Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. In 1969, Pope Paul VI elevated today’s celebration from a feast to a solemnity, and "of the Universe” was added to the title. However, today, I will be discussing the institution of the original feast day.

Pope Pius XI’s encyclical Quas Primas, issued on December 11, 1925, established the Feast of Christ the King. He began the document by explaining why the feast is necessary. Historically, it was the aftermath of World War I and a time of great social and political upheaval. The world was witnessing the rise of totalitarian regimes and ideologies that sought to marginalize or eliminate religion from public life. The Pope saw these developments as symptoms of a deeper spiritual crisis – the rejection of Christ's authority in both private and public spheres. He stressed that there can be no lasting peace in the world until individuals and governments submit to the rule of Christ.

In his encyclical, Pope Pius describes the nature of Christ’s kingship. Firstly, it is a metaphorical kingship where he reigns in our hearts and minds due to his perfect knowledge and truth; he rules over our will through his grace and inspiration, and his love and mercy draw all people to him. Secondly, it is a literal kingship. As a man, Christ received power, glory, and a kingdom from the Father, and as God he shares supreme dominion over all creation with the Father. The nature of Christ's kingship far surpasses the nature of any civic leader here on earth. Secular leaders, whether elected or appointed, do not reign in our hearts, rule over our wills, or draw us in with their love, nor do they have glory from God and dominion over all creation. Therefore, our civic leaders are much more limited in what they can do for us than Jesus, so it seems unreasonable to turn to them for our needs over him.

Pope Pius reminds his readers that Christ’s kingship is rooted in Scripture in both the Old and New Testaments. Numerous prophetic texts foretell the coming of a messianic king. Isaiah speaks of a child born to rule, whose "empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace." Daniel envisions "one like the son of man" receiving an everlasting kingdom. The Gospels present Jesus as the fulfillment of these prophecies. The Archangel Gabriel announces to Mary that her son will receive "the throne of David" and reign forever. Jesus himself even speaks of his kingdom and affirms his royal status before Pilate.

Pope Pius then identifies the two primary foundations for Christ’s kingship. The first is his divine nature. As the eternal Son of God, Christ possesses kingship by his very essence. He quotes St. Cyril of Alexandria saying, "Christ has dominion over all creatures, a dominion not seized by violence nor usurped, but his by essence and by nature." The second foundation for his kingship is his role as our redeemer. Christ acquired kingship over humanity as our redeemer through his sacrificial death on the cross. He purchased us “with great price” so that our own bodies could be members of his body.

According to Quas Primas, there is a threefold nature to Christ’s kingship. First, it is universal. Pope Pius stresses that Christ’s kingdom encompasses all of humanity. This includes Catholics, non-Catholics, and even non-believers. It applies to individuals but also families, states, and countries. There is no doubt we can see the effects of the lack of respect for the universal sovereign of our world today. The second nature of Christ’s kingship is that it is spiritual. This world, and everything in it, will eventually pass away. Our King is concerned with our spiritual well-being and that we, his subjects, are detached from worldly things and resist the powers of darkness. The cross that we must pick up and carry along with him is a symbol of his spiritual kingship. Finally, the third nature of Christ’s kingship is that it is absolute. Human authority is always limited and temporary; no human authority has power over God's authority. Sometimes, it may seem like dark forces are winning, especially these days, but Pope Pius warns us against despair. Regardless of how bad things may seem, Christ will prevail with his justice and peace in the end.

Recognizing Christ as King has implications for us as individuals and society, which the Pope tells us is his reason for instituting the feast. He states that throughout the history of the Church, feasts have been instituted to draw attention to the people’s needs or provide a source of strength and blessings. So, what are the implications for us? First, we need to begin with ourselves and our own personal transformation. Acknowledging Christ as King calls for a reorienting of our lives, placing Him at the center of our thoughts, decisions, and actions. We can reconsecrate ourselves to Christ by renewing our baptismal commitments and consciously placing ourselves under his lordship. We can also renew our commitment to evangelization. By sharing the Gospel, we help others come to know Christ as their God and King.

While it is much more difficult for us as individuals to control, there are also implications for society. Pope Pius XI argues that society, as a whole, must recognize Christ's authority in order for true peace and prosperity to flourish. As it is now, secularism has taken hold; religion has been excluded from public life, and most people live as if God does not exist. Relativism has also infected the collective consciousness. The denial of absolute truth undermines the authority of Christ’s teaching and has profoundly affected society. Finally, an excessive focus on self that resists submission to any higher authority has resulted in prideful individualism that is blind to the truth of Jesus. As I stated earlier, the pope does not want us to despair about these more significant societal issues, so we must pray and hope. As Pope Pius XI wrote, "When…men recognize, both in private and in public life, that Christ is King, society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony."  

Before concluding, I want to draw attention to the significance of where Pope Pius XI placed this feast on the liturgical calendar. It occurs on the last Sunday of the liturgical year, just before Advent, symbolizing Christ's eternal reign and the culmination of history. This placement emphasizes the eschatological aspect, reminding us of Christ's triumphant return as King at the end of time. Also, by placing the feast before Advent, the Church highlights a transition from recognizing Christ’s eternal kingship to preparing for his coming at Christmas. This juxtaposition calls us to acknowledge Christ’s sovereignty in our lives as we prepare for his Incarnation. The Mass and Office for this feast emphasize Christ's universal kingship and call us to submit ourselves to His loving rule.

As we celebrate this solemnity, let us renew our allegiance to Christ the King, striving to make His reign a reality in our hearts, our families, and our world. By embracing His kingship, we find true freedom and fulfillment, participating in the building of a kingdom that will endure for all eternity.

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