Homily for the Solemnity
of Christ the
King
Nov. 26, 2023
Matt 25: 31-46
Villa Maria, Bronx
St. Francis Xavier, Bronx
Assumption, Bronx
“The
Son of Man … will sit upon his glorious throne, … and he will separate them one
from another” (Matt 25: 31-32).
This is the 3d parable of judgment that Jesus tells us in Matt 25. The parable of the wise and foolish virgins advised us always to be ready for our Master’s return. The parable of the talents commanded us to use God’s gifts, especially our faith, to increase God’s wealth, which I interpret to mean to bring souls to him.
The
parable of the final judgment of all the nations presents us with the criteria
by which Christ, the Son of Man, will judge us individually. The Son of Man is a messianic figure, based
or prefigured in the prophecies of Ezekiel and Daniel, who acts as God’s agent
in the world. Jesus uses this name of
himself. In today’s parable he doesn’t
say that HE is the Son of Man, but that’s certainly the interpretation given to
the parable by the Church, including the parable’s usage on this feast of
Christ the King.
The
Son of Man comes in kingly glory, “and all the angels with him” (25:31); he’s a
divine figure. And he comes, as we
proclaim in the Creed, to judge the living and the dead. As king he exercises judgment: he identifies the good and the evil among all
human beings (“all the nations,” not just the Jewish people or the disciples of
Christ); for God is the universal creator, and all human beings are accountable
to him, thru his Anointed One, Christ.
Jesus
declared himself a “good shepherd” (John 10); in the parable the judge acts as
a shepherd would at the end of the day, sending his sheep and his goats to
their proper places for the nite. Here
the king-shepherd sends the sheep and goats—all of humanity—to their proper
places.
On
my reading the parable this time, I took note of the difference between those
respective places. Those who have
wittingly or unwittingly exercised the compassion of Jesus “inherit the kingdom
prepared for [them] from the foundation of the world” (25:34). It’s the divine plan, the divine intent, the
humanity become citizens of the kingdom of heaven. By acting in the manner of Jesus, who healed,
comforted, and blessed, “those on his right” (v. 34) show that they belong with
Jesus, who announced the coming of that kingdom and invited everyone to come
and enter it.
But
to “those on his left,” the judge says, “Depart from me into the eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels” (25:41).
There’s no sugar-coating that verse.
Damnation is a real possibility for people. But hell is decidedly not God’s intention for
people. He wants everyone to be saved;
the kingdom was prepared for all. Hell,
instead, is the realm of Satan and his wicked gang. But people who act satanically go to Satan’s
place.
The
main point of the parable, tho, is what kind of human activity merits a place
in the kingdom or a place in hellfire.
The judge uses the works of mercy as that determinant. Those who show compassion for the
suffering—the hungry, the thirsty, the alien, the naked, the sick, the
prisoner—are invited into the kingdom.
Those who lack compassion are not invited in but are sent away, like the
foolish virgins we heard about 2 weeks ago, like the lazy, wicked servant we heard
of last week. What’s to be said for a
nation that turns away refugees and asylum seekers?
St.
Luke’s Gospel (16:19-31) tells a similar story, the parable of the rich man and
the wretched beggar named Lazarus who lay at his door. The rich man winds up in hell, while the
beggar goes to heaven, welcomed by Abraham.
The rich man showed no compassion for the beggar at his door.
In
both parables, the one in today’s gospel and the one in Luke, Jesus teaches
that it’s not enuf to be chaste, to be honest, to worship God on Sunday,
etc. Those virtues are important but
insufficient. If Jesus truly fills our
hearts, we’ll show his type of compassion to anyone in need.
As
Jesus ordered at the end of the parable of the Good Samaritan and its
interpretation, “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37).
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