34th  Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

Friends,

            We have come to the last Sunday of the liturgical calendar, year B. This Sunday, we ask the Lord to grant all peoples the gift of Unity and Peace, and that holiness, love, and Justice fills our lives. This last Sunday of the Church’s year is the Feast of Jesus Christ, the Universal King. As we make our prayer, we also celebrate the resurrection victory of Jesus over suffering and death, a moment in historical time that has everlasting meaning. Further, we look forward to the end of time when we will know the glory, holiness, and peace of God’s kingdom fully.

All the readings bear witness to the glory of Christ Jesus. The First Reading is a prophecy from Daniel that foretells the coming of Jesus when people of all nations and languages will become his faithful servants. The Second Reading describes the love of Jesus for each one of us, a love that makes us not simply servants but fills us with His glory even as we mourn his death. The psalmist invites us to trust all that Jesus has done and said; his majesty, power, and holiness are unchanged to the end of time. The Gospel recounts the dialogue between Pilate and Jesus in the hours before the crucifixion. In the conversation, Jesus tells us that his kingdom has values that are not of this world, and if we seek the truth, we will listen carefully to his voice and live by his words.

Therefore, this week, let us pray that we may learn to know him more fully in our prayer and follow him more faithfully in our lives. He, our king, and his kingdom that is not any nation or empire, political or economical movement, but love, reveals the active presence of God that Jesus calls God’s kingdom.

To actively engage in God’s kingdom, prayer and scripture are essential. Every day begin your prayer by coming quietly in the presence of God and taking your time without a rush. Read the scripture passage while paying attention to any word that strikes you most. Then, pay attention to the thoughts and feelings that the word evokes in you and share them with God. Praise God, your king, for the insights received in your prayer. End your prayer by remembering the needs of your family, friends, neighbors, the Church, and the world. Go out to serve them with love, truth, and Justice. In the evening, end your day with prayer by coming quietly in the presence of God. Share with God all your successes and failures of the day. Resolve to start anew and be filled with gratitude for the day and what you have been able to accomplish. Entrust your love and service, your future, and your success to God.

Joy and Peace