Embedded Files
. . . As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord . . . Joshua 25:15b
Proper 29 Yr A
Judgment Day by Aaron Douglas; downloaded 11/6/2020 from Google search. Read Douglas' biography.
Published date 11/18/2020
Editor's note: During the season of Pentecost, churches that use the Revised Common Lectionary have two options. One, often called "semicontinuous" or "Track 1", provides more detail about the Old Testament stories. The other, called "complementary" or "Track 2", more closely marries the Old Testament lesson to the gospel reading.
Introduction
Introduction
Here's Malcolm Guite's poem on "The Reign of Christ" Sunday:
Christ The King (Mathew 25: 31-46)
Our King is calling from the hungry furrows
Whilst we are cruising through the aisles of plenty,
Our hoardings screen us from the man of sorrows,
Our soundtracks drown his murmur: ‘I am thirsty’.
He stands in line to sign in as a stranger
And seek a welcome from the world he made,
We see him only as a threat, a danger,
He asks for clothes, we strip-search him instead.
And if he should fall sick then we take care
That he does not infect our private health,
We lock him in the prisons of our fear
Lest he unlock the prison of our wealth.
But still on Sunday we shall stand and sing
The praises of our hidden Lord and King.
(c) 2022 Malcolm Guite
It's time to ask ourselves, where do I see Jesus? If needed, remind ourselves of our Baptismal Covenant. Feel free to comment.
Matthew 25:31-46
Matthew 25:31-46
. . . And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ . . .
From sermons4kids.com: “The point of this lesson is not that doing good things will get people to heaven. The point is, if we truly belong to Jesus, we will show love for others as Jesus shows love for us. That is how Jesus can tell his sheep from the goats.”
Scripture: November 26, 2023—”Reign of Christ” (Proper 29 Year A)—Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 (image); Psalm 100 (image); Psalm 95:1-7a (image); Ephesians 1:15-23 (image); and Matthew 25:31-46 (image). An audio & visual journey for this Sunday.
Collect: Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Reflection: Where do you see Jesus? Consider the words of Fr. Robert W. Castle, Jr. in "As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren" [Ed.'s note: unable to locate full poem.] O God, who is old, and lives on fifty dollars a month, in one crummy room and can’t get outside, Help us to see you. O God, who is fifteen and in the sixth grade, Help us to see you. O God, who is three and whose belly aches in hunger, Help us to see you, as you have seen us in Jesus Christ our Lord. O God, who sleeps in a bed with your four brothers and sisters, and who cries and no one hears you, Help us to touch you. O God, who has no place to sleep tonight except an abandoned car, an alley or deserted building, Help us to touch you. O God, who is uneducated, unskilled, unwanted, and unemployed, Help us to touch you, as you have touched us in Jesus Christ our Lord. . . . O God, who is chased by cops, who sits in jail for seven months with no charges brought, waiting for the Grand Jury and no money for bail, Help us to know you. . . . O God, who is unorganized, and without strength to change your world, your city, your neighborhood, Help us to join you. O God, who is fed up with it all and who is determined to do something, who is organizing people for power to change the world, Help us to join you, as you have join us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Practice: Consciously "see" God (as described in the Reflection). If you are so moved, share.
Extra: Advent coloring pages: Hope; Peace; Joy; Love; and Emmanuel.
Eye Candy: “Christ Pantocrator” (ruler of universe), mosaic from Hagia Sophia; “Apocalyptic Christ” by Nicola Pisano; “Crown Him” by James B Janknegt
Ear Worm: Many forms of “Jubilate Deo” – think of Snoopy and his happy dance: By the Rivertree Singers; By Voces8; By Libera; "Who is the King of the Jungle?", wonderful kid's song; "At the name of Jesus", gospel
Brain Food: “As you did to the least of these” by Robert W. Castle, Jr. [scroll down]; “If Christ is King, what does that mean?” by Greg Garrett; “The Judgment Day” by James Weldon Johnson (and a musical interpretation (scroll down))
Parables: “Dead Man Walking” (1995), “Hate is the worst prison of all”; “Breaking the Waves” (1996), “power of love”; "War for the planet of the apes" (2019), "unflinching focus on spiritual matters"; Wikipedia page of apocalyptic movies; "White Noise" (2022, R), dealing with everyday life amidst love, Review; add The Quiet Girl, pew review
For families: Kid video: “Who is the King of the jungle?”; Study guide; Group activities; Snacks.
For children: Activity; Bulletin games; Craft.
For middlers: Activity; Bulletin games; Craft.
For youth: “Just who is this King of Everything, this strange leader? Who is this Jesus hanging out in the least, the lost, the poor, and the imprisoned? How were we supposed to know to look for God in the dark and dirty places of the world? We are trained to look for the winners, not the losers in life. Both sheep and goat folks express surprise at where Jesus was hiding in plain sight.” What can you do to “see” Jesus in unexpected places? Can you train yourself? (excerpted from “Strange shepherd leader king” from the Stewardship of Life website.
Extra: Advent coloring pages: Hope; Peace; Joy; Love; and Emmanuel.
Today is the final Sunday of the Church year, on which we celebrate the Kingship of Christ. Since last Advent, we have been reading the Gospel according to Matthew most Sundays. In this final reading from the Gospel of Matthew, we have Jesus’ description of the final judgment. Those who will be welcomed into his Kingdom are those who show their love to Christ by caring for the outcast and helpless.
The prophet Ezekiel, centuries before Christ, foresaw the coming of the Shepherd-King, sent by God to his people. This kingship would be one of caring love and of peace to the entire human race.
In the second reading, an extended passage describes Christ as the final fulfillment of God’s plan for the universe. We who are the beneficiaries of that plan for our lives are gathered up into Christ who is our head and who gives his own being to all that exists.
Our gatherings for worship are meant to be points of departure for us to move into the world in active works of ministry to the hungry, the helpless, the imprisoned, the lonely, the sick, and the dying. The reign of Christ must begin with members of his body the Church making him known in the world, especially to the least of his sisters and brothers.
From The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Year. Copyright © 2007 by Michael W. Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New York.
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