An Eternal King

A Reflection on the First Reading for Sunday, November 24th, 2024:
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

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Daniel
7.13-14

​I had a dream and visions as I lay in bed. As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the One who is Ancient of Days and was presented before him.

To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.

​Pause. Pray. Reflect.

In 1 Corinthians, St Paul talks about the crown that is imperishable. He reminds us that even though athletes work hard toward a crown of leaves which will wither in time, we who follow Christ labor for a crown that will never fade. How well this fits into today’s celebration of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe! 

We will not be crowned in Heaven with an imperishable wreath based on our own merits… I can only speak on my own behalf for this one, but I for one am glad that I won’t be! So how can we look forward to living in glory, and to wearing the imperishable crown the Lord has prepared for us? It is through the same path we always follow and must follow as Christians– we enter into the life of Christ, giving Him everything, and we receive all that He has to give to us.

Christ is the one who was victorious over death and reigns as the King of Heaven and also of earth. And His is the reign that will never end, as we hear in today’s reading from Daniel. It is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed. 

The inheritance is not properly ours, but Christ’s. But that is what is so amazing– because of His great love, Christ has made us His co-heirs with him, and adopted children of the Father. We who were slaves have been made children of the King!

I love that the Church brings this to our hearts on this last Sunday of the liturgical year. As we’ve been reflecting on the “end things” and will soon begin the journey of Christ’s nativity, ministry, death, and resurrection all over again… here our Mother, the Church, offers us a consoling reminder: the daily following of Christ, with all its likeness to the Paschal mystery, is leading us to glory with Him eternally!




​Sr. Angela Burnham

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