Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe Year C

Entrance Antiphon

How worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

to receive power and divinity,

and wisdom and strength and honour.

To him belong glory and power for ever and ever.

First Reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-3. A reading from the second book of Samuel

They anointed David king of Israel.

All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron. ‘Look’ they said ‘we are your own flesh and blood. In days past when Saul was our king, it was you who led Israel in all their exploits; and the Lord said to you, “You are the man who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you shall be the leader of Israel.”’ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a pact with them at Hebron in the presence of the Lord, and they anointed David king of Israel.

Responsorial Psalm: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

1. I rejoiced when I heard them say:

‘Let us go to God’s house.’

And now our feet are standing

within your gates, O Jerusalem. (R.)

2. Jerusalem is built as a city

strongly compact.

It is there that the tribes go up,

the tribes of the Lord. (R.)

3. For Israel’s law it is,

there to praise the Lord’s name.

There were set the thrones of judgement

of the house of David. (R.)

Second Reading: Colossians 1:12-20. A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Colossians

He has taken us into the kingdom of his beloved Son.

We give thanks to the Father who has made it possible for you to join the saints and with them to inherit the light.

Because that is what he has done: he has taken us out of the power of darkness and created a place for us in the kingdom of the Son that he loves, and in him, we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins.

He is the image of the unseen God

and the first-born of all creation,

for in him were created

all things in heaven and on earth:

everything visible and everything invisible,

Thrones, Dominations, Sovereignties, Powers –

all things were created through him and for him.

Before anything was created, he existed,

and he holds all things in unity.

Now the Church is his body,

he is its head.

As he is the Beginning,

he was first to be born from the dead,

so that he should be first in every way;

because God wanted all perfection

to be found in him

and all things to be reconciled through him and for him,

everything in heaven and everything on earth,

when he made peace

by his death on the cross.

Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed is he who inherits the kingdom of David our Father; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Alleluia!

Gospel: Luke 23:35-43. A reading from the holy Gospel according Luke

Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom.

The people stayed there before the cross watching Jesus. As for the leaders, they jeered at him. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’ The soldiers mocked him too, and when they approached to offer him vinegar they said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ Above him there was an inscription: ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

One of the criminals hanging there abused him. ‘Are you not the Christ?’ he said. ‘Save yourself and us as well.’ But the other spoke up and rebuked him. ‘Have you no fear of God at all?’ he said. ‘You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus,’ he said, ‘remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ ‘Indeed, I promise you,’ he replied, ‘today you will be with me in paradise.’

Reflection