FIRST READING
Daniel 7:13–14
As the visions during the night continued, I saw one like a Son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; when he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, the one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship; all peoples, nations, and languages serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 93:1, 1–2, 5 (1a)
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed; robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
And he has made the world firm, not to be moved. Your throne stands firm from of old; from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed; holiness befits your house, O LORD, for length of days.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
SECOND READING
Revelation 1:5–8
Jesus Christ is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming amid the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. All the peoples of the earth will lament him. Yes. Amen.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty.”
ALLELUIA
Mark 11:9, 10
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
John 18:33b–37
Pilate said to Jesus,
“Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
REFLECTIONS:
Do you recognize that the Lord Jesus have been
given all authority and power to reign over heaven and earth? Jesus was
crucified for his claim to be the Messiah King who would rule not only
over his people Israel but ultimately over all the nations as well. What
is the significance or meaning of Jesus' kingship for us? Kingship today
seems antiquated, especially in democratic societies where everyone is
treated equal and free. God at first did not want to give his people Israel
a king. Why? Because God alone was their King and they needed no other.
Nonetheless, God relented and promised his people that through David's
line he would establish a kingship that would last for eternity (Psalm
89:29). The Jews understood that the Messiah would come as king to establish
God's reign for them. They wanted a king who would free them from tyranny
and from foreign domination. Many had high hopes that Jesus would be the
Messiah king. Little did they understand what kind of kingship Jesus claimed
to have. Jesus came to conquer hearts and souls for an imperishable kingdom,
rather than to conquer perishable lands and entitlements.
When Satan tempted Jesus during his forty day fast in the wilderness,
he offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4:8-9) Jesus knew
that the world was in Satan's power. And this was precisely why Jesus came
to overthrow Satan's power and rulership over the earth. Jesus knew that
the way to victory was through submission to his Father's will and through
the sacrificial offering of his life upon the cross for the sins of the
world. As Jesus was dying on the cross, he was mocked for his claim to
kingship. Nonetheless, he died not only as King of the Jews, but as King
of the nations as well. His victory over the power of sin, Satan, and the
world, was accomplished through his death on the cross and his resurrection.
Jesus exchanged a throne of glory for a cross of shame to restore us from
slavery to sin to glory with God as his adopted sons and daughters. In
the Book of Revelations Jesus is called
King of kings and Lord and lords
(Revelations 19:16). Do you recognize Jesus Christ as your King and
Lord?
The scriptures present us with the choice between two kingdoms the
kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. The choice is ours to make
voluntarily. Which kingdom do you serve - the world that passes away or
God's kingdom which endures for all time? God's kingdom remains forever
because it is built on the foundation of God's eternal love and justice.
To accept Jesus as Lord and King is to become a citizen of an everlasting
kingdom which is governed by righteousness, peace, truth, and love. Is
your life submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ?
"Lord Jesus Christ, you are my King and there is no other. Be the Lord
and Master of my heart, will, mind, and soul. May all that I do be pleasing
to you and serve the best interests of my neighbor as well."
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