Christ the King

Dear Friends,

Wear white and gold today! It is the Feast of Christ the King! Happy Feast!

My Catholic friends will know this but others might not, so here is a brief summary of the importance of this feast. It is the last Sunday of the liturgical (church) year. Next Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent which means we will start prepping for Christmas. So that’s exciting in itself. But celebrating Christ the King is the feast where we look to the future and remember the Christ has already won. Death has already been defeated. Christ will come in glory. There will be judgement, but that means there will be justice and therefore peace.

Mary, did you know when you saw the angel what suffering and glory were coming? (Virgin Annunciate by Antonella da Messina. Source: Wikipedia)

So, rejoice and tremble, Friends! We are in the hands of the all-good God.

Mary, did you know what death He would suffer? (Detail of the Altarpiece of Ghent by the van Eyck brothers. Source: Wikipedia)

This has been a year of disasters of various kinds. To name a few: pandemic, panic about the pandemic, riots, and increasingly poor communication between political sides. We all know the troubles and have our own; I won’t try to enumerate all of them. They are real and many, so that’s terrifying.

Nevertheless, today is the feast of the future. Christ will come again in Glory. Right now, we’re just suffering through the aftermaths and participating in the clean-up skirmishes of the war against evil. Christ has already won. He defeated death. Death is the last evil to be defeated (1 Cor. 15:26), but Christ rose! So, we needn’t worry.

Mary, did you know that He would rule in glory for eternity that day when the angel came to you? (Christ the Judge by Fra Angelico. Source: Web Gallery of Art)

Amici cari, I’ve struggled with fear and anxiety periodically throughout this year. I know this is common for a lot of people (especially, young people). Today is the feast to remind us though, that we live in the two thousand and twentieth year of the Lord (Anno Domini) — a.k.a. 2020 A.D. — and our King’s rule is absolute (though mysterious). So, as Pope John Paul II said,

“Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ. To His saving power open the boundaries of States, economic and political systems, the vast fields of culture, civilization and development. Do not be afraid. Christ knows ‘what is in man’. He alone knows it.” (Source: Vatican archive)

Vivo Cristo Rey!

I pray for peace for all of you! Have a happy feast!