Daily Readings - Sun Nov 25 2018
Daniel
13I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.14And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
Revelation
5and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood6and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.7Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.8"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
John
33So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"34Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?"35Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?"36Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."37Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world--to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to 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.