Christ the King died to save us : keyword homilies from the Philippines

The gospel is  from Luke 23:35-43. The keyword is Saviour

 

What King would choose to die for his servants rather than saving himself? , and it was we who deserved to die, we who were guilty.  He freely offered himself for us when he was totally innocent. Such is our King and Saviour. The governors, rulers and leaders of this earth use their authority and power over people.  However, Jesus says this is not the way it should be among us : If one of you wants to be great, you must be the servants of the rest like your King and Lord  who did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. Christ our King died a horrific death. It was in the powerlessness of the cross, that he revealed  true glory, beauty, truth, peace, joy, and above all, love and endless mercy.

Jesus, who was both king and God, left his power behind and being powerless, he saved us. Man was lost by wanting to have power to be lord of his own life and the lives of others. Jesus wanted to save us through the power of his love. He reveals the true meaning of love. Love is not about using others for my own interest but rather being willing to give myself freely to others. It is this power, the power of love that liberates, reconciles and heals us. God chose powerlessness to disarm the prince of darkness who rules the world, and to unite the divided human race.

When we look around us we see the world divided by the ambition for power. We are always asking ourselves whether we are better, stronger, greater than the person we have next to us. We easily become rivals in the race for success, influence, popularity or power. We think power gives us control and dominion over others. Instead of putting ourselves at God’s service and at the service of others we use power for our own profit and we use people for our own interests. We cannot imagine the diabolic and devastating influence that power has! There are so many persons who are used and abused, so many who are marginalized, homeless or destitute. Let us follow the way of our Lord and King by becoming his servants out of love.

Fr Dario SEMD, November 24th, 2019

clwakeling2Christ the King died to save us : keyword homilies from the Philippines