SOCL, 34 Christ the KingC

Sunday November 23, 2025

See

In A. A. Milne, we read the following scrap of dialogue: “What day is it?” It’s today,” squeaked Piglet. “My favourite day,” said Pooh. Today has to be our favourite day because it is the only day we’ll ever have. As St Augustine alarmingly noticed, the past is over, the future is not yet and the present, fleeting moment is the future becoming the past. And yet, this flying time is our “today of salvation,” a day like no other, not to be repeated. See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! (2 Corinthians 6:2) The pulse of life is the heartbeat of God.

Listen

2 Samuel 5:1-3; Psalm 122 (121); Colossians 1:12-20; Luke 23:35-43

Reflect

(Luke 23:35-43)

Today’s feast puts before us Jesus who never used power to his own advantage. Whom have you known who used power for the benefit of others rather than for their own self-interest? When have you used power in this way?

The power of God is shown in an unexpected way in the Crucifixion, not in a wonderful display of spectacular dominance, but in Jesus sharing our human weakness. When has the honesty of another sharing his/her human vulnerability with you had a powerful effect? When has your honesty in that way had a positive effect on another?

Jesus is an example of someone in apparent helplessness. It was his trust in the love of God with him that helped him through. It was only later with the hindsight of the resurrection that the moment of helplessness could be seen as one in which the power of God was present. Have you had experiences on which you can look back now and see that the power of God was at work in your moments of helplessness?

The scene also puts before us the liberating power of forgiveness. The forgiveness of Jesus brought new life to the criminal hanging on the cross with him. When have you found that forgiveness given, or received, was a source of new life for yourself or for others?

Pray

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you gave us your Son, the beloved one who was rejected, the Saviour who appeared defeated. Yet the mystery of his kingship illumines our lives. Show us in his death the victory that crowns the ages, and in his broken body the love that unites heaven and earth. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.