Greeting (see Second Reading)
All blessings to you from Jesus Christ, our saving Lord and
king, the beginning and end of all that is, who is and who was and who is to
come. His peace and grace be always with you. R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
- A
King Unlike Any Other
Kings stand for power, riches, splendor. On today’s feast of
Christ the King what kind of king is shown us? A man wearing a crown of thorns,
in a purple mantle to mock him as a fake king, and standing as an accused
criminal before Pilate who represents the world’s power. Where is true power to
be found? It is in the truth of the power of God’s love to which Jesus came to
testify by going all the way of serving love. God loves us totally in his Son
Jesus. This is why Jesus is our Lord and King.
- A
King on The Throne Of The Cross
Jesus hung on the cross, dying. Next to him there was one of
the two criminals also dying with Jesus. One of the strangest dialogues ever
took place here. The bandit, struck by Jesus’ serenity, said, “Jesus, remember
me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus answered, “Today you will be
with me in paradise.” A condemned man dying on a cross for a seemingly lost
cause promises a kingdom and a paradise of happiness! This states strongly what
kind of king we celebrate today: Christ, the king not of power but of truth and
love and peace.
Penitential Act
- A
King Unlike Any Other
How much have we followed Christ our king in his attitude of
service, love and truth? Let us examine ourselves before the Lord. (pause)
Lord Jesus, king of our hearts, you were born one of us in
the poverty of a crib in a stable: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have
mercy.
Jesus Christ, king of the people, you came to be the servant
of all, especially the sick, the weak and sinners: Christ, have mercy. R/
Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, king of the universe, your love went so far and
deep as to make you lay down your life for all: Lord, have mercy. R/
Lord, have mercy.
Bring us your healing forgiveness, Lord, and make us share
in your kingship by helping us grow in your truth, your love and your spirit of
service. Lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
- A
King on the Throne of the Cross
We have not made visible enough the kingdom of God’s love. Let
us ask forgiveness from our Lord. (pause)
Lord Jesus, yours is the kingdom of totally committed love. All
praise to you! Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, yours is the kingdom of justice for even the
least. All praise to you! Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, yours is the kingdom of the straightforward,
reliable truth. All praise to you! Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have
mercy.
Lord, in your great mercy forgive us all our sins. Live and
reign in us and lead us to the joy of everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray that we may reign with Jesus by serving with him
(pause)
God our Father, when you wanted to show us that you are the
master of all and the Lord of all people, you sent us Jesus your Son as the
humble servant of your love, who offered his life on the cross for all. Give us
enough faith to learn from him that to serve is to reign, and that to give our
life to our brothers and sisters is to find a joy and a happiness that no one
can take away from us. We ask you this in the name of Christ, our King and Lord
for ever and ever. R/ Amen.
First Reading: Son of Man and Eternal King
In the vision of Daniel, a “son of man” will bring people
together in his kingdom. This “son of man” will be no one else than Jesus.
Second Reading: All Glory and Power to Christ
We are called to share in Christ’s victory over death and
evil and to lead all people and the whole world to worship God.
Gospel: My Kingdom Is Not of This World
Jesus acknowledges before Pilate that he is king. But his
kingdom is not based on violence. It is the kingdom of those who freely accept
the truth and the life of Christ.
Intercessions (based on a text by René Mouret)
Let us pray to Christ our King, that he may reign among all
people by the power of his love. Let us say:
R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
– Blessed are you, king of the universe, who
came to make us a free people. For the leaders of nations who love and bring
freedom, and for those who make it die, we pray:
R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
– Blessed are you, king of the universe, who
came to make us a people of brothers and sisters. For those who defend the
rights of others and for those who defend only theirs, we pray:
R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
– Blessed are you, king of the universe, who
came to make us a people of witnesses. For the Christians who live their faith
and for those who let their faith die, we pray:
R/ Lord, your kingdom
come..
– Blessed are you, king of the universe, who
came to make us a people of the truth. For those whose words and deeds can be
trusted and for those who betray you and one another, we pray:
R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
– Blessed are you, king of the universe, who
came to make us a serving people. For those who care for one another and for
those who go their selfish ways, we pray:
R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
– Blessed are you, king of the universe, who
came to make us a people of hope. For those who keep toiling for all that is
good and for those who give up in discouragement, we pray:
R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
Our Lord and king, with you we carry the burdens of our
brothers and sisters. May its weight be light because it is a burden of love.
Be our strength now and for ever. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord God, our Father, you have put into our hands a piece of
bread, a little wine, but also the growth of your kingdom and the future of the
world. Make this growth and this future certain by giving it the name of Jesus,
your Son. Like him and with him commit us totally to you and to people, in
generous love and dedicated service. We ask this in the name of Jesus the
Lord. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
In this Eucharist we celebrate how Christ freed us from sin
by his blood and brought us life by his resurrection. With him we thank our
Father in heaven and pray that we may be committed to him and his kingdom.
Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer
With Jesus, our Lord and king, we pray to our Father in
heaven that his kingdom may grow among us: R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil and grant to a divided
world the peace of the kingdom of your Son. Keep us free from the sins for
which in his love he died on the cross. Reassure us in the trials of life that
those who serve him loyally will share in his joy at the coming in glory of the
kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus, our Lord and king, who is the beginning and
the end, the meaning of our lives. Happy are we to be invited to the table of
his kingdom. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
Our God and Father, Pilate said of Jesus your Son: Look at
the man — Look at your king. Jesus has been with us now and we have recognized
him in faith as your eternal Son, a man and our king. Make us respond to his
challenge to become, like him, people living for others, who can give a face, a
voice, a heart and a name to your saving love. Help us to make him the
beginning and the end of all that what we are and do, that he may be our Lord
and king for ever. R/ Amen.
Blessing
Bow your heads and pray for God’s blessing.
May the Good News of the Kingdom spread and enrich all
peoples and cultures everywhere over the wide world. R/ Amen.
May the kingdom of Christ grow among us as a kingdom of
justice, love and peace. R/ Amen.
May the light of Christ’s truth enlighten all and his
serving love be alive in us all. R/ Amen.
May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the
Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Let us go in the name of Christ. R/ Thanks be to
God.
****
Commentary
SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING
The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the
Universe, is the crown of the liturgical year. Jesus began his public life
proclaiming that “the kingdom of God has come”, “the kingdom of God is here.”
The expression “the kingdom of God” and “the kingdom of heaven” appears 104
times in the Gospels. In the bible, the God of Israel is often spoken of as the
God who reigns, the God who will create a new world in which justice and peace
will reign forever.
Pope Pius XI instituted the feast of Christ the King in
1925. The first World War had created bitterness among nations and many
powerful countries around the world were trying to establish their supremacy
over the rest. The Fascist regime in Italy was gaining grounds and Russia was
under the rule of Stalin. Nazism was emerging in Germany; Spain and Portugal
were falling into the hands of the absolute powers. In the midst of growing
uncertainties, Pope Pius XI wanted to reassure the faithful and the World that
history belonged to Christ and not to any other self-proclaimed powers of this
world.
Christ’s kingdom has a different origin from those of this
world. From this world come the kingdoms that are guided by the impulse to
compete, fight, trying to dominate others, and subdue those who are weaker.
They are the kingdoms of the beasts that devour and destroy the weak; the
kingdoms of the multinationals that control the exploitation of the poor,
trafficking of persons, and that manage the world finances. One of the three
temptations that Jesus encountered in the wilderness was to start a similar kingdom,
based on these worldly principles. The evil one had said to him: “All these I
shall give to you if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” And Jesus
rejected this kingship. Jesus has nothing to do with this royalty. Care should
be taken when we try to apply the image of a king to Jesus.
Christ the King wants to establish in the world His Kingdom of love, justice, and peace. History teaches us that kingdoms founded on the powers of arms and lies are fragile and, sooner or later, collapse; but the Kingdom of God is founded on love and is rooted in hearts, conferring on one who receives it peace, freedom, and fullness of life. We all want peace, freedom and fullness. And how does it come about? Let the love of Christ the King, his mercy and forgiveness take root in our hearts. Christ the King can give new meaning to our life, which is ravaged by our mistakes and our sins, provided we do not follow the logic of the world and of its “kings.”
