Well, if you were here last weekend and heard me announce that one of our two Dubuque transitional deacons, Jeff Frieden, would be here assisting, and would be preaching, I’m sorry to disappoint you. Dcn. Jeff got sick late this week, and he couldn’t make it.
I found this out after I printed the bulletin with his picture on the front, and after we had stuffed the seminarian posters in the bulletins, and after we had put out pictures in the back, but, this is how it goes sometimes! I'm hopeful that he will join us another time.
The point of all of it remains the same, however, please take these pictures as a reminder to pray for these young men as they continue to discern God’s will for their lives, and as they continue to grow in the love of God. That’s the first focus for every seminarian, understanding God’s great love for them as beloved sons and growing in that love.
Yesterday, I was talking to Fr. David Schatz, the Rector of the minor seminary here, and he was reiterating the importance of young guys reflecting on scripture, praying with it, meditating on it, and then journaling about that love God has for them. Knowing their identity as sons of God is so important to becoming priests.
It’s important for them, but I’d argue, it is important for all of us who call ourselves Christians, to be able to look at the scripture and recognize in it the way that God loves us as His sons and daughters, His beloved children.
Let’s look at today’s readings and prayers in that light. First off, we are celebrating the “The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe” - Christ the King - and this might be hard for us, considering our political situation, I mean I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time trusting in any of our worldly leaders.
Here mid way through November I am just really happy to have a small reprieve from political ads. I might be wrong, but it seems like most of them are just in it for themselves.
In our readings, we hear of two Kings: David and Jesus. King David loved God and was a great king, until he became all about himself, and when he should have gone to war with his men, he stayed home and had an affair, and then had her husband killed to cover it up.
David did repent of those sins, and returned to God’s love and God forgave him. What does that say about God for us? God is loving and forgiving, so very merciful to us who are willing to turn from “the power of darkness,” as Paul described it in our second reading, “and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
This is what King Jesus did for us, right? In today’s Gospel, we see Him at the height of His political power, His throne was His cross, and despite the rulers and soldiers and even one of the men being crucified beside Him, Jesus knew His mission, as King, He was at war with the darkness of the world, and He came to save us from our sin, despite the cost, “to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross.”
Earthly kings will inevitably let us down, but Christ the King will not, for those who trust Him, for those that do His will and work to bring peace in this world, He will bring with them into Paradise, into His Kingdom.
It is easy to see just how much God loves us as His children when we really take the time to look at the scriptures. Do we trust in Christ the King that He really has our best interest in mind?
I promise you that the more you take time to read the Bible, the more you will see just how much God loves you and wants to continue to bless you. Let the King of the Universe also be the King of your life.