NOVEMBER 25, 2012 : THE SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING

The Solemnity of Christ the King
Lectionary: 161

Reading 1 Dn 7:13-14

As the visions during the night continued, I saw
one like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
when he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
the one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 93:1, 1-2, 5

R. (1a) The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed;
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.

Reading 2 Rv 1:5-8

Jesus Christ is the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father,
to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.

Behold, he is coming amid the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
All the peoples of the earth will lament him.
Yes. Amen.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, " says the Lord God,
"the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty."

Gospel Jn 18:33b-37

Pilate said to Jesus,
"Are you the King of the Jews?"
Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?"
Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?"
Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here."
So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?"
Jesus answered, "You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

www.usccb.org

Meditation: "My kingship is not of this world"

 Do you recognize that the Lord Jesus have been given all authority and power to reign over heaven and earth? Jesus was crucified for his claim to be the Messiah King who would rule not only over his people Israel but ultimately over all the nations as well. What is the significance or meaning of Jesus' kingship for us? Kingship today seems antiquated, especially in democratic societies where everyone is treated equal and free. God at first did not want to give his people Israel a king. Why? Because God alone was their King and they needed no other. Nonetheless, God relented and promised his people that through David's line he would establish a kingship that would last for eternity (Psalm 89:29). The Jews understood that the Messiah would come as king to establish God's reign for them. They wanted a king who would free them from tyranny and from foreign domination. Many had high hopes that Jesus would be the Messiah king. Little did they understand what kind of kingship Jesus claimed to have. Jesus came to conquer hearts and souls for an imperishable kingdom, rather than to conquer perishable lands and entitlements.
When Satan tempted Jesus during his forty day fast in the wilderness, he offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4:8-9) Jesus knew that the world was in Satan's power. And this was precisely why Jesus came – to overthrow Satan's power and rulership over the earth. Jesus knew that the way to victory was through submission to his Father's will and through the sacrificial offering of his life upon the cross for the sins of the world. As Jesus was dying on the cross, he was mocked for his claim to kingship. Nonetheless, he died not only as King of the Jews, but as King of the nations as well. His victory over the power of sin, Satan, and the world, was accomplished through his death on the cross and his resurrection. Jesus exchanged a throne of glory for a cross of shame to restore us from slavery to sin to glory with God as his adopted sons and daughters. In the Book of Revelations Jesus is called King of kings and Lord and lords (Revelations 19:16).  Do you recognize Jesus Christ as your King and Lord?
The scriptures present us with the choice between two kingdoms – the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. The choice is ours to make voluntarily. Which kingdom do you serve - the world that passes away or God's kingdom which endures for all time? God's kingdom remains forever because it is built on the foundation of God's eternal love and justice. To accept Jesus as Lord and King is to become a citizen of an everlasting kingdom which is governed by righteousness, peace, truth, and love. Is your life submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ?
"Lord Jesus Christ, you are my King and there is no other. Be the Lord and Master of my heart, will, mind, and soul. May all that I do be pleasing to you and serve the best interests of my neighbor as well."
www.dailyscripture.net

Scripture Study
November 25, 2012 Feast of Christ the King
This Sunday is the 34th and last Sunday in Ordinary Time which, since 1970, has been celebrated as the Feast of Christ the King. As we reach the end of the liturgical year the lectionary calls us to examine the role of Jesus as king of the Heavenly Kingdom and as King in our own lives. The first reading ties the concept of Kingship with the notion of being given the mission by God. The second reading provides a tie to both His sacrifice and His return. In the gospel, Jesus acknowledges that He is a king but a different type of king than the earth ever saw before or since. It is a kingship based upon service and self-giving. It both led to and stems from His crucifixion. The readings call upon me to consider to what extent I can truthfully say that Jesus is the King who reigns in my life.

NOTES on First Reading:

* 7:13-14 This is the fifth vision in the series of night visions that Daniel was given. It is the only one of the series where the kingdom is represented in human form. All four of the previous ones, representing kingdoms opposed to God, were in the form of beasts. This is also the only one that comes on the clouds of heaven in contrast to the beasts "coming from the great abyss below." Originally the one "as a Son of Man" may have stood for the glorified people of God that will form his kingdom on earth (Daniel 7:18). The thought of Daniel often shifts from Kingdom to King and over time the One in Human Form came to represent the individual Messianic King in whom this kingdom of the "Holy ones of the Most High"( v. 18) would be realized. Our Lord made the title "Son of Man" his most characteristic way of referring to himself, as the One in whom and through whom the salvation of God's people came to be realized.

NOTES on Second Reading:

* 1:5 Jesus' resurrection has inaugurated the new age and is a sign that the time of final crisis has begun. This resurrection is the equivalent to His establishment as universal King. The exact wording of the phrase, "to him who...blood," is unique to Revelation in the New Testament. The idea it expresses however is clearly part of early Christian tradition. See Rom 3:21-26; 8:37, Gal 2:20.

* 1:6 Jesus fulfills the promise of Exod 19:6. To be part of the Kingdom of God means to be under God's rule rather than Satan's. Because of the blood of Jesus, when we hear and obey God's word we are priests, that is mediators between God and the rest of humanity. This doxology may represent early Christian liturgical language.

* 1:7 This is largely an apocalyptic prediction combining Dan 7:13 and Zech 12:10 with Matt 24:30. This verse may indicate the lines along which early Christian exegetical activity was moving.

* 1:8 This is the first of only two passages in Revelation where God is explicitly identified as the speaker. It is a Divine oracle. The phrase, "I am", is typical of oracles in which the revealer identifies himself. Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, the Beginning and the End. God never changes.

NOTES on Gospel:

* 18:33 Pilate's first words to Jesus here are the same as his first words to Jesus also in Mark 15:2; Matt 27:11; Luke 23:3. This may well indicate that such an anti-Roman claim to kingship was the official accusation made against Jesus by the chief priests.

* 18:33-38 This exchange hinges on the word, "truth." The reader of this gospel has already been told in 5:33; 8:40,45,46 that Jesus testifies to the truth and that "the Jews", by which John means the religious leadership, have rejected the truth in 8:44. Jesus disciples on the other hand receive it from Jesus, 14:6; 17:17,19.

* 18:34 Jesus phrases His first answer, indirectly with an appeal to Pilate's conscience. If the question originated with Pilate it means, "Are you a rebel"? If it originated with the Jewish accusers it means, "Are you the Messianic king"?

* 18:35 Pilate seems to be showing contempt for the Jews.

* 18:36 Here He answers directly and bluntly. Jesus says He is a king but a king of a completely different type because His Kingdom is not of this world. This removes Him and His kingship from the possibility of being a threat to Pilate and the Roman Empire. At the same time Jesus' separates Himself from the Jewish religious establishment.

* 18:37 Jesus reduces the issue to one of whether or not one accepts Him, Truth incarnate. Pilate is completely out of his element and doesn't even understand the question, much less recognize the Answer standing before him.

www.st-raymond-dublin.org

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25
SOLEMNITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST THE KING
JOHN 18:33b-37
(Daniel 7:13-14; Psalm 93; Revelation 1:5-8)
KEY VERSE: "My kingdom does not belong to this world" (v 36).
READING: For Israel, kingship belongs to God alone who rules eternally. In Jesus time, there was no king or kingdom as Israel formerly knew. In 70 AD, the Roman army under Titus surrounded the city of Jerusalem, breached its walls and killed thousands of its citizens. The city and its temple were burned to the ground and the survivors were taken into captivity. Israel awaited the "Day of the Lord" when God would free them from political oppression and reign over the whole universe. Jesus announced that God's kingdom had arrived in his person, his message and ministry. At his resurrection, Jesus received "dominion, glory, and kingship" from God (Dn 7:14). This reign was not an earthly kingdom, but a spiritual relationship between God and humankind. Jesus needed no throne, no crown, no royal robes. He needed no geographical boundaries to establish his realm and no armies to protect his domain. Jesus' kingdom lies in the hearts of those who love as he loves them.
REFLECTING: What do I need to do to build up God's reign in my little piece of earth?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, you are my sovereign forever.

Christ the King Sunday celebrates the all-embracing authority of Christ as King and Lord of the cosmos. It is celebrated on the final Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Sunday before Advent.

www.daily-word-of-life.com

The Feast of Christ the King

by: Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio

The feast of Jesus Christ the Universal King was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 and is observed on the last Sunday of the Roman Catholic Liturgical Year. It causes us to meditate on the Second and Final Coming of Christ, the last Judgment, and the end of the world.

From the dawn of civilization, kings have arisen who have dreamed of possessing a world-wide dominion, a universal kingdom that would last forever. Some have come close to conquering much of the known world–Alexander, Genghis Khan, Augustus Caesar, and Adolf Hitler, to name a few. And some kingdoms have lasted a very long time, such asRome whose Eastern half lingered on for 2000 years.

But despite all their machinations, pretensions, and self-glorifying monuments, the great rulers of the earth all proved mortal like anybody else. They had their day in the sun only to disappear. Their kingdoms, too, ultimately passed away, leaving abundant ruins for generations of tourists and archeologists to explore.

There is another thing that these great ones of the earth had in common–they jealously guarded their glory, sharing it with no one. Their ascent to the pinnacle of power was made over the backs of others, and they did not hesitate to eliminate any and all rivals.

The feast of Christ the King celebrates the fact that there is one who is remarkably different. He came to serve all, even His enemies. He truly was a Son of Man, with a vulnerable human nature. But He was also truly Son of God. Not in some mythological sense, like the Pharaohs, or the wishful thinking sense, like the Caesars, but really and truly, the Immortal, the Eternal, taking the form of a mortal man in a specific time in history.

Rather than executing His opponents, He forgave them. Rather than dominating His subjects, He exalted them. He even called them not servants, but friends, and bestowing on them a share in His priesthood and kingship. Though He died, like other kings, it was for a different purpose than Augustus in his bed or Hitler in his bunker. He died willingly to save His people, and His death was not a result of a battle lost or a plan gone awry, but of a glorious victory planned before the world began.

He rose in glory, which can’t be said for the rest of them. And at His heavenly coronation, when He ascended to His Father, He was given what all the rest lusted for–a worldwide dominion that will not pass away.

But the world goes on oblivious, with corporate executives and statesmen still jockeying for position, exalting themselves at the expense of others. Still others crowd the cover of People magazine competing for other glories like the King of Rock’n roll.

The true King, however, is biding His time. He will return and suddenly things will be seen as they truly are. His coming will sweep away ambition, vanity, and pretensions, and much of what now appears important will look very empty. No longer will oppression be allowed to stand; the innocent will finally be liberated from those who victimize them.

This dominion will truly be universal–there will be nowhere left where He is not recognized as Who He is, though in some quarters, that acknowledgment will be made with consternation and gloom.

For His coming means doom–judgment for those who have for so long resisted Him. They will be allowed, of course, to cling to the evil that they have chosen, and hold it close to themselves for all eternity. But they may no longer afflict others with it.

This judgment, this kingdom, will have the last word. No election will overturn it in four years or four million years. There is no one stronger who can rest the dominion from his Almighty hand.

The Roman Catholic Church instituted this feast of Christ the King during bleak days, when fascist and communist clouds were darkening the earth with their ominous shadow. The feast serves as a reminder to us that we know the end of the story and should not be fooled by the braggarts who strut and the bullies who gloat.They’ll be gone soon. And He’ll be here soon. How soon no one knows.

www.crossroadsinitiative.com

Jesus and Pilate (Korean)

A Question of Kingdoms

Solemnity of Christ the King

Father Edward Hopkins, LC John 18:33b-37  Pilate said to Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?" Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here." So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." Introductory Prayer: Dear Jesus, I believe that you are truth itself; that you are the foundation of all moral judgments. I trust that you really care for me and give me the light to see the needs of others. I love you, Lord, and show it now with my desire to pray. Petition: Make your truth my life, Lord! 1. Asking My Own Questions: Every day we form countless judgments. Often they seem based more on what others have said, than on what we know. We are often told what to think by the media, government and even coworkers. Pilate was one of those whose judgment was based on what others had said. His question to Jesus was that of a functionary; not of someone sincerely seeking the truth. Jesus sensed this weakness and confronted him. Pilate’s excuse was that he was not Jewish, so how could he hope to understand? I will be judged one day on how I judged. How fair, how sincere and really how interested am I in others? Do I treat those in my life as though I really cared? 2. Jesus Stands above This World: Pilate’s verbalized thoughts and the accusations of the Sanhedrin against Jesus come from this world. It is a world where people, once accused, are already judged; where most judgments remain hidden but still assassinate the person through actions and omissions; where “what others think of you” seems to matter most. Jesus does not belong to the ways of human respect. Nor can human respect even begin to judge him. He answers to God alone, just as he lives only to please his Father. Do I belong to this world? What kind of grip does this world have on me? How do its judgments affect my behavior? 3. Belonging to the Kingdom of Truth: What is relative can never judge what is absolute, just as changing seasons do not define human nature. Only a judgment from what is absolute can determine real values for all. Just before being elected Pope, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger exposed the world’s imposition of subjective personal values, calling it a “a dictatorship of relativism that does not recognize anything as definitive and whose ultimate goal consists solely of one´s own ego and desires” (Homily, April 18, 2005). In the same homily he juxtaposed this relativistic “truth” to friendship with Christ. Real friendship with Christ is our single guiding light, and it requires that we subject to him all other guides: our ego, our own feelings and our selfish desires. His ways, love and truth replace self-seeking. In which kingdom do I live? Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are my king and your kingdom is truth. Form my mind to know all things in relation to you. Form my heart to judge all people in relation to your love. Free me from the deceptions of pride, human respect and self-love. May only your love reign in my heart! Resolution:This week I will reject all internal judgments of others that are based on hearsay. I will replace them with prayers for those persons, giving them the benefit of the doubt and entrusting them to the care of the King.

www.regnumchristi.com

The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty

I saw one like a human being coming with the powers of heaven. To him was given glory and kingship that all peoples and languages should serve him.
The idea of kingship, to modern democrats, can seem strange, even alienating. Certainly, Jesus, in the calm gravity of his conversation with Pilate, seems to deflect attention away from the notion of king to an insistence on the importance of the kingdom, that is, to what will happen to those under his rule.

When the people wanted to seize Jesus and make him king, he hid himself. Throughout his years of preaching and exemplifying the Father’s plan for humankind, he shunned the triumphalist style of leadership that some would foist on him, stressing that whoever would be a leader in his outfit must be the servant of all. In the end, we are left with the triumph of the cross.
www.churchresources.info

November 25
St. Catherine of Alexandria
(c. 310)

St.Catherine of Alexandria

According to the Legend of St. Catherine, this young woman converted to Christianity after receiving a vision. At the age of 18, she debated 50 pagan philosophers. Amazed at her wisdom and debating skills, they became Christians—as did about 200 soldiers and members of the emperor’s family. All of them were martyred.

Sentenced to be executed on a spiked wheel, Catherine touched the wheel and it shattered. She was beheaded. Centuries later, angels are said to have carried the body of St. Catherine to a monastery at the foot of Mt. Sinai.

Devotion to her spread as a result of the Crusades. She was invoked as the patroness of students, teachers, librarians and lawyers. Catherine is one of the 14 Holy Helpers, venerated especially in Germany and Hungary.

Comment:

The pursuit of God's wisdom may not lead to riches or earthly honors. In Catherine's case, this pursuit contributed to her martyrdom. She was not, however, foolish in preferring to die for Jesus rather than live only by denying him. All the rewards that her tormenters offered her would rust, lose their beauty or in some other way become a poor exchange for Catherine's honesty and integrity in following Jesus Christ.

Quote:

“Therefore I [King Solomon] prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of Wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepter and throne, and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her, nor did I liken any priceless gem to her; Because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand, and before her, silver is to be accounted mire. Beyond health and comeliness I loved her, and I chose to have her rather than the light, because the splendor of her never yields to sleep. Yet all good things together came to me in her company, and countless riches at her hands; and I rejoiced in them all, because Wisdom is their leader, though I had not known that she is the mother of these” (Wisdom 7:7-12).

Patron Saint of:

Philosophers
Students

www.americancatholic.org

LECTIO: 34TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (B)

 

Lectio: 

 Sunday, November 25, 2012  

Jesus is the Messiah King
He takes us with him into his kingdom of the world to come
We listen to the truth, standing by his throne, 
which is the cross
John 18: 33-37

1. Opening prayer

Father, your Word knocked at my door in the night. He was captured, bound, and yet he was still speaking, still calling, and as always he was saying to me: “Arise, hurry up and follow me!” At dawn, I saw him a prisoner of Pilate and, in spite of all the suffering of the passion, of the forsakenness he felt, he knew me and waited for me. Father, let me go with him into the Praetorium where he is accused, condemned to die. This is my life today, my interior world. Yes, every time your Word invites me, it is a little like going into the Praetorium of my heart, a contaminated and contaminating place, awaiting the purifying presence of Jesus. You know that I am afraid, but Jesus is with me, I must not fear any more. I stay, Father, and listen attentively to the truth of your Son speaking to me. I watch and contemplate his actions, his steps. I follow him, such as I am, throughout the life you have given me. Enfold and fill me with your Holy Spirit.

2. Reading

a) Placing this passage in its context:

These few verses help us to further understand the story of the Passion and lead us almost into an intimate relationship with Jesus, in a closed place, set apart, where he is alone, facing Pilate: the Praetorium. He is questioned, he answers, in turn asks, continues to reveal his mystery of salvation and to invite people to come to Him. It is here that Jesus shows that he is king and shepherd; he is bound and crowned while under sentence of death. Here he leads us to the green pastures of his words of truth. This passage is part of a larger section, vv. 28–40, which tells us about the trial of Jesus before the governor. After a whole night of interrogation, beatings, jeers and betrayals, Jesus is handed over to the Roman authority and is condemned to death, but it is in this very death that he reveals himself as Lord, the One who came to give his life, the just One for us unjust, the innocent One for us sinners.

b) An aid to the reading of the passage:

vv.33-34: Pilate goes back into the Praetorium and begins to question Jesus. His first question is “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus does not reply directly but draws Pilate into making it absolutely clear what he means by such kingship, he leads Pilate to think further. King of the Jews means the Messiah and it is as Messiah that Jesus is judged and sentenced. 
v.35: In his reply, Pilate seems to despise the Jews, who are clearly the ones accusing Jesus, the high priests and the people, each bearing responsibility, as we read in the prologue: “He came to his own domain, and his own people did not accept him” (Jn 1: 11). Then comes Pilate’s second question to Jesus: “What have you done?”, but he does not get a reply to this question.
v.36: In Jesus’ reply to Pilate’s first question, three times he uses the expression “my kingdom”. Here we have a wonderful explanation as to what really is the kingdom and the kingship of Jesus: it is not of this world, but of the world to come, he does not have guards or servants to fight for him, only the lovingcommitting of his life into his Father’s hands.
v.37: The questioning comes back to the first question and Jesus still answers in the affirmative: “Yes, I am a king”, but goes on to explain his origin and his mission. Jesus was born for us, he was sent for us, to reveal the truth of the Father from whom we have salvation and allow us to listen to his voice and to follow him by being faithful to him all our life.

c) The text:

33 Pilate entered the praetorium again and called Jesus, and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" 34 Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" 35 Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me; what have you done?" 36 Jesus answered, "My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world." 37 Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice." 38 Pilate said to him, "What is truth?"

3. A moment of prayerful silence

so as to enter into the Praetorium and to listen carefully to each word that comes from the mouth of Jesus.

4. A few questions

To help me draw closer to the king and to hand over to him my whole existence.

a) I look at the movements of Pilate, his wish to make contact with Jesus, even though is not aware of doing so. In my own life, why is it difficult for me to enter into, ask, call and hold a dialogue with the Lord? 
b) The Lord wishes to have a personal relationship with me. Am I capable of getting involved or of allowing myself to be drawn into a real, intense, vital relationship with the Lord? And if I am afraid of doing so, why? What is it that separates me from him, that keeps me at a distance from him? 
c) “Handed over”. I stop at these words and try to reflect on them, to hold them in my heart and to confront them with my life, my behaviour of every day.
d) Three times Jesus repeats that his kingdom “is not of this world”, and, thus, invites me forcefully to go on to another reality. Once again he upsets me, putting before me another world, another kingdom, another power. What kind of kingdom am I expecting?
e) The final crack of the passage is amazing: “Listen to my voice”. I, who am so absorbed in a thousand tasks, commitments, meetings, where shall I turn my ear to? Whom shall I listen to? Of whom shall I think? Every morning I receive new life, but really to whom do I think I owe this regeneration?

5. A Key to the reading

Jesus, the bound king handed over

In these lines a strong verb stands out, repeated again and again from the beginning of the story of the Passion: it is the verb to hand over, said, here, first by Pilate and then by Jesus. The “handing over of the Christ” is a theological reality, yet at the same time vital, of supreme importance, because it leads us on a journey of wisdom and excellent training. It might be useful to seek out this verb in the pages of Scripture. It first appears that the Father himself handed over Jesus his Son as a gift for all and for all time. In Romans 8: 32 we read: “Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give.” However, I also see that Jesus himself, in the most intimate of fusions with the will of the Father, hands himself over to, offers his life for us, in an act of supreme freely given love. St. Paul says: “Follow Christ by loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place…” (Eph 5, 2. 25), and I also recall the words of Jesus: “I lay down my life for my sheep… No one takes it from me; I lay it down of my own free will” (Jn 10: 15, 18). Thus, above and beyond all handings over lies this voluntary handing over, which is purely a gift of love. In the Gospels we see the evil handing over of Judas, properly called the traitor, that is, the one who “hands over”, the one who said to the high priests: “What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you?” (Mt 26, 15); see also Jn 12: 4; 18: 2. 5. Then it is the Jews who hand over Jesus to Pilate: “If he were not a criminal, we should not be handing him over to you” (Jn 18: 30, 35) and it is Pilate who represents the gentiles, as Jesus had said before: “The Son of Man… will be handed over to the pagans” (Mk 10: 33). Finally Pilate hands him over to the Jews to be crucified (Jn 19: 16). I contemplate these passages, I see my king bound, chained, as John the Evangelist tells me in 18: 12 and 18: 24. I go down on my knees, I bow before him and ask the Lord for the courage to follow these dramatic yet wonderful passages that are like a hymn of the love of Jesus for us, his “yes” repeated to infinity for our salvation. The Gospel takes me gently into this unique night, when Jesus is handed over for me, as Bread, as Life made flesh, as entirely love. “On the same night he was betrayed [handed over], the Lord Jesus took some bread… and he said: This is my body, which is for you” (1 Cor 11: 23). Then I begin to understand that happiness for me is hidden even in these chains, these knots, with Jesus, with the great king, and that it is hidden in these passages, which speak of one handing over after another, to the will of God and to the love of my Father.

Jesus, the Messiah king

The dialogue between Jesus and Pilate: in this strange and mysterious questioning, what stands out is that, at first, Pilate calls Jesus “king of the Jews” and later only “king”, as though there was a process, whereby he comes to a fuller and truer understanding of the Lord Jesus. “King of the Jews” is a formula used with a very rich meaning by the Jewish people of that time, and it contains the basis, the nucleus of the faith in the expectation of Israel: it clearly signifies the Messiah. Jesus is questioned and judged on whether he is or is not the Messiah. Jesus is the Messiah of the Lord, his Anointed, his Consecrated, he is the servant sent into the world for this, to fulfil in his person and in his life all that the prophets, the law and the psalms had said concerning him. Words that speak of persecution, of suffering, of weeping, wounds and blood, words of death for Jesus, for the Anointed of the Lord, for the one who is our breath and in whose shadow we shall live among the nations, as the prophet Jeremiah says in Lam 4: 20; words that speak of pitfalls, of insurrections, conspiracies (Ps 2: 2) and snares. We see him disfigured, as a man of suffering, unrecognisable except by that love, which, like him, knows suffering only too well. “For this reason the whole House of Israel can be certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ!” (Acts 2: 36). Yes, my king is a bound king, a king handed over, cast aside, despised; he is a king anointed for battle, but anointed to lose, to sacrifice himself, to be crucified, to be immolated like a lamb. This is the Messiah: the king whose throne is the cross, whose purple is his blood poured out, whose palace is the hearts of men and women, poor like him, but made rich and consoled by a continuous resurrection. These are our times, the times of consolation by the Lord, when he sends the Lord Jesus all the time, the Jesus whom he destined to be our Messiah.

Jesus, the martyr king

“I came to witness to the truth”, says Jesus, using a very strong term, which, in Greek, contains the meaning of martyrdom. A witness is a martyr, one who affirms by his life, his blood, everything that he is and has, the truth that he believes. Jesus witnesses to the truth, which is the Word of the Father (Jn 17: 17) and he gives his life for this Word. Life for life, word for word, love for love. Jesus is the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of God’s creation (Rev 3: 14); in him there is only “yes”, for ever and from the beginning, and in this “yes” he offers us the whole truth of the Father, of himself, of the Spirit, and in this truth, in this light, he makes of us his kingdom. “They who trust in him will understand the truth, those who are faithful will live with him in love” (Wis 3: 8-9). I do not seek further words, I only stay near the Lord, on his breast, like John on that night. Thus he becomes my breath, my sight, my “yes” pronounced to the Father, to my brothers and sisters, in witness of my love. He is the faithful one, the one present, the Truth that I listen to and by whom I let myself be transformed.

6. Psalm 21 (20)

A hymn of thanksgiving for the victory, 
which comes from God

Ref. Great is your love for us, Lord!

In thy strength the king rejoices, O Lord; 
and in thy help how greatly he exults!
Thou hast given him his heart's desire,
and hast not withheld the request of his lips.

For thou dost meet him with goodly blessings; 
thou dost set a crown of fine gold upon his head. 
He asked life of thee; thou gavest it to him, 
length of days for ever and ever.

His glory is great through thy help;
splendour and majesty thou dost bestow upon him. 
Yea, thou dost make him most blessed for ever; 
thou dost make him glad with the joy of thy presence.

For the king trusts in the Lord;
and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved. 
Be exalted, O Lord, in thy strength!
We will sing and praise thy power.

7. Closing prayer

Father, I praise you, I bless you, I thank you that you have led me together with your Son, Jesus, into Pilate’s Praetorium, into this foreign and hostile land, and yet a land of revelation and of light. Only you, in your infinite love, can transform every distance and every darkness into a place of encounter and life.
Thank you for bringing about the time of consolation, when you sent your Lamb, seated on the throne, a sacrificed yet living king. His blood is life-giving dewdrops, anointing of salvation. Thank you because He always speaks and sings to me your truth, which is all love and mercy. I would like to be an instrument in the hands of my king, Jesus, to pass on to all the consoling notes of your Word.
Father, today I have listened to you in this Gospel. Please grant that my ears may never tire of listening to you, to you Son, to your Spirit. Grant that I may be born again from truth so that I may give witness to truth.

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