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Open Wednesday ... Solemnity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, the King, A … Nov. 23

     With your hands cupped to your mouth, pretend you are a herald announcing the entrance of a great king.  Sound like a trumpet.  Wave your hands.  Wave flags!
     Now posture yourself in adoration because you are welcoming the King of all kings.  Place a red or purple cloth by the front door to welcome the King into your home.  Set an extra place at your dinner table for the King of the Universe; drape His chair with fine cloth.  Place your hand over your heart, inviting  Jesus into your heart - for Jesus is the King of hearts, and we each want Him to be King of our heart.
     How will you prepare your heart this Sunday to welcome the King of Hearts?
     This Sunday is the great Feast of Christ the King which triumphantly marks the close of the church year.  (The following Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent and the beginning of a new liturgical year.)  Dress especially well for Mass.  If your    parish has gold vestments, your priest will wear gold.   
     The Second Reading and the Gospel tell of Jesus' Second Coming when Jesus will judge us. The Gospel relates how Jesus will separate people into two groups:   the sheep and the goats.  The sheep will be saved; the goats will be lost.  The "sheep" are those who have been kind and responsive to others, while goats have ignored the needs of others.  At school, invite a classmate
who is alone to play with you.  Pretend you are inviting Jesus to play with you.
     The First Reading gives another image for this King; the prophet Ezekiel says this King of ours will be like a shepherd: seeking out those who are lost and caring for them.  Sheep know their master's voice; chat with Jesus, asking Jesus to shepherd you.  Learn to recognize your Shepherd's voice, and scamper joyfully along His path.  Because of this Shepherd-King, our sins are forgiven. 
     Jesus has been called the "Second Adam."  In the Second Reading Paul writes    of the two men, Adam and Jesus: through Adam sin came into the world; through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we have life eternal!
     The best known Psalm is the Twenty-third Psalm which will be sung or read this Sunday.  You may wish to memorize the Psalm.  The imagery is rich and invites one to prayer.  Dwell on the images.  Imagine yourself as a lamb.
     Readings on recent Sundays have warned us to be ready and watchful for we do not know when Jesus is coming.  If we follow the Good Shepherd each day, we will always be ready.
     Let the Triumph of Jesus Christ be your joy!  Celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King!
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Sunday's Readings:     Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17
                                     Psalm 23
                                     1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28
                                     Matthew 25:31-46

This Feast of Christ the King concludes the Readings for cycle A.  The First Sunday of     Advent will begin the Readings for cycle B.  The Sunday Readings have three cycles: A, B and C.  The weekday Readings have cycles: I and II.  The Gospel for cycle B will mainly be taken from the Gospel according to Mark.  We say "according to" because Mark (or Matthew, or Luke, or John) did not actually write their Gospel.  The Evangelists taught about  Jesus and their listeners eventually recorded the Evangelists' teachings.