A King with a heart

The story is told about a taxi driver who picked up a backseat driver, who from the time he boarded, kept on commenting, and advising the driver what to do, blurting out his complaints every now and then. When they reached their destination, he asked the driver: “How much?” The driver’s response was: “No charge. Just get out. You did all the driving.”

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Today is the Solemnity of Christ, the King of the Universe. In today’s Gospel (Mt. 25, 31-46), we hear of the final judgment wherein the Lord will separate those who will or will not enter His kingdom, based on what they did, or did not do to others. The bottom line is our compliance to our King’s commandment that we love one another.

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The biggest learning in life is that there is Someone greater than us, and that we are accountable to Him on how we lived our lives.

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The sooner we realize that we travel not alone, the better, so that we will not be lonely. And the sooner we accept that God is our guide and light, the better, so that we do not lose our way.

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Are you a control freak, one who wants to control everything and everyone? Good luck! Sooner or later, you’ll find out that you can’t. The sooner you learn to let go, and let God, the better for you, and for the people around you. Be kind to others, and to yourself, too.

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The pandemic has taught us to be considerate, and to be kind to Mother Nature. Many have abused our natural resources for the sake of money. Business without conscience is plain and simple selfishness. Please don’t forget the generations that will come after us. May they still have a wonderful world they can enjoy and live in.

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Our King is a King with a heart. His message to us is, and has always been, that of compassion and love. As for so-called leaders who act and believe that they are entitled and indispensable, they soon will be gone, forgotten, and even derided because they did not use their power to serve and to be kind, especially to the “little ones.” At the end of our lives may we not hear our King tell us these sad words: “You wasted it.”

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“Lift up your hearts.” This is the exhortation at the preface of the Mass before the Eucharistic Prayer. Take note that we are exhorted to lift up our hearts… not our works, not our titles, not our wealth, not our beauty, not our fame. All these are important, but are meaningless without the heart. Indeed, even prayers without the heart are empty. Our King has a heart, so we too, His creatures and subjects, should not forget, nor belittle the heart.

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Specialize in kindness. It is kindness that makes us different from all of the creatures of God. If you are not kind, what are you?

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It’s 33 days before Christmas. Christmas will not be the same this year, externally, during this pandemic, but it should lead us to humble gratitude to God, and kindness to everyone, which after all is the real meaning of Christmas in our hearts.

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Are you stressed? You get stressed if you use and overuse your mind. Just put love in your heart and remind yourself the reason why you are doing what you are doing. If you remember that there is a Someone greater than yourself, then the burden becomes lighter. Lesson: Don’t take yourself too seriously. There is a God, there is a King, and you’re not Him.

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A moment with the Lord: Lord, help us to become servants with a heart like You, our King with a heart. Amen.

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