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Reflection on the Thirty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (November 20)

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King

by Nemesio Valle III

The readings for this Sunday:

Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17

Psalm 23:1-3, 5-6

1Corinthians 15:20-26, 28

Matthew 25:31-46

The full text of the readings can be found here.

In today’s Gospel reading, we are presented with a rare passage that discusses the means by which the Last Judgment will be effected. This parable relates a profound reality about expectations on the part of the faithful and the unsettling image of being separated from God for all of eternity.

One of the aspects of this passage with which we must be reconciled is the clear emphasis on Christian duty. One of the great historical controversies amongst various Christian groups is the means by which we are "saved" – that is, by which we become one of the elect. Is it faith or works that "saves" us?

This question itself is ill formed. We know from St Paul that the works we do are of no salvific merit in and of themselves (Romans 3:27-31 and Galatians 2:15-21) and we know from St James that faith without works is dead (James 2:26). This seeming contradiction is answered clearly by both Sts James and Paul, and by Jesus Himself in the Gospel today. St Paul speaks often of the essential duties of a Christian, to live a life of love. But what does this mean? It is neither a sentimental, mushy love nor physical eroticism (though it doesn’t exclude these). It is agape – a giving in selfless compassion to the needs of others (I Corinthians 13:1-13, II Corinthians 8:1-15, and Romans 12:9-21, especially 20-21).

Love is an action; to love God is to be active in bringing about that love in the world. This is why St James says faith without works is dead; he could have just as easily said that faith cannot exist without love, and love cannot exist without works of charity and compassion. And this is the point of the Gospel parable (which is similarly iterated by St Paul in Romans 2:5-11). Recalling the definition of neighbor in the parable of the Good Samaritan (St Luke 10:29-37) and the exhortation to love one another as Jesus loves us (St John 13:34-35), we are called to see Christ in every living being. And, consequently, when we attend to those essential needs – food, drink, shelter, clothing and comfort – of our neighbor, so, too, we also attend to the needs of Christ. This very concept is echoed in the addendum to St John’s Gospel, where Jesus says that loving Him entails feeding His sheep (St John 21:15-19). Throughout the Gospels, Jesus is explaining to us what it means to be a person of faith. It is not that works "save" us, but that works done in love (and not in an effort to merit favor) demonstrate that we are faithful. This clearly ties in with the selection from St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians: by being a faithful "worker" – and by dying in a state of grace by means of faith – we are assured a place amongst the communion of saints, not because we deserve it, but because we were promised it.

The challenging image presented in this Gospel and the consequential assurance mentioned in the Epistle is ameliorated by the remaining two readings – Ezekiel and Psalm 23. Jesus, like the prophets before Him, found the contemporary images of sheep and shepherds to be useful metaphors. While we are challenged to transcend the temptations of selfishness, laziness, and indifference, we are reminded that God strives to keep us all in His fold, seeking to reincorporate the scattered into His fold. We are to recall that, in the Lord, we are guided along paths of righteousness. By attending to His Word and accordingly living with a "working" faith, we know that we shall dwell in the house of the Lord for all eternity.

Nemesio Valle, III is the Director of Music at Saint Ursula Parish in Allison Park.