Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe (A) - 22nd November 2020

First Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17 What is it to be under the reign of God? The prophet Ezekiel, echoing the Good Shepherd psalm, proclaims the care of God for sheep, with a particular tenderness for the scattered, the lost, the inured and the stray. Response The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want. Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:20-26,28 Here we have Paul engaging his hearers with a metaphor of kingship. In Christ is the overturning of the reign of death and a new order of life, What follows from this is that it is Christ who is King of history, a history which is returned to the sovereignty of God. Alleluia, Alleluia! Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessings on the coming kingdom of our father David! Alleluia! Gospel Reading Matthew 25:31-46 Our Gospel is one of the most significant sections of Matthew’s Gospel. Put in place as the final preaching of Jesus before his death, it is a sort of ‘last’ teaching. As such it has an importance in line with the beatitudes as Jesus’ will and testament of his life. And the message is so profound yet simple: as far as you did it to the least you did it to me