Reflection
The Feast of Christ the King was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 as an antidote to secularism, a way of life which leaves God out of man's thinking and living and organizes his life as if God did not exist. The feast is intended to proclaim in a striking and effective manner Christ's royalty over individuals, families, society, governments, and nations.
Today's Mass establishes the titles for Christ's royalty over men: 1) Christ is God, the Creator of the universe and hence wields a supreme power over all things; "All things were created by Him"; 2) Christ is our Redeemer, He purchased us by His precious Blood, and made us His property and possession; 3) Christ is Head of the Church, "holding in all things the primacy"; 4) God bestowed upon Christ the nations of the world as His special possession and dominion.
Today's Mass also describes the qualities of Christ's kingdom. This kingdom is: 1) supreme, extending not only to all people but also to their princes and kings; 2) universal, extending to all nations and to all places; 3) eternal, for "The Lord shall sit a King forever"; 4) spiritual, Christ's "kingdom is not of this world". — Rt. Rev. Msgr. Rudolph G. Bandas
According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, this feast is celebrated on the last Sunday of October.
Today's Mass establishes the titles for Christ's royalty over men: 1) Christ is God, the Creator of the universe and hence wields a supreme power over all things; "All things were created by Him"; 2) Christ is our Redeemer, He purchased us by His precious Blood, and made us His property and possession; 3) Christ is Head of the Church, "holding in all things the primacy"; 4) God bestowed upon Christ the nations of the world as His special possession and dominion.
Today's Mass also describes the qualities of Christ's kingdom. This kingdom is: 1) supreme, extending not only to all people but also to their princes and kings; 2) universal, extending to all nations and to all places; 3) eternal, for "The Lord shall sit a King forever"; 4) spiritual, Christ's "kingdom is not of this world". — Rt. Rev. Msgr. Rudolph G. Bandas
According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, this feast is celebrated on the last Sunday of October.
Readings
First Reading: Daniel 7:13-14.
Today's feastday was instituted as a rallying-call to all Christians to
acknowledge the sovereignty of Christ our King over all earthly powers,
kingdoms and peoples. “His sovereignity is an eternal sovereignity.”
Responsorial Psalm: Ps: 92
R/. The Lord is King, with majesty enrobed.
Second Reading: Apocalypse (Rv) 1: 5-8.
As one would expect on this special feastday of Christ our King, the readings
chosen from sacred Scripture stress the kingly glory and dignity of Christ
after his triumph over sin and death, while they also remind us of how much
we owe him. “Ruler of the kings of the earth ... he made us a line of kings,
priests to serve his God.”
Gospel Reading: John 18: 33-37.
In today's two previous readings we have seen that the prophets foretold the
kingship of Christ and the Apostle John described him as the founder of our
kingdom who one day would judge all mankind. In today's gospel, we have our
divine Lord's own statement that he is a king---the king of a new and everlasting
kingdom which is not of this world. “It is you who say that I am king.”
Today's feastday was instituted as a rallying-call to all Christians to
acknowledge the sovereignty of Christ our King over all earthly powers,
kingdoms and peoples. “His sovereignity is an eternal sovereignity.”
Responsorial Psalm: Ps: 92
R/. The Lord is King, with majesty enrobed.
Second Reading: Apocalypse (Rv) 1: 5-8.
As one would expect on this special feastday of Christ our King, the readings
chosen from sacred Scripture stress the kingly glory and dignity of Christ
after his triumph over sin and death, while they also remind us of how much
we owe him. “Ruler of the kings of the earth ... he made us a line of kings,
priests to serve his God.”
Gospel Reading: John 18: 33-37.
In today's two previous readings we have seen that the prophets foretold the
kingship of Christ and the Apostle John described him as the founder of our
kingdom who one day would judge all mankind. In today's gospel, we have our
divine Lord's own statement that he is a king---the king of a new and everlasting
kingdom which is not of this world. “It is you who say that I am king.”