Gospel: John 18:33b-37
Pilate said to
Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you
say this on your own or have others told you about me?" Pilate answered,
"I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you
over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not
belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants
would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is,
my kingdom is not here." So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a
king?" Jesus answered, "You say I am a king. For this I was born and
for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs
to the truth listens to my voice."
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Reflection:
An ambitious man
wanted to be the king of his self-created world. So, he studied very well and
after hurdling his studies he created a business that became very financially successful.
He soon after achieved his dream of becoming the king of his world. For he
could already do and buy whatever he wants yet there was still a deep emptiness
in his life.
If we continue to
aspire to become the king of our own self-created world there would still be
emptiness. No matter how successful even powerful we become, we would still be
longing for that something that will complete us.
Today is the Solemnity
of our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe. This Kingship of Jesus is the only Kingship that can satisfy our
deepest longing. Because when we decide to embrace His Kingship we are already
complete and there surely will be no more emptiness.
We will not anymore
be chasing whatever this world will dangle in-front of us. But the great
paradox of the Kingship of Jesus is it’s not based on anything of this world.
Jesus Kingship is something which is not seen yet we can deeply feel it
satisfying our deepest longing.
In the gospel, when
Jesus was asked by Pilate if He is the King of the Jews (John 18:33b). Jesus
did not deny His Kingship but He told Pilate, “My kingdom does not belong to
this world (John 18:36).
Indeed, Jesus’ Kingship
doesn’t belong to this world because His Kingship is in contradiction with
worldly kingship. This is for the reason that Jesus chose to serve rather than
be served, He chose humility over arrogance. He chose to obey the will of God
to die on the cross rather than protect His life.
If we choose
humility over arrogance, if we choose to serve rather than be served and if we choose
to give our life so that others may live. We are already near the Kingdom of
Christ our King. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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