Father Omolo Beste’s Homily The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe Sunday, November 23, 2014 Today we are celebrating the Feast of Christ the King. It was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 with the rise of numerous dictatorships in Europe during that time, Pius felt that many people were losing trust in Christ’s authority and were rather putting their trust, dangerously in worldly power. Christ’s kingship is a kingship of love and service, and so his is the only true kingship, the only true leadership. Jesus knew the oppressive nature of secular kings; his whole life and ministry was to show that the true leader is the one who serves. While secular kingship rule from a throne bedecked with jewels, Jesus rules from the cross, a revelation of God’s consummate and universal power which nothing can ultimately defeat. We take for example, leadership in Africa where in terms of natural resources is the world’s richest continent with 50 percent of the world’s gold, most of the world’s diamonds and chromium, 90 percent of the cobalt, 40 percent of the world’s potential hydroelectric power, 65 percent of the manganese, millions of acres of untilled farmland, as well as other resources, despite this vast resource the bulk of African people live as if they were citizens of deserts. This happens due to corruption. Corruption is not only about stealing funds. It is also about putting bad people in prime positions- People who have neither the passion nor the qualification to do the job. This form of corruption is crippling Africas development. Though in some cases people are not to blame because some of these leaders rise to power via electoral deception and fearmongering- There was even one election where in one of the African countries where a leader did not receive any votes in a certain province so he orchestrated the killing of over 20,000 civilians by fabricating stories of rebellion and treason. Christ’s leadership is one of humility, service, and compassionate care. He is not a king who imposes; rather he invites. He is not a king who coerces; rather he is a king who leads. He is not a king who issues directives from afar; rather he speaks from within our hearts and souls. He is not an imperial king; rather he is a shepherd king. He is not a king filled with anger and wrath; rather he has a heart filled with compassion and mercy. In the first reading taken from Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17 we read: Thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will look after and tend my sheep. As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep? I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark. I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD. The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy, shepherding them rightly- As for you, my sheep, says the Lord GOD, I will judge between one sheep and another, between rams and goats. In the second reading taken from first Corinthians 15:20-26, 28 we read: Brothers and sisters: Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through man, the resurrection of the dead came also through man. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the first fruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power- For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. When everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all. In the Gospel readings taken from Matthews 25:31-46 reads: Jesus said to his disciples: When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578 E-mail obolobeste@gmail Omolo_ouko@outlook Facebook-omolo beste Twitter-@8000accomole
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 07:42:07 +0000
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