Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King in 1925. At that time, it was celebrated on the last Sunday of October, the Sunday nearest All Saints Day. It is now placed as the last Sunday of the Church Year. The symbolism is obvious. Jesus Christ is the beginning and end of all things. He is the alpha (1st letter of the Greek alphabet) and omega (last letter) - see Revelation 1:8.
This feast was instituted to counteract several problems of the times. One was the totalitarianism of Naziism, Fascism, Communism and Socialism which was the attitude that the state was the most important thing in life.
Another problem was quietism, a tendency toward pietism and sentimentalism—the attitude that prayer alone would save the world. So the honoring of Christ the King means that he is the most important thing in life. He sums up the theology of “king” in the Old Testament. The king was to bring the people to God; he was to rule in the name of God; he was to deliver the people from all dangers and provide for all their needs.
May we ask Jesus to do all those things for us. May we make him King of our hearts.
- Fr. Carl
“My friend, dwell on the patience of our Lord!”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars
