Gospel Commentary: Our God Reigns

By Fr. Jack Peterson
Herald Columnist
(From the issue of 11/17/05)

Group projects, women and the Redskins. I meet with several groups of college men each week to pray together, to reflect upon the Scriptures for the upcoming Sunday’s Mass, to build Christian fellowship and to encourage a more honest walk with Christ and his Church. The deeper concerns on their hearts come up regularly and are brought up for reflection in the light of the Good News of Jesus Christ. At this moment in the semester, many of them are stressed about papers and group projects that are due in the next few weeks. Recently, our discussion, with the help of a passage from the 31st chapter of the Book of Wisdom, led us to a heartfelt conversation about Christian marriage and the search for a future spouse. Often, as we socialize before or after our meeting, the conversation centers around football.

Group projects, women and football tend to weigh heavy on the hearts of college men. What is reigning in your heart these days? The Church invites us to ask ourselves that question this weekend as we celebrate the final Sunday of the Church year, Christ the King. The readings and prayers of the Mass direct our attention to the end times when the world as we know it will come to an end, Christ will come again in all his glory, He will judge the living and the dead, and He will present the world to his Heavenly Father. Surely, our prayer is that Jesus will look us in the eye with tender mercy and great love and say to us, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Mt 25:34).

Christ is indeed King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He will come again with wondrous signs and great power to definitively establish his reign for all eternity. However, his response to us at the consummation of the world will depend on how we chose to live our lives here and now.

One of the more impressive aspects of Christ’s reign in the world is that He does not force His kingship upon His subjects. He prefers that we voluntarily submit. Instead of governing us with guns, shackles, fear and brute force, He reigns by knocking on the doors of our hearts and waiting for us to invite Him in. He wants his kingship over us to be one we freely choose because in truth and love we know both that we need Him and that He deserves to be the King of our hearts.

Once Christ arrives at his proper place in our hearts and lives, we gratefully venture out into the world to bring his blessings to the needy: the hungry, the thirsty, the naked and the imprisoned. Love for God automatically spills over into a burning love for our neighbor. It becomes a passion of the heart.

What, or Who, is reigning in your heart these days? What place does Christ have in your heart? It should be higher than work, relationships and the record of your favorite team. Do you really love Jesus with all your heart? Are His thoughts your thoughts? Are His ways your ways? Our God reigns!

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