kellym40 faith

Today’s Word: 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe) – November 23, 2025

2 Samuel 5:1-3

Psalms 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5

Colossians 1:12-20

Luke 23:35-43

The readings for November 23, 2025, in the Catholic Church celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. This also is the 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time. We are quickly approaching the new liturgical year with Advent just a week away and Christmas soon following. It will soon be a time of reflection and preparing ourselves for the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. The readings this week focus on Christ’s kingship as manifested through his death on the cross. The readings emphasize that Jesus’ kingship is one of service and salvation, not earthly power, and that his rule is established through his sacrifice, his love, and his ultimate victory over death on the cross.

The First Reading from the Second Book of Samuel talks about David’s anointing as King from the tribes of Israel at Hebron. They believe David will shepherd the people because the Lord said, “‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’” (2 Samuel 5:2, The Great Adventure Bible – RSV – 2nd Catholic Edition). It appears this reading foreshadows Jesus’ kingship, who is the true shepherd and king of his people.

In the New Testament Reading, St. Paul describes Christ as the image of the invisible God and through him all things were created. Paul writes, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the Church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” (Colosssians 1:17-18, The Great Adventure Bible – RSV – 2nd Catholic Edition). This powerful passage establishes Christ’s universal authority as the creator and sustainer of all things, both seen and unseen. It emphasizes that all creation is directed towards him, and his reign is ultimate and complete, because in him “we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:14, The Great Adventure Bible – RSV – 2nd Catholic Edition).

The Gospel from Luke today tells a little of the time of when Jesus was hanging on the cross. I will get to more of that in a moment. But first a quick look at the Psalm for today. As most of the Psalms are songs of praise and worship, giving glory to God. This Psalm is one that depicts the people, Israel, to go “to the house of the Lord!” (Psalm 122:1, The Great Adventure Bible – RSV – 2nd Catholic Edition), and offer praise and to “give thanks to the name of the Lord.” (Psalm 122: 4, The Great Adventure Bible – RSV – 2nd Catholic Edition). The Psalm seems to connect the Old Testament Reading from Samuel to the New Testament Readings, from David, a strong and wise king who was shepherd to the people of Israel, to Jesus, who is Shepherd and King to all people.

While Jesus was on the cross, he was ridiculed by the rulers and soldiers. However, Jeses receives a repentant confession from one of the criminals, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingly power,” and Jesus responds, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43, The Great Adventure Bible – RSV – 2nd Catholic Edition). This moment, I believe, is a poignant and pivotal moment where Christ’s kingship is most clearly revealed in its suffering and salvific nature. He is not a king of worldly power, but a king who saves others from the cross, and he welcomes a repentant sinner into his kingdom at the very moment of his death. I feel the reading asks us to consider our own response to Christ the King: Do we mock him or acknowledge him in our time of need?

We must ask ourselves that question. And the answer should be that we acknowledge Jesus as Christ the King, the Savior. He is our Redeemer. Just as the Psalm shows his people offering him praise, so shall we do likewise.

So, as I will leave you with this scripture, “O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name.” (Psalm 63:1, 4, The Great Adventure Bible – RSV – 2nd Catholic Edition).

Stay strong with your faith and try to persevere through all hardships. And always…ALWAYS…give thanks to God!

kellym40 General

Today’s Word: 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time – October 26, 2025

Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18

Psalms 34:2-3, 17-18, 19, 23

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

Luke 18:9-14

Today we reflect on the readings for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Looking at the readings for today, it appears the three readings from Sirach, Second Timothy and Luke’s Gospel show us a clear, but challenging, message – true prayer is rooted in humility, not pride. So let’s look at Today’s Word.

First, I will look at the Psalm today. Again, it is a hymn of praise and rejoicing. It is rejoicing in God’s justice and responsiveness to those who approach him with humility and sincerity. It also echoes the message from the first reading that the Lord will hear those with a humble heart when they make their cries heard.

“The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds, and he will not be consoled until it reaches the Lord,” (Sirach 35:17, The Great Adventure Bible, Revised Standard Version – 2nd Catholic Edition). This reading from the Book of Sirach establishes the core theme by emphasizing God’s justice and attentiveness to the humble. Sirach assures us that God is not swayed by outward status or wealth. He hears the prayers of those who cry out from a place of oppression or injustice and brings them mercy. 

In St. Paul’s letter to Timothy, Paul is writing near the end of his life and reflects on his ministry with a posture of gratitude and faith, not pride. He tells Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7, The Great Adventure Bible, Revised Standard Version – 2nd Catholic Edition). He persevered through hardships and is now in prison, and even then, did not give up his faith. Paul acknowledges that it was the Lord who stood by him and gave him the strength to persevere. His reliance on God, rather than his own abilities, serves as an example of humble faith. The reading continues with this line from the passage, which shows his enduring faith, “From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8, The Great Adventure Bible, Revised Standard Version – 2nd Catholic Edition).

This leads us to today’s Gospel, which is again from Luke. Again, in this passage Jesus speaks a parable. Last week we heard the parable of the widow and unrighteous judge. This teaching for the day teaches us, I believe, about the power of humility. The parable in today’s Gospel contrasts a proud Pharisee with a humble tax collector. The Pharisee, praying in the Temple, boasts of his righteousness and religious deeds, even congratulating himself for not being like other sinners, particularly the tax collector, who is just a little ways away from the Pharisee. The Pharisee’s prayer is self-congratulatory rather than a humble appeal to God, while the tax collector, not even attempting to look up to heaven, simply prays, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” (Luke 18:13, The Great Adventure Bible, Revised Standard Version – 2nd Catholic Edition).  His prayer is short, from the heart, and humble.

As we know from other Gospel passages, the Pharisees liked to be seen while praying. They took seats of honor in the synagogue and such. They believed they needed to be seen by others to justify their own self-righteousness so they could be pleasing to God. That, of course, is simply not the case, as evidenced by the tax collector who is humbly praying to God for mercy because he is a sinner and knows it.  Jesus concludes the parable by saying, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14, The Great Adventure Bible, Revised Standard Version – 2nd Catholic Edition).

The readings challenge us to examine our hearts and the posture of our prayer. Do we approach God with a list of our accomplishments and a comparison of ourselves to others, like the Pharisee? Or do we come before God with honesty, recognizing our failings and our need for his mercy, like the tax collector? The message is that God values a contrite heart over religious posturing and self-righteousness. 

In the readings, humility is presented not as a weakness but, I believe,  as the key that unlocks God’s grace. The tax collector’s humble prayer was powerful precisely because it came from a place of honest self-awareness. And, as seen in the parable, it invites us to take a path of courageous humility and dependence on God. 

A concluding thought here is that readings seem to offer a reminder that our faith journey is not a race, (as Paul mentions in his letter) but is a continuous walk with God that requires reliance on his mercy. Like Paul, we can trust that in our weakness, God’s strength is sufficient.

I will leave you with the idea of persistence and remaining faithful and reliant on his mercy with this scripture from Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians where he writes, “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, RSV – 2nd Catholic Edition)

Stay strong with your faith and try to persevere through all hardships. And always…ALWAYS…give thanks to God!