“I am the Alpha and Omega.” Says the Lord God, “the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty” (Revelation 1: 8).

 On the last Sunday of every liturgical year, which this Sunday is, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Christ the King—King of the Universe. Next Sunday, we will begin a new liturgical year as we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent.

The Solemnity of Christ the King takes place on the last Sunday of the liturgical year to remind us that at the end of time, Christ will come to judge the living and the dead. The solemnity is intended to remind us that we are to be ready to meet Christ when He comes by being ready to meet Him today and always. While Christians have always believed that Jesus was their king, this liturgical feast was first established in 1925 by Pope Pius XI. He instituted it in troubled times to remind Catholics that the worldly powers that were causing such political turmoil at the time were only temporary and passing. The true Kingship over humanity belonged to Christ and Christians ought to be more concerned with following Christ than those passing worldly powers. At the same time that Pius XI instituted the feast, he suggested that as it was celebrated all Catholics ought to renew their consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Pius XI’s motto as Pope was: “Christ’s Peace through Christ’s reign.”

Although it was almost one hundred years ago that this feast was introduced into the liturgical year by Pope Pius XI, the importance of its message in these difficult times remains. The political events in the world today have many people disturbed as they wonder how certain political leaders can behave in certain ways. As I think of the political situation around the world, I am reminded that even during the time of Christ, the political situation was quite difficult. Jesus’ country was being inhabited by the foreign Roman army and the King of the Jews, King Herod, was famous for his cruelty and tyrannical ways. Despite this, Jesus keeps His eyes fixed on doing the will of the Father and knows that His disciples will be sent out to live in this difficult situation. Instead of counselling them to despair, Jesus calls them to live in the hope of being God’s people and of working to build a just world through their individual acts of charity and compassion. In the face of their situation, Jesus calls His disciples to live the Beatitudes and to build the Kingdom of God by recognizing all people as their brothers and sisters.

As parishioners of St. Peter’s Parish in Toronto, it is perhaps significant that our own parish church was being built in 1925 at the time that Pius XI was instituting this solemnity as a feast to be celebrated in the liturgical year. One of the most beautiful pieces of art that our parish possesses is the statue of the Sacred Heart that is found in our church. This statute was placed in our church at a time that Pius XI was inviting all Catholics to acknowledge Christ’s reign by consecrating humanity to the Sacred Heart of Christ. What a beautiful image of who our King is—the Lord of Mercy who allowed His heart to be pierced for our salvation. The political powers who ruled in the time of Pius XI no longer exist. We have different troubles in our own day. However, Christ’s rule continues and His mercy and grace continue to change hearts and win disciples. As a sign of Christ’s enduring rule, this church building, and many others, have remained standing throughout the Great Depression, Wars, a worldwide pandemic, and again ongoing political uncertainty and tensions. On this Solemnity of Christ the King, you and I are called to a confidence in Christ and His power over all things—even death itself.

The image of the Sacred Heart proclaims the type of King that Christ is. We hear of this type of kingship in today’s Gospel as Jesus tells Pontius Pilate that His Kingdom is not concerned with a quest for power in this world.  His is a Kingdom of love and justice that will be revealed at the end of time and for which we are to work today by our acts or charity and by striving for Justice. When Christ the King comes at the end of time, to judge the living and the dead, we will not be judged by our wealth, possessions or titles. You and I will be judged by how we treated our brothers and sisters. To the extent that we saw Christ the King in those in need and recognized them as our fellow citizens of Heaven, we will have done what our King has asked of us. As He gave His life to save all people, we too are called to recognize all as our brothers and sisters. No matter who our political rulers are in this passing world, we who acknowledge Christ to be our King, and can never forget that we are all brothers and sisters—coheirs to Heaven. Through our baptisms, we are called to see Christ in those whom we encounter. As Christ the King will say to us: “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.”

This past October, Pope Francis issued a beautiful encyclical letter on the Sacred Heart, entitled Delexit Nos, or in English “He Loved Us.” In this letter, Pope Francis speaks to all Christians of the reason that they are to love their brothers and sisters and work for justice in the world. Because God has loved us so much, we are to do our best to love others and to work to build a world of justice and charity for them. One very important point that Pope Francis makes about the love of the Sacred Heart has to do with the Incarnation of Christ. Pope Francis reminds us that Jesus did not ignore our suffering and struggles. Out of love for the human person, He became one of us and entered into our reality to bring us salvation. Jesus became one of us to assist us and show us that we too must help our brothers and sisters. As He did not stay in Heaven and watch our suffering from a far, we too are called to get involved and act directly for the good of our brothers and sisters; no matter how far removed from our realities their suffering may appear to us to be.

In speaking about the call that is given to all Christians to care for others as a response to the love of the Sacred Heart, Pope Francis speaks of another individual with whom our own community is connected. I have often mentioned that the relics in our parish altar belong to two sets of saints. These are both the Canadian Martyrs (or North American Martyrs) and Saint Theresa of Lisieux. Pope Francis writes of Saint Theresa of Lisieux who desired to be a missionary, but was unable to do so as a result of her poor health. This confined her to a convent and in prayer she became a missionary of love for the whole world. This is a wonderful example for all of us. Perhaps our own situations do not make it possible for us to leave our homes and go off to assist in troubled parts of the world. However, like Theresa of Lisieux, we may pray and act from our own places to work for justice. This of course begins with actions of love and charity towards those with whom we live each day. However, we can also act through different campaigns that allow us to assist others through our actions and awareness of different world issues. Today, the parish will hear from members of the Social Justice Committee who will speak to us about how we can assist local farmers to protect their land and living by supporting a project of Development and Peace. Development and Peace is a Catholic agency, sponsored by our Catholic Bishops, that attempts to care for our brothers and sisters around the world. The problems of those in other countries may seem far away and of little concern to our day to day lives, but as Jesus the Sacred Heart is a King who got involved in our broken realities, we are called to get involved in the realities of our brothers and sisters to attempt to build His Kingdom on earth.

And while I think the example of Saint Theresa of Lisieux is one that can be helpful to all of us unable to leave our day to day routines to assist in other countries, the powerful example of the other set of saints in our altar, also speaks to the care we are to show to our brothers and sister in other countries. The Jesuit Canadian (or North American) Martyrs did what Saint Theresa of Lisieux desired to do, but was unable to do as a result of her health. Knowing of the need to bring the Gospel to other countries, they left everything to respond to the love of God for them. Because Jesus had loved them, they desired to bring His love to others. Their example speaks to the call that is given to all of us to do the same. This can be done by loving those down the street or on another continent. The Sacred Heart has made us all brothers and sisters of Christ the King. These great missionaries also remind us that if we cannot leave our homes and countries to assist others, we can support and pray for those who can and do answer this missionary call. The fact that their relics are in our altar, links Christ’s love for us as shown in the Eucharist, to our own call to go out into the world to carry on His mission of love for all humanity.

In the midst of the political uncertainty and reality that we find ourselves living in today, Pope Francis, like Pope Pius Xi so many years ago, recalls the love of the Sacred Heart as a model for how we are to love others and care for their needs. It is important to recall that Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan in response to the question: “Who is my neighbour.” The conclusion to this story calls us back to the love which Christ first showed us by becoming one of us in His incarnation. Our neighbour, our brother or sister, is the one whom we encounter in need. How you and I are to act towards those in need is stated quite clearly in Matthew, chapter 25, as Jesus responds to those who ignored the plight of their suffering brothers and sisters: “’Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’” This Gospel passage summarizes what you and I are called to do and be as we celebrate this Solemnity of Christ the King.

People sometimes say: “If Christ were here today,” or “if I had lived in Christ’s time, I would have done such and such.” As we celebrate today the Solemnity of Christ the King, Pope Francis’s letter on the Sacred Heart, entitled “He Loved Us,” reminds us that Christ is here today in our brothers or sisters in need. We are invited to serve Christ as He comes to us in those who are in need of our love and charity. This past year of uncertainty has taught us that there is so much that is beyond our control. It has also taught us what we can control. One of the few things that you and I can control is whom we allow to rule over our hearts and whom we will acknowledge as our King and Saviour. At the end of this liturgical year, we are asked to acknowledge Christ as our King and Saviour. We are invited to renew our own efforts to follow after our King, who is the Lord who allowed His Heart to be pierced for the salvation of all people. Christ the King has made us all His brothers and sisters by dying so that we may have life. Let us all acknowledge His rule over our lives by living as brothers and sisters who care for one another in these difficult times.

May Christ the King bless us and this world as we work to build His Kingdom.

Fr. Michael McGourty
Pastor, St. Peter’s Parish—Toronto, Ontario

This reflection based upon the readings for the Solemnity of Christ the King—Year B: Daniel 7:13-14; Psalm 93; Revelation 1: 5-8; and John 18: 33b-37.