are all too often like the Pharisees and scribes, laying heavy loads on other people’s shoulders without lifting a finger to help them. Instead of judging the poor, we should be serving them through our efforts for economic justice. Instead of criticizing those of other races, we should be serving them through our efforts for racial justice. Instead of ignoring the homeless, we should be serving them through efforts to supply them with adequate housing. We need to live the Faith we profess. Our Faith tells us that we are all brothers and sisters, children of the same Heavenly Father. The only way for us to practice our Faith is to build a human community of love and justice. 3) We need to learn the art of self-examination, and accept the responsibilities which go with our titles. Instead of criticizing others for their failures, let us ask whether we are different from them in discharging our duties in the family and in the parish community. Let us remember that our titles should remind us of our specific responsibilities in society and our obligation to discharge them faithfully. (L/23)

 

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