Today’s Feast brings a close to our Liturgical Year (next Sunday, the First Sunday of Advent, marks the beginning of a new Liturgical Year). Which brings one to reflect on what a year it’s been! Pandemics, political polarization and strife, riots, racism, toppling of statues, ongoing healing from scandals in the Church… and did I mention the pandemic of COVID which apparently is on the rise again?

On top of that, the Church continues to take steps of purifying and healing from various forms of scandal.

But while it’s been a challenging year, we cannot forget the reality of what we celebrate today: Jesus Christ is King. And while His ultimate and final victory is yet to be fulfilled in the end of all things, this is where we find our hope. But until that day, we continue to struggle and pray for everyone and everything to submit ever more fully under the power and Kingship of Jesus Christ.

“Jesus is King.” Kanye West has a rap album with this title.

Pray for our President to submit all of his life and heart, his thoughts and policies every more fully to the Kingship of Christ. Pray for our nation to submit ever more fully to the Kingship of Christ. Pray for the Bishops and Shepherds of the Church, especially those that have been entangled in the web of sin, of deception, cover-up, greed, and abuse, that they may repent and humbly surrender themselves to the Kingship of Christ. And let us pray for ourselves as well…for the tangle of sin runs deep in the human heart.

But as we fervently pray, to have hope…that despite all that goes on this crazy world, all the chaos and pain, that we look to our King, for He is the one to come to our rescue, to save us, even from death itself and eternal death. That no matter what this world throws at me, even if this world kills me, that my King can rescue me… I simply have to surrender all to Him here and now.

So as was shouted by Blessed Miguel Pro and many other Mexican martyrs just before they were killed for the faith, “Viva Cristo Rey!” That is, “Long live Christ the King!” May we surrender all in life and in death to Jesus Christ the King.

Peace,
Viva Cristo Rey!

-Fr Kevin