Fr. Simon's Letter - November 26, 2023

This edition of the bulletin had to go to press almost a week before the usual deadline. I am writing this on the Friday before the winter clothing drive for the migrants and the homeless. I want to thank you all for your generosity to clothe those who are naked and exposed to the elements of a Chicago winter. Some of you dug deep into your closets to share with others in need; some of you have gone out and bought something in a spirit of concern, giving and sharing; some have used this moment to thank God for his blessings and teach the children the importance of putting our faith into action. Thank You!!

On this last Sunday of the liturgical year, we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. The Gospel today commends those who act in response to the poverty and powerlessness of people in the community. Though those who respond compassionately to others may not recognize the fact that Jesus takes their response personally: as long as you did it to the least of these, you did it to me.”

By choosing this gospel to mark the feast of Christ as King, of Jesus the Messiah, the Church sees such behavior as somehow an expression of our sharing in the kingly role of Jesus. Kingship has to deal with the ordering of relationships in society. Kingdoms were the general model of social organization in Jesus’ day. Democracies were not well known, and, in fact, there were none around when Jesus was alive. So naturally, he used the term kingdom.

Jesus was concerned about how people interacted in society. He was insistent on the need for radical change – that poverty, intense hardship, powerlessness and injustice be brought to an end. According to his vision for the world, those who were presently hungry, suffering, powerless and oppressed would eventually find justice. As he promised in the Beatitudes, the poor would enjoy the kingdom, those who mourned would be comforted, the meek and powerless would repossess their land and those hungering for justice would have their fill.

But for that vision to become a reality, there was need for conversion. Jesus’ kingship is sterile unless we work with him. All of us are called to share in and to give shape to his kingship. That call was made when we were baptized. We were christened and made one with Christ, the Anointed One. Like Jesus, we were anointed priests, prophets and kings.

As disciples and servants of the king, let us be attuned to the vision of the common good and prepared to give our energies to its practical implementation. Let us work together to educate ourselves in the values of the kingdom of God – as in the words of the preface for this feast - a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace. Then the words of the Beatitudes, blessed are the merciful, blessed are the pure in heart, blessed are the peace-makers, will find fulfilment in the blessing, “Come you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!”

Blessings!!