Don Bosco Philippines South Province

Homily on the Solemnity of Christ the King, 26 Nov 2023, FSpIF Chapel

After thirty-three Sundays we have finally reached the last Sunday of the liturgical year, the Solemnity of Christ, the King. Happy feast day to all!

I remember in one of our Good Night Talks in the community, I was struck by what Fr Boni shared with us. It was about his experience when he was still studying Theology in the Holy Land. He said that one day he had an interesting conversation with a taxi driver who introduced himself as a Palestinian Christian. The driver shared that his house was just hit by a missile right after he took his taxi to flee away from the danger zone created by the Muslim-Jewish conflict. At one point Fr Boni asked why he has not made up his mind to abroad when all his family members have already become immigrants in other countries. The driver just looked at him and replied saying “I chose to stay because this is the land of Christ. If I too will leave like the rest, then who else will be left here to inhabit this Holy Land where Christ has saved the world as King?”

Hearing that story I was blown away. For me the courage of that Palestinian-Christian was admirable. He chose to stay in the midst of wars even at the risk of his life rather than see the day when the Land of Christ would be turned over to non-Christians and non-believers. The sad part of the story is that until now Christ is not yet acknowledged as King and Lord in that part of the world, even as the endless war continues between the Israeli forces and the Hamas extremists.

Looking back at our past history as Filipino Catholics, we realize that all these years we as a nation have slowly grown strong and firm in our faith in Jesus our Lord. In fact the most recent statistics show that as of 2021 we have become the third largest Catholic country in the world after Brazil and Mexico. If we include also the Protestants and other non-Catholics, all together we Christians would make up more than 90% of our Philippine population. This means that out of every ten people you meet outside today, nine of them believe in Christ Jesus as our Lord and King. Indeed we have remained so steadfast in our faith that we have even brought this faith to other countries where we work and have been eagerly sharing it with whomever we meet. For this reason, Pope Francis has called us Pinoys “smugglers” of faith.

The big question however is this. While there are billions of Christians all over the world as of this time, how many people are there who still do not know Christ? How many are there who still do not honor Him as the King and Lord of all? Let us check out the most recent statistics on this matter. The good news is among all world religions, Christianity still ranks as the first and the biggest religious group, with 2.4 billion Christians scattered everywhere including Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants and other denominations.

Sad to say, however, the world’s total population today has reached eight billion, and if Christians make up only 2.4 billion, that would be equivalent to only 30 percent of the total world population! Isn’t that quite disappointing? It means that only three people out of every ten believe in Jesus Christ and accept him in their lives as their Lord and Savior. The rest of the 5.6 billion are somehow still in the darkness of unbelief and are still far from God’s Kingdom of love, joy, justice, peace and mercy.

Now what is even more alarming is that Islam has become the second biggest religious group with 1.9 billion Muslims continually increasing in numbers. And they say that by the year 2050 Islam will have overtaken Christianity in terms of population.

Come to think of it, almost 2,000 years have already passed since Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. And yet billions of people still live their lives not knowing that they have already been redeemed, blessed and empowered by Christ. How do you feel about this? Doesn’t this affect you and disturb you? What could God be telling you at this moment?

Surprisingly in the Gospel passage we have heard today about the final judgment at the end of time, Jesus our Lord tells us that when he comes in all his glory surrounded by his angels, the people of this world will be judged not so much in terms of their religious affiliation but above all by the works of mercy they have done to those most in need. This means that one who is not a baptized Christian may have the chance to receive an eternal reward in God’s Kingdom if he or she does good to others; if he feeds the hungry, satisfies the thirsty, welcomes strangers, clothes the naked, cares for the sick and visits the imprisoned. On the other hand this also means that if I, as a baptized Christian, do not attend to the needs of others, if do not feed the hungry, do not give drink to the thirsty, do not welcome strangers, do not clothe the naked, do not care for the sick and do not visit the imprisoned, I forfeit my privilege to enter heaven. If I do not show mercy to others especially by engaging in works of mercy, or simply doing little acts of kindness and charity to my neighbor, I lose the eternal reward promised to me by virtue of my baptism.

Today let us examine ourselves. Can we truly claim that we are doing our best to love as Jesus did? To be kind, helpful and merciful as Jesus was? While we devoutly come to Mass and carry on with our pious practices and devotions, are we also striving to be the best person God wants us to be in the worst kind of situation we might be in? The solemnity we are celebrating today is actually cautioning us not to fall into the temptation of pure spiritualism and sentimentalism. The call to proclaim Christ the King in the liturgy carries with it the challenge to love others in the same way that he did outside places of worship… to love without counting the cost, sometimes silently suffering, but always selfless. Do you think you have this kind of love? Can this same love be found still in our families and our communities today?

The saints we have been celebrating this month of November have shown us inspiring examples, and they have proven to us that loving as Jesus did is still very much doable even in a time of violence, hatred, conflict and wars. For example last Nov 3 we commemorated St. Martin de Porres. He was an illegitimate child abandoned by his father. But despite his lowly status he became a lay brother and with a magnanimous heart served the needs of others, including the sick, the beggars, and the African slaves transported in great numbers to America.

St. Martin of Tours (commemorated last Nov 11) was a Roman soldier, brave and strong, but when he met a beggar almost naked along the road, his heart suddenly melted. And feeling pity for him he come down from his horse, cut his military cloak in half and gave half of it to the poor man. That night, he had a dream in which he saw Jesus wearing the half-cloak he had given away to the beggar.

St Elizabeth of Hungary (commemorated last Nov 17) was married to a crowned prince, named Louie IV. After she was widowed at twenty-one years old, she started to give away her wealth and possessions to the poor in imitation of St Francis of Assisi. She never wanted to marry again for she felt so strongly the love of Christ who called her to dedicate her life totally to God. She even had a hospital built for the poor making use of all the money she had, and when it was completed, she spent the rest of her life caring for the sick and the suffering.

St John Bosco, known as the father and teacher of youth, was born from a poor family of farmers in Italy. But he felt he was called to become a priest to minister to young people. Despite the lack of resources, he succeeded to finish his studies as a working student, entered the seminary and soon was ordained a priest. From then on he dedicated his life for the poor, abandoned and exploited youth of society. Inspired by the Spirit he also founded the Salesian congregation of priests, brothers, sisters and lay people whose mission was to continue the work he has begun for the poor.

Dear brothers and sisters, the lives of a multitude of saints are a big source of inspiration for all of us to come out of our comfort zones, to wake up from our spiritual slumber, to leave the pews of this church after the Mass and just try to love as Jesus did silently, sacrificingly, selflessly beginning from our families and overflowing to neighbours esp. those most in need, and even those who have hurt us. Let us keep this in mind: we are called not only to be firm in our faith; we are called not only to celebrate the sacraments in church, but above all we are called and challenged to share the good news to others & to do little acts of kindness, mercy & love to people most in need. By our acts of charity, we will soon win the unfading crown glory.

May this Eucharist, in which we encounter Jesus as King, empower us to become more and more like him in our thoughts, our kind words and good deeds, so that we too may one day reign with Him forever in the Kingdom prepared for us in heaven. GiGsss!

P.S.

We, the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) of the Philippine South Province (FIS), are glad to have you as our partner in continuing the mission of St. John Bosco for poor, abandoned and neglected youth.

If you want to know more about us, get in touch with us by clicking the following link: https://www.donbosco.ph/

If you feel you are being called by God to join us, just click the following link: https://www.facebook.com/FollowingStJohnBosco/

If you feel you have been blessed by God and are called to share your blessings to the poor youth we serve, just click the following link: https://www.donbosco.ph/donate/

May God bless you, your loved ones and reward all the good work you do.

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