Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Year C) - 20 November
20th November 2022
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Year C) - 20 November
Also known as the Solemnity of Christ the King, this is an important day in the Catholic Church's liturgical calendar.
Pope Pius XI in the encyclical “Quas Primas” (11 Dec 1925 AD), established this liturgical celebration. Honouring Christ the King evolved from devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Devotion to the Sacred Heart emphasised gentleness, mercy, peace and forgiveness among individuals, as in the memorable statement of Jesus, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart” (See Matthew 11:28:30).
Devotion to Christ the King emphasised international peace through a recognition of Jesus Christ’s religious/political reign, exercised through the Church and through Christ’s Vicar on earth. Pius XI wrote, “It would be a grave error … to say that Christ has no authority in civil matters. He is the author of … true prosperity … for every nation. If rulers of nations want to preserve their authority … they will not neglect the public duty of reverence and obedience to the rule of Christ. Our world has a long way to go toward such a goal.”
The Solemnity of Christ the King permanently replaces the 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
On this Solemnity, it is particularly important that there be Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is different from a normal priestly blessing. The priest is not the one blessing the people. Rather, the priest holds the Blessed Sacrament Who is the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is Christ Himself alone directly blessing the people. To signify this, the priest drapes the humeral veil over his shoulders and hands. We should receive every blessing with love, reverence, and humility. When Christ Himself bestows the blessing, our reception of it should echo the words of St Thomas: “My Lord and my God” as befits the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Reflection
Here is a short reflection on today's Gospel reading by the Venerable Archbishop Fulton J Sheen:
"Perhaps [the thief’s] first intimation that he was suffering with the Redeemer came to him as he turned his tortured head and read the inscription that bore His name, ‘Jesus’; His city, ‘Nazareth’; His crime, ‘King of the Jews.’ At any rate, enough dry fuel of the right kind gathers on the altar of his soul, and now a spark from the central Cross falls upon it, creating in it a glorious illumination of faith. He sees a Cross and adores a Throne; he sees a condemned Man, and invokes a King: ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom’ (Lk 23:42).
"Our Blessed Lord was owned at last! Amidst the clamour of the raving crowd and the dismal universal hiss of sin, in all that delirium of man’s revolt against God, no voice was lifted in praise and recognition except the voice of a man condemned. It was a cry of faith in Him Whom everyone else had forsaken, and it was only the testimony of a thief. At that moment, when death was upon Him, when defeat stared Him in the face, the only one outside the small group at the foot of the Cross to acknowledge Him as Lord of a kingdom, as the Captain of souls, was a thief at the right hand of Christ.
"At the very moment when the testimony of a thief was given, Our Blessed Lord was winning a greater victory than any life can win and was exerting a greater energy than that which harnesses waterfalls; He was losing His life and saving a soul. And on that day when Herod and his whole court could not make Him speak, nor all the power of Jerusalem make Him step down from the Cross, nor the unjust accusations of a courtroom force Him to break silence, nor a mob crying, ‘He saved others; Himself He cannot save’ bring from His burning lips a retort, He turns to a quivering life beside Him, speaks, and saves a thief: ‘This day you shall be with me in paradise.’ No one before was ever the object of such a promise, not even Moses or John, not even Magdalen nor Mary!
"It was the thief’s last prayer, perhaps also his first. He knocked once, sought once, asked once, dared everything, and found everything.
"Christ, who was poor, died rich. His hands were nailed to a Cross, and yet He unlocked the keys of paradise and won a soul. His escort into heaven was a thief. May we not say that the thief died a thief, for he stole paradise?
"Oh, what greater assurance is there in all the world of the mercy of God? Lost sheep, prodigal sons, broken Magdalens, penitent Peters, forgiven thieves! Such is the rosary of divine forgiveness." (The Cries of Jesus from the Cross)
Prayer for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
O Lord our God, You alone are the most Holy King and Ruler of all nations. We pray to You, Lord, in the great expectation of receiving from You, O Divine King, mercy, peace, justice, and all good things. Protect, O Lord our King, our families and the land of our birth. Guard us we pray most Faithful One. Protect us from our enemies and from Your just judgement. Forgive us, O Sovereign King, our sins against You. Jesus, You are a king of mercy. We have deserved Your just judgement. Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us. We trust in Your great mercy. O most awe-inspiring King, we bow before You and pray: May Your reign, Your kingdom, be recognised on earth. Amen. 💖🙏💐