Christ the King

Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17 (JB)

A reading from the prophet Ezekiel

You, my flock, I judge between sheep and sheep.

The Lord says this: I am going to look after my flock myself and keep all of it in view. As a shepherd keeps all his flock in view when he stands up in the middle of his scattered sheep, so shall I keep my sheep in view. I shall rescue them from wherever they have been scattered during the mist and darkness. I myself will pasture my sheep, I myself will show them where to rest – it is the Lord who speaks. I shall look for the lost one, bring back the stray, bandage the wounded and make the weak strong. I shall watch over the fat and healthy. I shall be a true shepherd to them.

As for you, my sheep, the Lord says this: I will judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and he-goats.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of the prophet Ezekiel

Thus says the Lord God:

“I myself will search for my sheep,

and will seek them out.

As shepherds seek out their flocks

when they are among their scattered sheep,

so I will seek out my sheep.

I will rescue them from all the places

to which they have been scattered

on a day of clouds and thick darkness.

“I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep

and I will make them lie down,”

says the Lord God.

“I will seek the lost,

and I will bring back the strayed,

and I will bind up the injured

and I will strengthen the weak,

but the fat and the strong I will destroy.

I will feed my sheep with justice.

“As for you, my flock,” thus says the Lord God:

“I shall judge between one sheep and another,

between rams and goats.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 22:1-3, 5-6 (JB)

R. The Lord is my shepherd;

there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd;

there is nothing I shall want.

Fresh and green are the pastures

where he gives me repose. R.

Near restful waters he leads me,

to revive my drooping spirit.

He guides me along the right path;

he is true to his name. R.

You have prepared a banquet for me

in the sight of my foes.

My head you have anointed with oil;

my cup is overflowing. R.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me

all the days of my life.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell

for ever and ever. R.

1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28 (JB)

A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians

He will hand over the kingdom to God the Father, so that God may be all in all.

Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep. Death came through one man and in the same way the resurrection of the dead has come through one man. Just as all men die in Adam, so all men will be brought to life in Christ; but all of them in the proper order: Christ as the first-fruits and then, after the coming of Christ, those who belong to him. After that will come the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having done away with every sovereignty, authority and power. For he must be king until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death. And when everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subject in his turn to the One who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28 (NRSV)

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians

Christ has been raised from the dead,

the first fruits of those who have died.

for since death came through a human being,

the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being;

for as all die in Adam,

so all will be made alive in Christ.

But each in his own order:

Christ the first fruits,

then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

Then comes the end,

when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father,

after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power.

For he must reign

until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

When all things are subjected to him,

then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one

who put all things in subjection under him,

so that God may be all in all.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Mark 11:9, 10 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!

Blessings on the coming kingdom of our father David!

Alleluia!

Matthew 25:31-46 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

He will take his seat on his throne of glory, and he will separate men one from another.

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate men one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right hand, “Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.” Then the virtuous will say to him in reply, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome; naked and clothe you; sick or in prison and go to see you?” And the King will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” Next he will say to those on his left hand, “Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you never gave me food; I was thirsty and you never gave me anything to drink; I was a stranger and you never made me welcome, naked and you never clothed me, sick and in prison and you never visited me.” Then it will be their turn to ask, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger or naked, sick or in prison, and did not come to your help?” Then he will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me.” And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the virtuous to eternal life.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 25:31-46 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

Jesus said to his disciples:

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory,

and all the angels with him,

then he will sit on the throne of his glory.

All the nations will be gathered before him,

and he will separate people one from another

as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,

and he will put the sheep at his right hand

and the goats at the left.

“Then the king will say to those at his right hand,

‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father,

inherit the kingdom prepared for you

from the foundation of the world;

for I was hungry and you gave me food,

I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,

I was a stranger and you welcomed me,

I was naked and you gave me clothing,

I was sick and you took care of me,

I was in prison and you visited me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him,

‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food,

or thirsty and gave you something to drink?

And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you,

or naked and gave you clothing?

And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison

and visited you?’

And he king will answer them,

Truly I tell you,

just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine,

you did it to me.’

“Then he will say to those at his left hand,

‘You that are accursed,

depart from me into the eternal fires

prepared for the devil and his angels:

for I was hungry and you gave me no food,

I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,

I was a stranger and you did not welcome me,

naked and you did not give me clothing,

sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’

“Then they also will answer,

‘Lord, when was it that we say you hungry or thirsty

or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison,

and did not take care of you?’

“Then he will answer them,

‘Truly I tell you,

just as you did not do it to one of the least of these,

you did not do it to me.’

And these will go away into eternal punishment,

but the righteous into eternal life.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.