How would we describe who Jesus is?  And for more perspective: How does Jesus exercise authority in his ministry?  The gospels themselves are revelatory and reflect the type of ‘king’ Jesus is.  One’s normal understanding of ‘king’ is turned upside down, inside out in applying this title to Jesus.  Who Jesus is gives us a stunning contrast, which is wholly other than what or who a ‘king’ normally is.

Fr. Ronald Rolheiser wrote: “Gratitude is more important even than love because anything which does not take its root in gratitude will be self-serving and manipulative in some way.  Only when we give of ourselves to others because we are grateful for how we have been blessed—only then will our love flow out as pure and as not demanding something in return.  When we are not acting out of gratitude, we may be well-intentioned and outwardly generous in our actions, but we will not be truly acting in love” (Give Us This Day, November 2019, p.298-299). 

Readings of the day: RB 47Mass: Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17; Resp. Psalm 23; 1 Cor. 15:20-26, 28; Matthew 25:31-46
WHATEVER YOU DID FOR ONEOF THE LEAST SISTERS OR BROTHERS OF MINE,YOU DID FOR ME.
Christ The Good Shepherd

Commenting on today’s Gospel, Pope Francis told thos