The
solemnity of Christ the King is
a fairly new feast day. Pope
Pius XI put in on the calendar
in 1925. He set it on the
Sunday before All Saints’ Day.
Maybe it could have been called
“All Saints’ Sunday.” In 1969
the feast was moved to the
Sunday before the season of
Advent begins.
The church
uses the language of royalty as
a symbol. Like a monarch, we
are anointed at baptism. We
become a royal people. We share
in Jesus’ crown. The kingdom we
are called to announce is one
of justice self-sacrifice,
peace and freedom.
We call
Christ “the King.” Maybe this
word brings to mind power and
wealth and authority. The
gospels we hear today tell us
something else. Jesus is
crowned with thorns. His throne
is the cross. We recognize our
royal ruler in the hungry, the
thirsty, the sick, the
imprisoned. These are the kings
and queens of heaven.
From
Companion to the Calendar,
M.E.Hynes
