20241124 The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

My parents rarely went out on dates or to parties when I was a child. I remember being eight or ten years old when they went to a party or a dinner-dance with some friends on a Saturday night. My grandparents lived with us so my sister and I were safe, yet for some reason I was gripped with fear and anxiety that something would happen to my Mom & Dad. I remember having a hard time falling asleep that night as my mind raced through all the possibilities.

The following morning, seeing my Mom & Dad safe made me happy and feel safe and secure. It felt like everything was right in the world, the way things were meant to be.

The readings for this Sunday, commemorating The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, and the readings for the previous few weeks, tell of the end times, of Judgement Day. On that day, the current world will end and Jesus will return to earth in all his Glory.

The image of Jesus that we think about is Him, up on the cross, suffering for all of our sins, and making it possible for us to go to Heaven. That is an important image of Jesus for us to remember and pray over as Catholics.

The image of Jesus that we celebrate today is a different one. This is Jesus taking His rightful place on the throne, welcoming those who truly believe in Him with their words, their hearts, and their actions to Heaven.

The image of Jesus that we celebrate today is of when God the Son will be Home, the way things were always meant to be; the way God the Creator intended. I look forward to feeling safe and secure and loved that day, like when my I knew my parents were home when I was a child.