20-second Summary
How does our view of superheroes affect our relationship with Christ? Do we want Jesus to swoop in and “save the day”? Or do we even ask Him for help when we need it? Or rather looking to our own self-reliance, or escaping from the problems at hand in some unhealthy way?
Jesus came to save us, but it takes more than just passive reception to receive the Salvation He offers.
Catechesis At Home – Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe – Year C
Christ Our Superhero
First Reading
“Here we are, your bone and your flesh.
In days past, when Saul was our king,
it was you who led the Israelites out and brought them back.
And the LORD said to you,
‘You shall shepherd my people Israel
and shall be commander of Israel.'”
When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron,
King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD,
and they anointed him king of Israel.
Responsorial Psalm
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Second Reading
Brothers and sisters:
Let us give thanks to the Father,
who has made you fit to share
in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.
He delivered us from the power of darkness
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;
all things were created through him and for him.
He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he himself might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile all things for him,
making peace by the blood of his cross
through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.
Gospel Reading
Alleluia
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
The rulers sneered at Jesus and said,
“He saved others, let him save himself
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.”
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
“If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”
Above him there was an inscription that read,
“This is the King of the Jews.”
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
“Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal.”
Then he said,
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Mass Readings are presented verbatim from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) web site in good faith accordance with its “Web and Other Digital Media Usage” guidelines. All Rights are reserved to the USCCB.
Christ Our Superhero
REFLECTION – King of the Universe
What a great title (and it doesn’t belong to He-Man)! We are celebrating Jesus Christ, King of the Universe! We are so overwhelmed with “superheroes” who rescue us in the nick of time – Superman, Batman, Black Panther, Ironman, and the list goes on for pages – that we get numb to the fact that we have a true Superhero the God-Man, Jesus Christ, who saves us from the worst fate of all. In this week’s Gospel, Jesus is hanging on the Cross being tortured to death and He refuses to rise to the jeers and taunts of the enemies. Because He has a bigger purpose to defeat the Enemy, Satan. He is our King and He is our Savior.
He tells the repentant thief that he will be with Himself in Paradise by the end of the day. That promise is for all of us, too. He has prepared a place for us in Heaven. King of the Universe includes the realm of Heaven and He is the one who Judges who gets to live there. St. Paul reminds us that Jesus is the
“firstborn from the dead….For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile all things for him,
making peace by the blood of his cross
through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.” (Colossians 1:18,20)
Jesus is not our “rescuer” but our Savior. This is a distinction that gets missed sometimes. He has the power and ability to save us from the punishment we deserve for sinning against God. He has the power and ability to save us for Himself and keep us from falling into the hands of Satan. But, we also are not passive receivers of this Salvation. It takes us asking for the Saving Grace. It takes us cooperating with His Grace to accomplish the act of Salvation. No, we cannot save ourselves, but we also cannot simply do what we please and expect to have the Eternal reward that is offered. Jesus did not “get down off the Cross” nor did he rescue the repentant thief from a similar fate. But He did take his soul to Heaven after he died. He did save him from eternal damnation, because the thief asked. He proclaimed Jesus Christ his King and Savior, and asked for His mercy. That is what it takes. Recognizing our sinfulness, repenting of our wrongdoing, asking for forgiveness and accepting the grace of Salvation.
DISCUSSION – Is Jesus My Superhero?
Discuss this week who we turn to when we need help and “rescuing” from a situation. Do we turn to Jesus in prayer and trust? Or do we turn to self-reliance, or escape through some vice? Think of the last time you were in a situation that you needed help. To whom did you turn for help? Was prayer part of that determination? How can we allow Jesus to be our Superhero when we need help?
ACTIVITY – King and Superhero
This week, create a picture of Jesus as your King and Superhero. What would He wear? How would He look? How does Christ act as your King and Superhero? You can do this activity either orally with descriptions, or you can draw or create a picture and talk about them as a family.
DIG DEEPER – Other Christ Our Superhero resources from Holy Owned and Operated:
Page: Prayer Basics
TWMWU: Patience Leads to Justice
TWMWU: God of the Living
TWMWU: A Thousand Generations
TWMWU: Are You Prepared?
TWMWU: Prepare The Way Of The Lord
TWMWU: God’s Will Be Done
TWMWU: The Feast of the Epiphany of The Lord
TWMWU: Jesus Saves: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
TWMWU: The LORD Has Revealed to the Nations His Saving Power
TWMWU: Fourth Week of Advent – Promises Fulfilled!
Podcast: Jesus in the Desert – Episode 85
Podcast: All Saints’ Day – Episode 118
Podcast: All Souls’ Day – Episode 119
How is Christ Your Superhero?
by Beth & Kristofer Cowles
HOO™ Co-Founders
Other Help on HOO
Being On The Road To Perfection – Episode 166
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:32 — 22.6MB)
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We are called to be perfect, as we discussed last week.
So, what does being on the road to perfection look like?
If Jesus was “finished” and his ministry was “completed,” as it means when He said, “It is done,” by saying, “It is perfected” just before He died on the Cross, He must have walked a road to perfection.
And so must we.
In this episode we discuss that concept, in terms of what we are doing and how we respond to the call for our life.
It’s a simple concept, and a difficult task, but we have the example of Our Lord which, from the proper perspective, is not an impossible example to follow and exemplify.
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