Last Call
Christ The King (A)
2008-11-23
Matthew 25:31-46I’m sure we’ve all heard these expressions:
“It’s your last chance.”
“He was on his last leg.”
“This is our last hope.”
“I was down to my last dollar.”
“Last call! Everyone on Board!”
All of these “lasts” tell us that we need to act. Time is running out. If we want to fix whatever is broken, if we want to be successful, or to save the day or to get there on time, we need to DO something…and we need to do it NOW.
Well, guess what. Today is a “last” as well. This is the LAST Sunday in Ordinary Time on the Church’s calendar. It’s the end of the liturgical year. A brand new year starts next Sunday.
So, we can also look at this as a “last” opportunity; but a last opportunity for what?
This final Sunday of the year, the Church is giving us an opportunity to look back: to look back at what we’ve done AND what we haven’t done.
Last week, we heard about the three servants who were entrusted with talents by their master for use while the master was away. Two of the servants put their talents to good use, creating greater wealth than they were originally given. They were rewarded. But, one failed to use his talents, and only buried them in the ground for fear of losing what he had. He was harshly judged.
This week, we hear about those who offered help and comfort to the hungry, the stranger, the sick or those in prison. They, too, were rewarded. And those who failed to produce any works of mercy and kindness were also harshly judged.
It’s no coincidence that the Gospel readings for the final Sundays of the year have the same general theme…judgment.
Jesus paints a vivid picture for us.
For those who do the will of God, who keep His commandments, who love their neighbor as themselves, for the righteous, there is a just reward…eternal life.
“Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
But, the alternative is NOT a pretty sight. For those who disregard the will of God, who break His commandments, who ignore the needs of the hungry, the sick or the oppressed, for the unrighteous, there is also a just reward…eternal punishment.
Now, for those who think that the Catholic Church no longer believes in Hell, or that God would ever allow the wicked to go there…let’s dispel that rumor right now. Hear these words.
“Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
It’s about as plain as can be.
All our lives, from the first moment of reasoning to our “last” breath, we have the opportunity to become either sheep or goats as the Gospel tells us.
But, if you look around, we live in a world that nurtures our “goat-like” tendencies.
Money, power and fame are held in high esteem.
Sex outside of marriage, homosexuality and irregular marital relationships are encouraged.
Abortion, the horrific, legalized murder of millions of innocent children, is likely to be on the rise.
The world is calling us…calling to the darkest places deep in our hearts. And, because of the sin of our first parents, the sin of Adam as St. Paul tells us in our second reading, it’s so hard to resist.
“Foul!” you cry, “The odds are stacked against us. We can’t help it. It’s as if God wants us in Hell!”
Now, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about this last week of the year…“judgment week.” It’s not a story about sin and death, eternal damnation and punishment, judgment and Hell.
God does NOT want us in Hell. In truth, He wants the opposite. He wants more than ever that we should know Him, love Him and serve Him in this world, so that we can happy with Him forever in Heaven.
No, it’s not about Hell…it’s about love and mercy…and Heaven.
It’s about triumph.
It’s about what Jesus did for us on that Cross. He died for us and He rose again, triumphant over death. And if we participate in His Passion, in His suffering, in His unconditional love for all mankind, then, and only then, can we participate in His triumph over death.
The story is told of a great and noble king who justly ruled his kingdom. But, the king was without a queen, and searched his entire kingdom to find a good woman to whom he could offer his love, and who would then freely return that love him.
As it happened, the king fell in love with a peasant girl. But, the relationship would surely cause problems.
Up to now, kings never married below their station. He was royalty, and she was merely a peasant. What would his subjects think? Would he still be respected as royalty?
And there was another problem. As supreme ruler, he knew that he could order the girl to marry him. But, no matter how powerful he was, he could not order her to love him. That would be a truly one-sided, and mechanical love.
Then, he had an idea. If he were to renounce his throne, give up his kingship, then he could propose to her as one peasant to another. That way, if she returned his love, then he would know it was genuine.
But, there was risk involved. Once a peasant, he knew that there was a chance that she would NOT love him; that this love would not be freely returned. She might even think him foolish for doing what he did.
Still, weighing all the risk, knowing the possibilities for failure, the king followed through with his plan, left his throne and became a lowly peasant so that he could approach his true love on her humble level.
So what happened? Did they get married and live happily ever after?
Well…I can’t answer that for you. YOU have to. Why? Because, the story isn’t over yet, and you and I are part of that story.
If you haven’t figured it out yet, each of us is the peasant, and God is the great and noble King. God left His throne in Heaven to become like us in all things except sin, so that He could approach each of us on our level, and seek our love, freely given. Only then will we be complete.
So what will it be, how will the story of “the king and the peasant” end for you?
This last Sunday in Ordinary time is called The Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ the King, or simply Christ the King.
It is our opportunity to look back at this past year. How did we do?
Did we feed the hungry? Give drink to the thirsty and clothes to the naked? Did we visit those in prison or welcome the stranger?
How did we use our talents? Did we use them to glorify and grow the Kingdom of God on earth, or did we bury them for fear of failure?
Did we follow the Church’s teachings on contraception, abortion and living a genuinely Catholic life?
Have we been to confession lately? Or at all?
Did we receive the Eucharist frequently, and in a worthy manner?
Are we one of the sheep…or one the goats?
Next week begins Advent, a season of anticipation for the coming of our Savior at Christmas. And, once again, we will be presented with opportunities: opportunities to help the poor with St. Vincent De Paul; opportunities to grow spiritually as we attend Holy Day liturgies; opportunities to stand up and defend the Holy Catholic Church; and, countless opportunities to spread God’s love and joy to all those we meet.
We MUST prayerfully consider these many opportunities. Remember, we are judged according to our works…what we have DONE while here on earth. We need to “do something” and we need to do it NOW.
Who knows? This may be our last chance, our last great hope. When we hear the words “Last call! Everyone on board!” we want to be included with those who board that train bound for Heaven, to a lasting relationship with a Great and Noble King – Christ the King.