GROW AS A DISCIPLE
Since the birth of my oldest child, I have seen and heard many things about what I should do as a mother. I have heard everything from which products I should purchase to how I should help my child develop a healthy sleep routine. But my identity as a mother is not dependent upon any of these things; instead, it rests on my relationship with God as his beloved daughter and who he has called me to be as a mother. Those living at the time of Jesus were also trying to understand his identity as king according to their own expectations of what a king was meant to be. They certainly did not expect their king to be crucified by the Romans as we read about in our Gospel today. But Jesus did not come to rule as an earthly king. He is king because of his identity as the beloved Son of God, whose mission it was to offer his life for the salvation of all. Jesus did not allow society’s understanding of a king to dictate how he lived his mission. Likewise, we must act confidently in accordance with the particular call that God has entrusted to us.
GO EVANGELIZE
I find it interesting that when David was anointed king of Israel, he is designated as a commander whose vocation it was to shepherd the tribes of Israel. Of course, now we also readily associate the term shepherd with Christ, the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep. The notion of kingship and shepherding, therefore, seem to be intertwined. In the sacrament of baptism, each of us is invited to participate in Christ’s mission as priest, prophet, and king. To join Christ in his mission as king, we must also lead lives of service in which we allow the love of God to generously flow through us by caring for others. Let us strive to be shepherds for those in our communities who are seeking to know Christ more intimately; let us participate in Christ’s mission as king through humble service to others.
PRAY
Today, take a few minutes to pray for all leaders. Ask the Lord to guide them in their leadership to be good shepherds to all those who fall under their governance. As you participate in your local community and parish, ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to join in Christ’s mission as king by serving those in need.
By The Faithful Disciple