The Feast of Christ the King
In his encyclical 'Quas Primas' of December 11, 1925, Pope Pius XI denounced the great modern heresy of laicism, which refuses to recognise the rights of God and His Christ over persons and peoples, and organizes the lives of individuals, families and of society itself, as though God did not exist. This laicism ruins society, because in place of the love of God and one's neighbour, it substitutes pride and egoism. It begets jealousy between individuals, hatred between classes, and rivalry between nations. The world denies Christ because it ignores His royal prerogatives. The Holy Father instituted the new 'Feast of Christ the King' to be a public, social and official declaration of the royal rights of Jesus, as God the Creator, as the Word Incarnate, and as Redeemer. The Feast of Christ the King is traditionally the last Sunday in October,
CHRIST THE KING by Leonardo da Vinci
Hymn.
Ruler of all from heaven's high throne,
O Christ, our King ere time began
We kneel before Thee Lord, to own
Thy empire o'er the heart of man.
While bands of shameless men recall
The homage due to Christ their Lord,
We own Thee Sov'reign Lord of all,
The King by heaven and earth ador'd.
O Prince of Peace, O Christ, subdue
Those rebel hearts, Thy peace restore;
Into thy sheep-fold lead anew
Thy scattered sheep, to stray no more.
For this upon the tree of shame
Thy body hung, with arms spread wide,
The spear revealed the heart of flame
That burned within Thy sacred side.
For this our altars here are spread
With mystic feast of bread and wine;
Still Thy redeeming blood is shed
From that sore-stricken heart of Thine.
May heads of nations fear Thy name
And spread Thy honour through their lands,
Our nations' laws, our arts proclaim
The beauty of Thy just commands.
Let kings the crown and sceptre hold
As pledge of Thy supremacy;
And Thou all lands, all tribes enfold
In one fair realm of charity.
Jesus, to Thee be honour done,
Who rulest all in equity.
With Father, Spirit, ever one,
From age to age eternally.
Amen.
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Gradual. Psalm lxxi. 8 11
He shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.
And all kings shall adore Him, all nations shall serve Him.
Alleluia, alleluia. His power shall be an everlasting power, which shall not be taken away; and His kingdom, a kingdom that shall not decay. Alleluia.
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Second Vespers of the day.
He shall be called the peaceful One, and His throne shall be established for ever.
His kingdom is a kingdom of all ages, and all kings shall serve and obey Him.
Behold a Man, the Orient is His name; He shall sit and rule, and shall speak peace unto the nations
The Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Law-giver; the Lord is our King, He will save us.
