Daily Readings - Sun Nov 25 2018

¹³I watched, therefore, in the vision of the night, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man arrived, and he approached all the way to the ancient of days, and they presented him before him¹⁴And he gave him power, and honor, and the kingdom, and all peoples, tribes, and languages will serve him. His power is an eternal power, which will not be taken away, and his kingdom, one which will not be corrupted

Revelation

Chapter 1

⁵and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the leader over the kings of the earth, who has loved us and has washed us from our sins with his blood⁶and who has made us into a kingdom and into priests for God and for his Father. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen⁷Behold, he arrives with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, even those who pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth shall lament for themselves over him. Even so. Amen⁸"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty

John

Chapter 18

³³Then Pilate entered the praetorium again, and he called Jesus and said to him, "You are the king of the Jews?³⁴Jesus responded, "Are you saying this of yourself, or have others spoken to you about me?³⁵Pilate responded: "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the high priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?³⁶Jesus responded: "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my ministers would certainly strive so that I would not be handed over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not now from here.³⁷And so Pilate said to him, "You are a king, then?" Jesus answered, "You are saying that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world: so that I may offer testimony to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of God’s kingdom and the identity of Jesus as the King of kings. In the first reading from Daniel, we hear a vision of the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, receiving dominion, glory, and kingship over all peoples. This passage, written in the context of persecution and suffering, offers hope to God’s people by pointing to a future where God’s reign will be universal and eternal. In Revelation, we see a similar image of Jesus, who is described as the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings. The passage emphasizes Jesus’ love for us, His sacrifice for our sins, and His ultimate triumph. Both readings set the stage for understanding Jesus’ kingship as something far greater than earthly power. In the Gospel, Jesus stands before Pilate, who asks if He is the King of the Jews. Jesus responds by clarifying that His kingdom is not of this world. This exchange highlights the misunderstanding that often surrounds Jesus’ mission. Pilate, representing earthly authority, cannot grasp the spiritual nature of Jesus’ reign. Jesus makes it clear that His kingdom is rooted in truth, and those who belong to the truth will listen to His voice. This dialogue reminds us that our allegiance to Jesus must transcend worldly loyalties and ambitions. These readings call us to live as citizens of God’s kingdom, a kingdom rooted in love, truth, and sacrifice. In our daily lives, we are invited to prioritize the values of this kingdom: humility, compassion, and fidelity to God’s will. Let us ask ourselves: Do we recognize Jesus as the true King of our lives? Do we seek His truth and live according to His teachings? May we be inspired by today’s readings to deepen our commitment to God’s kingdom, knowing that His power endures forever, and His truth will set us free.