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Dear Friends/Family:
Today
is the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe! Just
wanted to share some items of interest with you, to help make this
Solemnity even more meaningful for you...
Regarding the Gospel for today (Luke 23: 35-43):
The episode of the "good thief" appears only
in Luke's Gospel. This man (Dismas) shows signs of repentance,
recognizes Jesus' innocence, and makes an act of faith in Him. Jesus, for his part, promises him Paradise.
St. Ambrose comments: "The Lord always grants
more than one asks: the thief only asked Jesus to remember him, but
the Lord says to him, 'Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in
Paradise.'" (taken from the Navarre Bible commentary)
AMAZING!
How generous and merciful Jesus was to Dismas! Dismas' faith in Jesus
as King and his sorrow for his sins, were the necessary elements in his
meriting eternal life. The example of Dismas reveals to us, the power
that a simple act of faith has for us pilgrims here on earth!
Something
as easy as making the sign of the Cross when we pass by a Catholic
Church, to acknowledge Jesus' Real Presence in the tabernacle, would be
one way to make an act of faith like Dismas did. Or, offer this prayer
to Jesus every day: "Jesus, please take all of my love, the love that
you have given me first, and let my love for you remain with you in all
of the tabernacles around the world where you are abandoned and not
adored. Let my love for you console your Most Sacred Heart in all the
tabernacles of the world! Amen."
The good priests of Miles Christi have this to share with us, regarding Our Lord Jesus Christ the King:
"Jesus
Christ is truly the Lord of the world. Therefore, it is a duty of
every Christian to fight for the true reign of Christ, first in his own
soul, becoming increasingly rooted in Him by means of the Sacraments
(especially Confession and the Eucharist), prayer, and the concrete imitation of the Lord in every moment of our life.
Then,
second, to conquer all men for the Lord, so that His blood may not be
shed for them in vain. Pope Pius XI reminded the faithful that, 'it
behooves them ever to fight courageously under the banner of Christ
their King and to devote themselves with apostolic zeal to win over to
their Lord those hearts that are bitter and estranged from Him and to
valiantly defend His rights.' (Quas Primas, 24)
A blessed Sunday to each of you!
Dawn
St. Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us!
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