The Eucharist is not just consumed by an individual for his or her own needs. Rather, the Eucharist is consumed as a community, to strengthen the bonds of the community. It is spiritual food that helps us to share what we have with others, and in the sufferings of others.

It was with great expectation and hope that the early Christians waited for the Parousia, not with fear but with great joy. With Christ’s coming, He would bring justice, peace and restoration. It would be a time when all sufferings come to an end and those who are faithful will be rewarded with eternal life in Christ. This, too, should be our attitude, whether it is with regard to the first coming of Christ at Christmas or at the end of time. When Christ is with us, when Christ lives in our hearts, there will always be joy, thanksgiving, peace, love and lasting security. This is why Christmas is celebrated with great joy. It is a season of peace and goodwill because Jesus the King of the world remains an infant king, harmless, innocent and loving towards humanity.

We live in a world with much hypocrisy and inconsistency. If we are not careful, we will allow the world to desensitise us to what is wrong and right. We must stay awake, praying always for strength.

Our response to the challenges facing us should not be one of discouragement or despair. Scripture is confident that God will reign at the end of time. We need to flourish in our spiritual life. We must produce the fruits of the Spirit. We must allow the Kingdom of God to bear fruits in our life. That is why we must continue to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Eventually, God will prove victorious. The outcome of the battle is certain. But the battle is still ongoing. We must be discerning in what we do, the choices we make and the values we imbibe. Not everything in the world is good, not everything we read is true, not every product the world promotes is necessary for our happiness. We need to seek for things that are eternal and truly lasting and meaningful. This is where we need to take time to pray and discern the will of God for us and our those under our care. This is why Jesus asked us to look for the signs of God at work in our lives.

Like Daniel in today’s first reading, let us be respectful of the customs and laws of the land, whilst being faithful to God. Let us show ourselves to be good citizens, helping to contribute to the growth of the country, promoting dialogue among peoples of different religions and cultures, and most of all, fostering unity in the country.

Only united with our Lord and relying on the Holy Spirit can we overcome the trials and persecution of this world. On our own we will fail. The way to victory is not just fortitude but finding faith in the Lord. Only knowing Christ, His passion, death and resurrection will give us the strength and the endurance to fight the good fight until the end. Jesus assures us that He will give us the Holy Spirit to overcome the trials of life when the time comes. We should not be too worried whether we can find the courage and strength to do His tasks. But if we have faith in Him, He will supply us the necessary graces to accomplish His work.

Jesus was the king of truth and manifested His royal power not by force but by bearing witness to the Truth. Jesus showed Himself to be King by being faithful to Himself, to His identity and His mission, which is uniting all peoples together in love by being reconciled with God. The kingdom that He came to establish is a spiritual kingdom. He was seeking to establish the rule of God which is one of justice, charity and mercy.

What really makes us happy in life are beautiful, enriching, and lasting relationships. Relationships where bonding, support and encouragement are present. These, in turn, motivate us to extend that same love and support to others.

We often mask the demoralized state of our personal Temple by external worship and observances. This temptation is very real, especially for those of us in positions of power, whether in politics or in religion. We appear to be righteous and serving the people, but we abuse their trust and authority by making use of people for our needs, pleasures and our riches. This is why the temptation to use our power and authority for self is even greater. As leaders we must be watchful that we do not fall into the same trap as the Jewish political and religious leaders. We must ask ourselves whether we are serving the people and serving God or ourselves. In truth, external worship and the interior life of the person go together. It does not mean that external worship is meaningless just because of hypocrisy. For those of us who are touched by God interiorly, then what is felt within us must also be expressed sacramentally in worship and in rituals. So there is no dichotomy between the Temple worship and the purification of our own inner Temple.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus set forth the blueprint to peace and a blessed life. He taught us purity of heart, compassion and mercy, poverty of spirit and the call to be peacemakers. The path of Jesus is non-violence and acceptance of sinners and gentiles. Today, let us pray specially for political and religious leaders, that they work together for the common good, so that peace may prevail.