Today we celebrate the final Sunday of the Liturgical Year through this celebration of the Solemnity of Christ the King. Next Sunday we embark upon the season of Advent and thus we will begin to long for He who is known as "Rex Pacificus" "The King of Peace" who is Christ our Lord who was born in that little town of Bethlehem.
This Solemnity further serves as a reminder of this world's need for this great King of Peace. Time and time again throughout the history of the world we have seen a rejection of this reality and thus too we have see the consequences. For this reason Pope Pius XI instituted this feast on the liturgical calendar in 1925 thus proclaiming Christ's royalty over us as individuals, families, society, governments, and nations.
Quoting Pope Pius XI from his encyclical letter, "Quas Primas" "In the First": "These manifold evils in the world are due to the fact that the majority of men have thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law out of their lives; that these have no place either in private affairs or in politics: and that as long as individuals and states refuse to submit to the rule of our Savior, there will be no hopeful prospect of a lasting peace among nations. Only Christ, the Prince of Peace, is able to restore in the heart of human society the reign of justice, love and peace which has been shattered by sin and by the rejection—public and private—of God's law. That is why we must work every day to establish the "peace of Christ through the reign of Christ," that is to say the fruitful union of faith and of the fatherland, the Church and the State."
We see these effects mentioned by Pope Pius XI played out upon the world in what seems to be a constant basis. We have seen this most recently played out in France only a week ago when terror struck their nation. We see this played out constantly as we are thrust into a world of fear and doubt which desires to remove Christ from the public sphere. Where Christ is not found we will never come to know peace!
In the heart that has been hardened by sin; peace cannot be found. Why, but because in the midst of sin we have pushed Christ the King of Peace from our midst. We have come to prefer chaos over peace. This utter rejection of Christ leads to the world's miseries because what we see here is a rejection of this great King and thus the peace that He brings.
May each of us come to reciprocate the peace that Christ has ushered into this world. Where our life is shattered under the weight of sin may we turn towards the spirit of conversion which alone can usher peace into our life and world. May families allow themselves to be modeled after the peace of Christ which always shines forth from the tranquility of the Holy Family. If we desire to discover peace within this world we must entrust ourself to Christ who is the King of Peace.
May we allow our mind and heart to be elevated towards this great King for here alone can we come to discover peace
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