Jesus calls us to give ourselves in service to others — and he comes to us as others in need, said Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre on the last Sunday of the liturgical year, Nov. 26, the solemnity of Christ the King.
The day’s Gospel reading from Matthew 25 is not one of the “very complex” parables that require understanding the culture and time in which they took place, he said during a homily at St. John Paul II Church. Rather, it’s straightforward: When the Son of God returns, he will separate his just followers from the unjust, in the way a shepherd separates the goats from his sheep.
In the parable, the sheep — the just — are those who saw Jesus when he was hungry and gave him something to eat.
“I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me,” the parable says.
“It’s interesting that people in the parable, both just and unjust, haven’t seen Jesus,” the archbishop noted. Even though “Scripture says over and over that he identifies with the poor,” they didn’t recognize him.
“How is it that we see Christ?” Archbishop Fabre asked his listeners. “How is it that I see Christ or I do not see Christ in those who cry out to the Son of David?”
Christ the King, the King of the Universe, “reigns from a cross … in absolute service to you and me,” the archbishop said.
Archbishop Fabre celebrated the Mass with the parishes of Region VI. In addition to St. John Paul II, the other Region VI churches are Ascension, St. Bartholomew, St. Bernard, St. Edward, St. Gabriel, St. Martha and St. Michael.
Following Mass, Archbishop Fabre led a eucharistic procession to celebrate the National Eucharistic Revival, which is now in the parish year.
Father Peter Do, pastor of St. John Paul II, said hosting a procession helped bring parishioners back to their roots — the Eucharist.
“It’s very important to have people to come back to their roots (and remember) the importance of the Eucharist together,” he said. “We decided Christ the King weekend would be a good time to do that.”
Before the procession began, Archbishop Fabre told the congregants that, upon receiving Holy Communion, they are tabernacles “called to take Christ out into the world.” Then, under an overcast sky and against the threat of rain, more than 50 parishioners processed across St. John Paul II’s campus.
Father Do expressed appreciation that each priest in the region was able to attend.
“With all the pastors in the region showing up, it was wonderful,” he said. “The fact that all the priests were there showed that we are united and want to do it together.”
Region VI parishes plan to host a United States Conference of Catholic Bishops speaker in the spring to further their participation in the national revival’s parish year.
