“THUS WE SHALL ALWAYS BE WITH THE LORD»
“Then we who are olive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
THE JAPANESE ROYAL FAMILY, the oldest hereditary dynasty in the world, was shocked when Princess Mako decided to marry a commoner. It all began when the princess met Kei Komuro and, after a flaming romance, the young couple decided to promise eternal love to each other through the bonds of holy matrimony; but when they tried to get married in 2018, financial problems within the Komuro family caused the wedding to be postponed. After several years of trying to straighten it all out, the Japanese crown finally announced the wedding would take place on October 26, 2021.
According to Japanese law, Mako’s decision had serious implications. By deciding to marry someone who does not have royal blood (a commoner), the princess forfeited her status and ceased to receive the benefits granted to her for being part of the royal family. She was also reported to forgo the 1.3 million dollars “typically given to a member of the imperial family upon their departure from the household.’ Now, we should not assume Mr. Komuro is homeless. He is a successful lawyer who is living in the United States, where he will live with Mako. So I suppose Princess Mako will still have a very comfortable life.
Like a pale echo, Princess Mako’s decision reminded me of what Christ had to forgo. «Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness“ (Philippians 2:6, 7, NIV). Jesus left the royal mansions in heaven and came to earth to live as «a servant.» Why? Because He wanted to live “among us» (John 1:14).
Christ forfeited what was His so that we could change our status. Therefore, if we decide to enter into a permanent relationship with Him, we will cease to be commoners of this world and will become «members of the household of God» (Ephesians 2:19); and very soon «we shall always be with the Lord» (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Princess Mako was unable to take Komuro to live in a palace, but Christ will take us to His.
* “Princess Mako: Japanese royal to Finally Marry Commoner Boyfriend.» BBC (October I, 2021), https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58758317.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2023
“I AM WITH YOU”
From: J. VLADIMIR POLANCO
Collaborators: Lorina Maya & Avineyda Hernandez