Whose side are you on?

SOLEMNITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE

[ Matthew 25: 31-46 ]

   The Kingdom of Christ vs. the Kingdom of Satan.

Everyone who is familiar with St Ignatius of Loyola would have heard about his Spiritual Exercises. The Spiritual Exercises are a compilation of meditations, prayers, and contemplative practices developed, compiled and promoted by St Ignatius himself to help people deepen their relationship with God.

The two standards: for Christ or against Christ.

In one of the prayer exercises, St Ignatius proposes a meditative prayer on –‘the Two Standards’ – a ‘standard’ being the flag of a kingdom. We are asked to meditate on the standard (the kingdom) of Christ and the standard (the kingdom) of Satan, and then we are required to make a conscious and concrete decision which side we are on – with Jesus or with Satan.

Jesus has made it very clear that [Mt 12: 30], “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” In the war between good and evil, there is no in-between and no fence-sitting, we must take side for we are either for Christ or against Christ.

   Whose side are you on?

So the insistent question is: WHOSE SIDE ARE WE ON?

And this is also the theme for the last Sunday in the Ordinary Time as we conclude the liturgical year celebrating the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.

When Jesus takes His seat on the throne of glory, He will separate us one from another just like the shepherd separating sheep from goats: Are we the ‘sheep’? Or are we the ‘goats’?

Note that the stark difference between the sheep and the goat is LOVE. It is LOVE that distinguishes the sheep from the goat. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love! [1 Jn 4: 7]

   How have we loved? How have we failed to love?

Goat or sheep?

   In the evening of life, we will be judged on LOVE alone. [St John of the Cross]

   We will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by “I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in…” [St Mother Teresa of Calcutta]

Indeed, at the end of our lives, we will be judged by how we have loved and how we have failed to love. How have we loved or failed to love: our fellow workers, subordinates and junior staff… our elderly parents, youths and children… our maids, security guards and cleaners… and yes, even the last, the lost, the least and the little at the peripheries of society…

If we sincerely choose to follow Christ, then we must imitate Him and walk in His footsteps, to love as He loves. Yes, to be qualified as the sheep of His flock, we need to be true disciples of love and service.

   Our Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal King of the ENTIRE Universe.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, eternal King of the entire Universe.

All power, all authority, all dominion and all sovereignty in heaven, on earth, and under the earth belong to our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings, the Lord of lords. It may sound arrogant and offensive to many, but this is what this Solemnity is all about: every tongue will confess, every head will bow, and every knee will bend at the name of Jesus – He is the King of the Universe.

The universal and everlasting Kingship of Jesus is not bound by time, space or location. His Kingship is not limited to a particular group of people or believers: He is not just the King of the Jews; He is not just the King of the Christians; and He is not just another king in the long history of humanity.

While Jesus Christ must be the King in our hearts, our minds, our lives, our homes, our families, our ministries and parishes, He must also be the King in our streets, our neighbourhoods, our marketplaces, our malls, our offices, our societies, our political arenas, our hospitals, our country, the world and the entire universe. No, we are NOT called to a military coup, a political takeover, or a subtle conspiracy. Rather, we are called to show Jesus to the world and to the entire universe: His love [1 Jn 4:8], His truth [Jn 8:32], His justice, His peace, and the joy in the Holy Spirit [Rm 14: 17].

   If God is for us, who can be against us? [Rm 8:31]

Just a week ago as reported by Free Malaysia Today (19 Nov 2023), an employee at a Chinese Muslim eatery in Kuala Lumpur was fired for wearing a cross. We may moan and mourn over our falling, failing and ailing nation, but we must never lose hope – for if God is with us, who can be against us? [Rm 8: 31]

Even when trials come, temptations overwhelm, tribulations strike and turbulences rise, we the sheep of His flock can be assured that our Lord is ALWAYS in control. For He has promised that He Himself is going to look after His flock and keep all of it in view… He will be a true shepherd to all of us… [Ez 34: 11, 15]. We will have nothing to fear – He will shepherd us along the right path… and in His house, we shall dwell for ever and ever! [Ps 22 (23)] May we stand tall, chest out and chin up, always and everywhere proclaim Jesus as the King of the Universe through our words of truth, our deeds of love and our lives of holiness.

Let our fervent prayer be:

   “Shepherd me, O God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life.”

Let us also pray that God’s justice, peace, truth and love may prevail in Malaysia, Israel-Palestine, Ukraine, Sri Lanka and Nicaragua.

   [Note: This Gospel reflection was adapted from Porta Fidei, Gospel Reflection, 22 Nov 2020.]