End of Liturgical Year – Invoking the End of Time, Parousia, Christ the King

Today is the last day of the liturgical year – Year A. It means that today is the new year’s eve in the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church. It is the last day of getting things right to usher the new year – new liturgical year in tomorrow. In fact, the Gospel readings for the last 8 Sundays are more focused on preparation for the final day accounting – juxtaposing to the preparation for the end of time with the return of Christ, the parousia.

It is like this – at the 11^th hour of this last day, Christ would return to judge us all, whether still living or already being dead. And, those who are judged to be worthy – those whose names are written in the Book of Life, are entering into the Kingdom of God, as prophesized. After that, the Gate of Heaven, which is narrow, will be closed forever. Jesus opened this gate, after being closed upon the Original Sin committed by Adam and Eve, with his redemptive blood from his Cross.

A liturgical year ends with the week of the 34^th Sunday in Ordinary Time. This last Sunday of a liturgical year is also known as Christ the King Sunday (The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe), followed by a new liturgical year with its First Advent Sunday. 

As a liturgical year comes with cyclical nature, like the Chinese zodiac calendar system, when one liturgical year ends with the week of Christ the King (34^th Sunday in Ordinary Time), a new liturgical year begins with the First Sunday of Advent.  While the Chinese zodiac calendar has a 12-yaer cycle, the Church’s liturgical calendar comes with a 3-year cycle.  This year, which is about the end, has been Year A. From next Sunday – the First Sunday of Advent, until next Christ the King Sunday, we will have Year B, followed by Year C, to return to another Year A, so that this 3-year liturgical calendar continues on.

Toward the Christ the King Sunday, toward the end of a liturgical year, Sunday Gospel readings are geared to prepare us for the end of time – the time of judgement contingent upon Christ’s return, Parousia.  

When Christ returns to judge the living and the dead and to betroth to the Church, which we make constitute, he will come, riding on a white horse. He is so majestic as the King of the universe, as prophesized in the Book of Daniel, and envisioned in the Book of Revelation.  

To prepare for the return of Christ the King for the heavenly banquet for the wedding of Christ and the Church, his army, angels, will defeat all the anti-Christ and imprison Satan, as written in the Book of Revelation.

 In a way, the Gospel readings for the last two Sundays – Matthew 25:14-30 (33^rd Sunday) and 25:31-46 (34^th Sunday – Christ the King) are about summing up what all these teachings of Jesus through the Gospel readings throughout the liturgical year are about. These two Sunday Gospel  narratives are also to direct us to conduct “spiritual auditing” to see how well we have practiced the teaching of Jesus – as in our works with the talents that God has givens us (Matthew 25:14-30) and how well we have practiced the  teaching of Jesus (i.e. “love your neighbor” – Matthew 22:39) (Matthew 25:31-46). 

These last two Sundays Gospel readings make it clear that only those who have utilized the gifts and talents from God wisely are entitled to the Kingdom of God. And, they are the ones, who practiced the teaching of Jesus well – especially in practicing his command of loving our neighbors. 

Like the talents given to the servants in Matthew 25:14-30, we need to put the teachings of Jesus in action, in a way to bear their fruits, multiplying.  As Matthew 25:31-46 suggests, putting teachings of Jesus throughout the liturgical year is about practicing works of mercy – putting love in action.

The very command of Jesus is to love our neighbors. And, this is a part of the twin command to love God. In other words, observing Jesus’ command to love one our neighbor reflects God’s command to love God wholeheartedly.  Not to mention, this is exemplified by the Good Samaritan.  Jesus’ new command, given during the Last Supper, “to love one another as Jesus has loved”, is also goes along with this. 

So, in this last Gospel reading for the liturgical year, Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus challenges us if we have practiced his command of loving our neighbor. And, our neighbor means someone in greater need –  a person we tend to ignore or pretend as if he or she did not exist.  Furthermore, in this Gospel narrative, Jesus indicates that such a neighbor in great need can be Jesus himself.

Remember, though Christ is the King of the Universe, his humble root is traced back to poverty.  He was born to poverty – though three wise men from the Orient seemed to know the majestic quality in the babe born into poverty. 

To those who have been using the talents and gifts from God wisely and well, and those who have been loving neighbors as in Matthew 25:35-37, will know that the savior, who was born into poverty, about 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem, has been the Good Shepherd, who has been leading and delivering us into the Kingdom of God. And, they will also know that he is the King of the Universe, who will return, riding on a white horse (Revelation 19:11). 

The first reading for the last day of this liturgical year is taken from the first seven verses of the very last chapter of the last book in the Bible, the Book of Revelation (Revelation 22:1-7).  In this narrative, you see a glimpse of the Kingdom of God, which is where the destination of Christ, the Good Shepherd delivers us through our spiritual Exodus. 

I hope that we all have done so well in utilizing the talents and gifts in practicing Jesus’ teaching, especially in loving our neighbors, so that we will enter into the Kingdom! Christ is returning to judge and take us into our destination of Exodus.