Christ the King Homily

How many of us hear or read this Gospel and understand it as Jesus’ great command to do good for others?
Or even read it such that to get into heaven we have to DO good for others.
I think that this is partly true.  
I think that it’s not so much a command, but an invitation, and not so much about doing good, but seeing why we do the good.
It’s about being truly human.
This is a revelation of our own humanity.

Which means it’s a revelation of salvation.
Look at the words the king uses in the parable…
He tells both groups what was done or not done.
I think the key is their response…”Lord when did we see you…”

This tells us that those who did the good, did the good because it was the right thing to do.

They responded naturally, from their minds and hearts.

They saw a need in another and they address that need.
They did not do it because they were commanded, nor trying to earn points, or even to gain “heaven”.
Which appears to be the attitude of the other group...Lord IF we had known it was you…
Jesus wants us to be free, to be engaged in the fullness of life...and this means being open naturally to love, to our own inherent goodness.
A mentally, emotionally, spiritually mature person sees what good is needed to be done and does it.
This is Jesus on the Cross!
He did not do the cross because he was trying to please the Father.
He did not do it to earn points.
He knew, full of love of the Father and for the Father, and for all, that it would be the good thing to do.
Life came from this.
Two weeks ago, St. Vincents dining hall lost such a person, Ray Trevino.  By all reports here was a man dedicated to doing good, because he saw people and he saw a true need.  Not just once a year, but every day.
Imagine how much suffering we could alleviate when we start seeing as such?
Our Spiritual journey as humans, not just as Christians, is moving from having to do something to wanting to do something.
The quality of our good works becomes a sign of our inner freedom, our salvation.
They become the visible sign of the invisible reality of the Freedom within.
We as Catholics believe in the dignity of every human person.
We believe that all human hearts and minds are naturally inclined to help others, to do what is good.
We believe this, because God believes this.
We believe this because God sent us the beloved Son, we killed him, and God gave him back to us...So much does God believe in our capacity for goodness.
Our mission is to let God’s grace free our minds and hearts, so see what good is needed and to do it, and to spread this Good News to all the world.
We can pray all we want, and tell God to do this and that, but God says to us, I already know...I am telling you.. Go, listen to your own hearts and respond.
Go and see the need and do it
I am there with you

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