We have come again to the end of the Church year with the celebration of Jesus Christ, the King of the universe. Each year that we come to this feast, I am completely lost in a meditative mood. I look at Jesus before Pilate, and how He, the King of the Universe, stands before a human judge answering questions that arise out of conspiracy against truth and the ways of God. I imagine myself in that crowd watching the drama in which we humans put God under trial and eventually condemn Him to death. For what reason? Because He loved and healed and set everyone free from the slavery of selfishness and showed us the way to true life: life of love and self-giving to God and others. All through His life, Jesus lived a life of unquestionable obedience to the ways of our Heavenly Father, and in doing so, left for us the model to follow. The Kingdom that Jesus preached had no territories or boundaries; it is not a kingdom organized according to party or ideological lines. The kingdom that Jesus preached and rules is the one in which love inspires every thought and action and permeates all human relationships; it is a kingdom in which the Father is allowed to hold His children in His arms and show them the way to life. If only we could let go of all our worries and preoccupations and entrust ourselves into the hands of our Leader and Master, Jesus Christ!
As the Church year comes to an end, I recall how we came together as a new parish in 2012. We came together with so much pain, anger, anguish and deep uncertainty about the future, especially with the debt hanging on our shoulders. I recall with gratitude to God your resilience and complete trust in Jesus Christ. You gradually let go of the pain and entrusted our uncertain future into the hands of God, knowing that God reigns in His Son Jesus Christ and in our hearts given over to the worship of God. In this contemplative mood, I look now at all of you, my dear brothers and sisters, and see how far He has led us as our King and Lord. It is a clear indication that whenever we let go of ourselves and our preoccupations and let God take the lead, things turn out well, according to His wisdom. You are all dear to me because your faith and trust in God and in each other has borne so much fruit. Even our debt has been significantly reduced due to the love you have for this parish community. You desire earnestly that this parish become free of debt. It will take a while but we are getting there. Kindly see the account of our debt and its reduction since we started this parish and give praise to God, as well as rejoice in being such a great member of this family.
As we celebrate the feast of Jesus Christ, the King of the universe, I pray that He continues to reign in our hearts, families, and community. May each one of us continue to practice the spiritual principle of letting go and letting God in every one of our circumstances and experiences. When we do, we realize that God has a way of leading us through those circumstances we encounter to become the best He destined us to be; persons capable of loving kindness, persons for whom God in Jesus Christ has become the center of their lives. May you all remain forever blessed, through our King and Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen
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