King of love and meekness

Solemnity of Christ the King of all the Universe, Cycle A

Ez 34, 11-17; 1 Cor 15, 20-28; Mt 25, 31-46

Oh Day of Wrath!

There is a piece of classical sacred music and a particular painting of renaissance sacred art that I am sure that anyone here can recognise simply by listening to the first few notes or by seeing even just a little corner of the painting. Even if you are not a lover of classical music or a renaissance art enthusiast, I bet you know the two masterpieces I have in mind. I am referring to the Dies Irae, the version we are probably all familiar with is by Verdi. The painting I have in mind is Michelangelo's Last Judgment, found in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. Both these masterpieces evoke feelings of fear and doom and doom in whoever encounters them. With the very first notes of Verdi's Dies Irae, the blasts of the trumpet and the drums and the choir singing "Oh day of wrath!" Michelangelo's Last Judgement in turn, with the figure of Christ at the centre of the painting who with a gesture of his right hand separates the good from the evil ones. Among the over 300 figures in the huge painting we notice the expressions of rejoice and peace among those who are saved and expressions of anger and damnation among those who are not. Both these works recount the scene we read about today: the end of the world and the Last Judgement.

A new perspective

Notwithstanding their priceless artistic value and their ability to evoke within us such strong feelings, there is another way of approaching the reality of our last judgement and of acknowledging Christ as the King of all the Universe. Rather than perceiving it as an event that we simply cannot escape and where God as a merciless judge, let us see it as something which we actually look forward to and where we actually are proud citizens of God's reign.

Contributing to the coming of the Kingdom of God

We can do this by first keeping in mind that God's kingdom is a kingdom of love. Somebody once said that that we think of all our little everyday efforts of love are joined to the efforts of the men and women. They contribute to actualizing and making present the Kingdom of God. This Kingdom of God will reach its fulfillment at a point in the future, which is actually the moment described in today's gospel. These efforts are our acts of charity and love, the very way in which we loved one another. In fact, he says that, "It is impossible to love Christ without loving others and it is impossible to love others without moving closer to Christ."

The advice of the Missionaries of Charity

This reminds me of how, when once I was working with the Missionaries of Charity, the Sister of Mother Teresa at the Home of Destitute and Dying in Ethiopia I asked one of the Sisters where does she get the strength to work amidst so much suffering. She told me, "The less our brothers and sisters resemble Jesus in our eyes, the stronger is the presence of Christ in him or her, and therefore all the more must I serve him or her with love." I realised the depth of the words of this Sister when I realised that Jesus is there beside me not only with the poor who sometimes feel distant to me because I only encounter occasionally, and therefore in some way they are easier to love. Rather, I realised that I must love Jesus in those persons whom I rub shoulders with everyday, whom I share my table with at lunch and my desk with at work. Ironically, these are sometimes more difficult to love, more challenging to see Jesus in them. Perhaps that person who is hungry not because he or she does not have what to eat but because he or she is hungry for a word of appreciation and recognition. That person who is thirsty not simply for water but for a listening ear, for a word of encouragement.

Strong social implications

Today's gospel also has strong social implications because we are becoming more aware that when we do good and when we sin we do not do so on our own. Some problems around us are too great to be dealt with individually. They require concerted effort. I was hungry and you fed me means that we must come together and ensure that there are policies in place to make sure that everyone not simply has something to eat but also can live a decent lifestyle. Water today is being called the new oil because there are entire countries lacking this essential resource. Those among us who have the right opportunities also have the responsibility and the duty of making sure that this resource remains available to all around the world.

The final examination question

When we have an exam, we would like to have a clue about what the final question is going to be about. About the final question of our life we have absolutely no doubt. We will not be asked about the theological basis of our dogmas, and neither about the elegance of our liturgical ceremonies. Notice that nor would we be asked about the evil and the sins that we have done! The question we will be asked is a simple and very practical one: "How have you loved me in the least of your brothers and sisters?"

Recognising Jesus

What strikes me is that the only thing in common between those who have responded to God's invitation to love in today's Gospel and those who did not is that they both did not recognise Jesus. Those who are saved did not love and serve the little ones because they saw Jesus and said, "Oh I ought to love him because that one is Jesus and I need to get to heaven." They loved and served the little ones simply because they wanted to do so. Perhaps initially it was hard and they had to force themselves to do it. Then it became second nature for them to do so. In fact this is where our tradition has got the corporal works of mercy, to which they also added burying the dead, and eventually also the spiritual works of mercy: admonish the sinner, counsel the doubtful, forgive all injuries...and so on and so forth.

Being judged about love

Because at the end of our life, the only thing that we will be judged about is love, because when this life is over, only the only thing that will remain standing is love. And therefore this King whom we celebrate today is not the King who dominates and rules will power and might, but the one who patiently brings about his Kingdom here on earth, which is a kingdom of love. The Prophet Ezekiel expresses this so poetically and so beautifully in today's first reading. Christ is the King of the Universe, him whom all creation in the whole universe acknowledges and recognizes as King. In Psalm 29 we read how all creation, the waters, the thunder, the trees and the animals all sing glory to the Lord, their King.

We, too, recognise the Lord as our King when we act as members of his kingdom, that is, by living the Commandment of Love. Come King of the Universe, we want to serve you and love you in our brothers and sisters! May we spend eternity with you, in your presence!