A Commentary and Reflection on the Readings for the 34th Sunday of Ordinary Time/Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe – Year B. The Liturgical Sense of the Scriptures Podcast, by Catholic Author and Theologian David L. Gray. READINGS: Daniel 7:13-14, Revelation 1:5-8, and John 18:33b-37.
The Liturgy of the Catholic Mass Processes Us to Love, Worship, and Serve Christ Jesus
The liturgical procession in the Catholic Mass is a lived mystery that mirrors our daily journey through life. Within the Divine symphony of the Mass, the priest and the people’s processions toward the altar, symbolizes our own continual procession and pilgrimage toward our eternal destiny. This liturgical movement parallels our worldly endeavors, where anticipation and focus heighten as we near our intention.
Consider the expectant parents, who become increasingly meticulous in preparing for their child’s arrival, or the diligent shopper, who meticulously reviews their list as they approach the grocery store. Athletes intensify their training as their event looms closer, and speakers refine their presentations in the final moments. In every facet of life, as we draw nearer to significant events, our actions become imbued with greater purpose and intention.
This intrinsic human tendency to transition from the ordinary to the extraordinary is epitomized in the Liturgy. Whereas there is no room within the liturgy for casualness or superficiality, take notice of the increasing soberness as we climax to the prayers of consecration, which is the most sacred moment of the liturgy. Here, the priest celebrant’s prayers are conducted with utmost reverence and solemnity, reflecting our own deepening focus as pivotal moments approach. Similarly, within the liturgical year, our spiritual journey becomes more deliberate and contemplative as we near the celebration of Christ’s Coming and Resurrection. This transformation is marked by the seasons of Advent and Lent, times of anticipation and penitence, respectively.
As Quinquagesima Sunday serves as a bridge from Ordinary Time to the reflective season of Lent, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, transitions us from Ordinary Time to the hopeful season of Advent. These seasons invite us to withdraw from the mundane and embrace a more intentional spiritual journey.
The Year B Readings for the 34th Sunday of Ordinary Time, also known as the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, serve as a magnificent transition into the Advent Season. These readings from Daniel 7:13-14, Revelation 1:5-8, and John 18:33b-37 not only address the question of ‘What do we hope for?’ but also the fundamental, primordial question of ‘Who is worthy of being honored above all, who possesses kingship over all, and who holds sovereignty over all?’ In other words, because we were created to love and serve God, our human nature always longs for someone greater than itself to worship and serve. Here, the inclination to sin would have us worship the image of self, or celebrities, or ideologies, or material. Indeed, as the human heart longs to know, ‘Who is greater than me that I can worship and serve?’ the liturgy of the Catholic Mass and the liturgical calendar are constantly processing us to Christ Jesus as the only answer to that existential question.
In Daniel, the vision of “one like a Son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven . . . the one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship . . . His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away; his kingship shall not be destroyed,” reveals the Christian mystery and eternal kingship bestowed upon Christ Jesus by the Eternal Father. This imagery of dominion, glory, and unassailable kingship deeply resonates within our hearts, affirming the everlasting sovereignty of Christ. This passage vividly portrays our Advent hope by depicting the arrival of a divine ruler whose reign is eternal and unchallenged.
The reading from Revelation further illuminates this hope by presenting Jesus Christ as the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father;” His love for us, demonstrated through the liberation from sin by his blood, establishes us as a kingdom and priests for His God and Father. This passage beautifully encapsulates our aspiration for a King who is not only powerful but also loving and redemptive. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” The declaration of Jesus as the Alpha and the Omega, the one who is and who was, and who is to come, underscores His supreme sovereignty and His right to be honored above all.
Finally, in John, Jesus’ profound dialogue with Pontius Pilate sheds light on the nature of His kingship, which transcends worldly domains. By proclaiming, “For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice,” Jesus affirms that His kingdom does not belong to this world, indicating a realm of truth and spiritual authority. His mission to testify to the truth defines His kingship, and those who belong to the truth listen to His voice because they are His subjects in His kingdom of truth. This interaction answers the primordial question of the human heart by asserting that Jesus has the right to be honored, to hold kingship, and to exercise sovereignty over all because He is the truth and because He is truth, He is life.
Through these verses, we find a powerful response to our upcoming Advent reflections. We hope for the coming of a King who reigns with eternal dominion, who loves and redeems us, and whose kingdom is founded on truth. Christ Jesus is the sovereign ruler, embodying the answer to our deepest longings for someone greater than ourselves to love, worship, and serve.
This is just one way how the readings at Mass this Sunday connect to the Liturgy and how the Liturgy is forming us how to live our lives in the world. Be in the world what you have received through the Liturgy.
