Christ the King
When the Liturgical Season comes to an end, we celebrate Christ the King on the last Sunday. The following Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent. Time flies by! The celebration of Christ the King was begun by Pope Pius XI in 1925, to give emphasis to Our Lord in a time of great indifference. Not unlike the times we are in today. How many have forgotten Our Lord ... a friend of mine told me of a conversation about Holy Mass, and quoted someone in Europe asking if Masses are still being said ... hard to believe that such a question would be asked at all. Mass attendance in Europe is way down.
If only people who have stopped going would come to Church on Christ the King Sunday, to listen to a good homily ... a good homily? Yes, there are good homilies, provided people will open their ears and listen. But many people tune out when the homily begins. Not every priest can preach like Bishop Fulton Sheen, but many do very well indeed and they really try. And, I hasten to say that there are many Deacons who preach very well, too. Hopefully not everyone is asleep during the homily, a condition that befalls me every so often. I am not a morning person, and since I sing in the choir, I must go to that early Mass. Christ, our King and Savior reigns over all of us, even those whose Faith is no longer as fervent as it used to be.
What is “The kingdom of God?” That phrase appears in the Gospels many times, but there is no easy answer. Generally one can define this Kingdom as the Rule of God in our hearts. Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of God belongs to the humble, and that it will grow. We can ask that the Father make this kingdom present within us. It is a treasure, we need to search for, and when we find this kingdom we must guard it and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. This kingdom is universal, as all are invited to participate.
I pray that all men and women of good will, will seek the Kingdom of God in their beings, by trying to obey this Rule of God, and follow Jesus, our Savior and King.
Peace and all Good,
Fred Schaeffer, SFO
November 19, 2010