The Significance of the Feast of Christ the King

I am writing this article on the Feast of Christ the King (in the Traditional Calendar). Pope Pius XI established this feast in 1925.  In his Encyclical Letter, Quas Primas, he wrote, “That these blessings may be abundant and lasting in Christian society, it is necessary that the kingship of our Savior be as widely as possible recognized and understood, and to that end nothing would serve better than the institution of a special feast in honor of the Kingship of Christ.”¹  In the world of 1925, and even more significantly, in 2020, it is often easy to be distracted and forget that Jesus Christ is not just our Lord and Savior, but He is also our King.  Like loyal subjects, we MUST serve our King faithfully with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength.  

 In the materialistic society we live in today, many people focus more on making money and acquiring things than they focus on serving God.  Jesus tells us, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon.”²  In today’s world, it seems more people are serving mammon than serving God.  Look at how many people, especially in political discussions, seem to despise God.  We NEED the Feast of Christ the King to bring our focus back to where it belongs - to Jesus Christ.

When Pope Pius XI established the Feast of Christ the King in 1925, he placed it on the last Sunday in October - immediately before All Saints Day.  Pope Pius explains why he chose this date - “The last Sunday of October seemed the most convenient of all for this purpose, because it is at the end of the liturgical year, and thus the feast of the Kingship of Christ sets the crowning glory upon the mysteries of the life of Christ already commemorated during the year, and, before celebrating the triumph of all the Saints, we proclaim and extol the glory of him who triumphs in all the Saints and in all the Elect.”³  In celebrating the Feast of Christ the King immediately before All Saints Day, the Church recognizes that what Christ started in His earthly ministry is carried on by those who become saints in our world.  Christ continued to reign over the saints in their earthly lives and He continues to reign over us as well.  The Kingdom of Jesus Christ is here and now.  Jesus’ Kingship has a direct impact on how we live our lives today.

The modern Church moved the Feast of Christ the King to the last Sunday of the Liturgical year.  When the date was changed, the significance of the feast was changed as well.  Dr. Peter Kwasniewski explains what this change means to the significance of the feast, “This new position emphasizes rather the eschatological dimension of Christ’s kingship: the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, though begun in time, is here present 'as in a mystery' (as Lumen Gentium phrases it) and in a 'crucified' way.  This Kingdom will be perfected and fully manifested only at the end of time, with the Second Coming.”⁴  In this new understanding of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the emphasis is placed, not on the here and now, but AFTER the Second Coming.

When celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter, we often hear the proclamation, ChristusVivit! Christus Regnat! Christus Imperat! (Christ Conquers! Christ Reigns! Christ Commands!).  This proclamation is also significant when celebrating the Feast of Christ the King.  Christ reigns over us today, on earth, NOW.  As a king who reigns over us today, He is leading us into battle against the forces of evil.  In the Postcommunion prayer from Mass for the Feast of Christ the King, we read, “Having received the food of immortality, we beseech You, O Lord, that we who glory in our warfare under the banners of Christ our King, may reign with Him forever in His heavenly dwelling place.”  There is a reason those Christians alive on earth today are referred to as the Church Militant.  We are indeed waging a war under the banner of Christ our King.

At the end of Mass, we hear the words, Ite Missa Est.  Literally translated it means, “She is sent.”  She is the Church, sent out into the world to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ and His Kingship to everyone we encounter.  How many of us take our faith into the public square?  How many of us tell our friends, neighbors, co-workers, or strangers on social media about the Kingship of Jesus Christ?  Our nation and our world must come to the realization that there can be no lasting peace until the Kingship of Christ is acknowledged by all.  

We can only have one King.  Either Jesus Christ reigns or the Evil One reigns.  To quote Canon David Silvey, of the Oratory of St. Leo the Great (ICKSP), “We cannot be for Christ, and yet deny His authority over all people everywhere, even in the public square.”  If we are for Christ, we must be for Christ EVERYWHERE.  At Mass, at home, at work, in the public square, and in the voting booth.  We must allow Jesus to reign over our entire lives.  If there is any part of our lives over which we do not allow Jesus to reign, we must honestly ask ourselves why.  Jesus said, “He who is not for me, is against me.”⁵  Are you with Jesus or against Him?  If you are with Him, acknowledge His Kingship and allow Him to reign over your life completely. 

 

^{1 Quas Primas, paragraph 21}

^{2 Matthew 6:24 RSCVE}

^{3 Quas Primas, paragraph 29}

^{4 Should the Feast of Christ the King Be Celebrated in October or November, Rorate Caeli}

^{5 Matthew 12:30 RSVCE}