“However, be on your guard and be very careful not to forget the things your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your heart as long as you live, but make them known to your children and to your children’s children....” (Deut. 4:9).
I found a treatise from St. John Chrysostom that read, “The Devil didn’t deal out temptations to Our Lord only. He brings these evil schemes of his to bear on each of Jesus’ servants—and not just on the mountain or in the wilderness or when we’re by ourselves. No; he comes after us in the city as well; in the marketplaces; in courts of justice. He tempts us by means of others, even our own relatives. So what must we do? We must disbelieve him altogether, and close our ears against him, and hate his flattery.”
During the Liturgy of the Word at Mass on Nov. 13, we read about the Destruction of the Temple Luke 21:5-19 – a foretelling of the Second Coming of Jesus. On the last Sunday of Ordinary Time – the Solemnity of Christ the King, Nov. 20 – we heard these words from Luke 23:35-43: “The rulers sneered at Jesus.”
Our world is hurting, and everyone feels the pain. I pray you are paying attention – that you are not afraid to let others know that Jesus is your best friend, your rock and your salvation!
We must pray for conversion because, in His second coming, Jesus will come as a judge – not a Savior! Pope Pius XI established the Solemnity of Christ the King for the Catholic Church in 1925. The purpose of this celebration is to acknowledge Jesus as “King of all Kings.” Pope Pius XI wanted to bring God back into the secular world. Over the past 97 years, since the first celebration of this Solemnity, it appears as if some people have failed to understand the message.
In the book “Life of Christ” by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, there is a chapter titled “More Than a Teacher.” It begins, “Great teachers give instructions to their disciples, but has any teacher ever made his death the pattern of theirs? This is impossible, because no earthly teacher could foresee the manner of his death nor was death ever the reason why he came to teach.”
“Life of Christ” is full of significant teachings. Archbishop Sheen reminds us that even the people witnessing the miracles of Jesus were ignorant of the true meaning. “When He multiplied the bread the crowds immediately sought to make Him their economic King, instead of taking the miracle as a sign of His Divinity. Even the Apostles would accept Him as a wonder-worker for their eyes, but not as the Light of their souls.
“These realities do not let us off the hook! Salvation history gives us 2,000 years of truth in the teachings of Jesus through the witness of holy men and women, saints, and martyrs, who were never afraid to be obedient when following Jesus. “Civilization is always in danger when those who have never learned to obey are given the right to command” (Archbishop Sheen).
During this Advent Season, I pray you will sit down with family, children, grandchildren and friends, and share the powerful message that salvation, promised in the name of Jesus, is not a social salvation; it is a spiritual one – not as the world gives, but as the life of Christ has taught us to live.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
Truth is the good news of the gospel! Share the good news! Amen!