{"id":4483,"date":"2018-11-21T14:49:53","date_gmt":"2018-11-21T14:49:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/batkol.info\/?p=4483"},"modified":"2018-11-21T14:49:53","modified_gmt":"2018-11-21T14:49:53","slug":"reflections-on-the-readings-for-the-feast-of-christ-the-king-25th-november-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/2018\/11\/21\/reflections-on-the-readings-for-the-feast-of-christ-the-king-25th-november-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"REFLECTIONS ON THE READINGS FOR THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING 25th November 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u00a0<\/strong>REFLECTIONS ON THE READINGS FOR THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING<\/strong><\/p>\n

25th<\/sup> November 2018\u00a0\u00a0 CYCLE B<\/strong><\/p>\n

Daniel 7:13-14;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Psalm 92:1-2,5;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Apocalypse 1:5-8;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 John 18:33-37<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\"\"E<\/em><\/strong>ach of the readings chosen for today originated in a situation of suffering.\u00a0 The first and second readings are examples from the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament of \u2018apocalyptic\u2019 literature that emerged in times of persecution.\u00a0 Like the prophets, the authors point the reader to God who guides history towards the establishment of God\u2019s universal rule, and gives assurance of final victory to those who remain faithful to the Eternal One.<\/p>\n

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The Book of Daniel<\/strong> was written around 167 BCE to inspire courage and perseverance in the Jewish people who, because of their adherence to the God of the Covenant, were violently oppressed by Antiochus IV, who tried to destroy Judaism.\u00a0 Chapter 7 describes a series of visions in which four successive world powers (Babylon, Medes, Persians and Greeks) are represented as beasts which will be destroyed.\u00a0 The vision we read today contrasts the beasts with one like a son of man \u2013 that is, a human being \u2013 who will receive a universal kingdom which will be everlasting.\u00a0 This son of man is identified with those who are\u00a0 righteous, and the kingdom which they will inherit is the final goal of all their suffering.<\/p>\n

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The image of God as king is found in early biblical texts.\u00a0 Indeed, in ancient Israel the institution of the monarchy was opposed because it seemed like a denial of God\u2019s kingship.\u00a0 The celebration of God as King is a prominent theme of the Jewish New Year liturgy during which our psalm today, Psalm 92<\/strong>, is sung.\u00a0 The faith and hope of the believer is expressed in the words of Zechariah 14:9:\u00a0 \u201cThe Lord shall be king over all the earth:\u00a0 in that day the Lord shall be one and God\u2019s name one.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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The Apocalypse\/Book of Revelation<\/strong> from which the second reading is taken, was written to encourage Christians in a time of great distress when persecution was expected in Asia Minor.\u00a0 The titles given to Christ link him both with the Father and with believers on earth.\u00a0 The reference to \u201cone coming on the clouds\u201d<\/em> is influenced by our first reading from Daniel and the twofold \u201cAmen\u201d<\/em> suggests that the text was used in the liturgy of the early Church.\u00a0 The reading ends with a proclamation of the sovereignty of God who is the beginning and the end of all creation.<\/p>\n

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In contrast to the other three gospels, John<\/strong> extends the examination of Jesus by Pilate to include this private conversation inside the Praetorium, where there were no witnesses.\u00a0 Through it, John elaborates the meaning of the proclamation of Jesus as king – which is also present in the other gospels.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It becomes clear that political kingship \u2013 which is the only one Pilate understands – is not in question here.\u00a0 Jesus speaks of his kingdom<\/em> rather than of himself as king <\/em>(the Jerusalem Bible translation is misleading here).\u00a0 Although this is not \u201cof this world\u201d<\/em>, it does make demands on men and women in their lives on earth, demands which are spelt out in the answer to Pilate\u2019s second question.\u00a0 Only those who \u201chear\u201d<\/em> can understand.\u00a0 Pilate is not among these.<\/p>\n

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At the end of the Church\u2019s year, it is fitting that our attention is focussed on what lies at the heart of our lives and will be our final destiny –\u00a0 the vision of God and eternal happiness.\u00a0 To acknowledge the sovereignty of God should make a difference to the way we live.\u00a0 The feast of Christ the King was instigated by Pope Pius XI to emphasize the importance of social action.\u00a0 The criterion of our relationship with God will always be loving service of our neighbour.\u00a0 It is clear in the gospels that Jesus, far from assuming the title of king, preferred to call himself \u201cservant\u201d<\/em>.\u00a0 He told the apostles that in order to be his disciples, they too had to be servants of each other.<\/p>\n

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And at the end of our liturgical year, when we celebrate God\u2019s kingdom, proclaimed and lived out by Jesus, let us recall a prayer from the Jewish liturgy of the Day of Atonement with which Jesus would have been very familiar:\u00a0 \u201cOur Father and King, we have no king but You.\u00a0 Our Father and King, have compassion on us and on our children.\u00a0 Our Father and King, may we be inscribed for blessing in the Book of Life.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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This week\u2019s Sunday Readings Commentary was prepared by<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sr Margaret Shepherd, NDS, London, UK<\/strong><\/p>\n

margaretashepherd@gmail.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

[Copyright \u00a9 2018]<\/strong><\/p>\n

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PLEASE NOTE<\/em><\/strong>: The weekly Gospel commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Sunday Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol. \u00a0Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

1983-2018<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cChristians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

gill@batkol.info <\/em><\/strong>Website: <\/em><\/strong>www.batkol.info<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u00a0REFLECTIONS ON THE READINGS FOR THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING 25th November 2018\u00a0\u00a0 CYCLE B Daniel 7:13-14;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Psalm 92:1-2,5;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Apocalypse 1:5-8;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 John 18:33-37   Download   Each of the readings chosen for today originated in a situation of suffering.\u00a0 The first and second readings are examples from the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":4476,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4483"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4483"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4483\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4476"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}