Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, or Christ the King. Today also is the last Sunday of this liturgical year. The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, or Christ the King, was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 with his encyclical “Quas primas”, which means, “In the first”, as a response to secularism and atheism in the world, during his era as Pope. In this encyclical, Pope Pius XI pointed out that the attempt to abolish Jesus Christ and his teachings in our world, would lead to chaos and discord among people and nations.
So today’s solemnity is a reminder to us that, governments will come and go, but Christ will reigns as King forever. According to Pope Pius XI, the kingship of Christ is rooted in the Church’s teaching on the Incarnation, which teaches that Jesus is fully God and fully man. Jesus Christ is both the divine Lord and the man who suffered and died on the Cross, one person of the Blessed Trinity who unites himself to human nature and reigns over all creation as the Incarnate Son of God. From this, it follows not only that Christ is to be adored by angels and men, but that to him as man, angels and men are subject, and must recognize his empire. By reason of the hypostatic union, Christ has power over all creatures” states Quas primas, #13.
Today’s Solemnity also reminds us of our religious freedom, and encourages us to publicly proclaim and live out, our faith and our belief in God. So as Catholic Christians and as a Church, we should acknowledge the reign of Christ, not only privately, but publicly. Thus according to Quas primas, #26 by sermons preached at meetings and in churches, by public adoration of the Blessed Sacrament exposed and by solemn processions, men (and women) unite in paying homage to Christ, whom God has given them for their King”.
My dear friends in Christ, by celebrating the Solemnity of Christ the King, we declare to the world and remind ourselves that Jesus is the Lord of the Church and of the entire universe. So ask yourself, how am I, telling or showing the world who Christ is? How am I proclaiming the kingship of Christ as the center of my life? In order to fulfill this call of Pope Pius XI in 1925 to proclaim the kingship of Christ in our world today, we have to - Sincerely accept and acknowledge Christ as the King of our lives, by making Christ the center of our lives through listening to his Word, and accepting his gospel. Secondly, we have to faithfully and publicly proclaim Christ the King of Kings in words and deeds daily, not once in a while, but always to the world.
So my dear brothers and sisters, let us make Christ the King of Kings in our lives today, by sincerely accepting and acknowledging him into our lives, and by faithfully and publicly proclaiming him in word and deed to the world.
