Sunday, November 23, 2025
On this Sunday, and the last Sunday of each liturgical year, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Next Sunday, November 30, ushers in a new liturgical year with the First Sunday of Advent, a season of hopeful waiting that renews our anticipation of Christ’s coming. The feast of Christ the King was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 in direct response to the rising tide of militant secularism by leaders such as Mussolini and Hitler that sought to marginalize the Catholic Church and deny Christ’s authority over individuals, societies, and nations. The feast gives Catholics hope that Christ the King shall reign forever and beckons us to pause, reflect, and pledge our allegiance to the only One to whom our ultimate allegiance is due. The readings for today urge us to behold Christ not as a distant, supreme being but as the intimate Lord who loves and transforms us. We recognize Christ as our King, whose throne is the cross and whose crown is made of thorns, offering eternal life not to the mighty but to the repentant faithful.
In the Old Testament reading from Second Samuel, we encounter the tribes of Israel coming together in the ancient city of Hebron to recognize David as their shepherd and ruler, a role promised by God, thus fulfilling His covenant. They anoint him as king. David, who was once a shepherd boy, becomes the anointed one and prefigures Christ, whose reign unites not just Israel but all humanity. The kingships of David and of Christ call us to see kings and leaders not as authoritarian oppressors but as servants. In the New Testament reading, Paul thanks the Father who has rescued us from darkness into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption. Finally, in St. Luke’s Gospel reading, we see Christ’s kingship reaching its surprising and deeply profound high point at Calvary. On the cross, mercy triumphs and kingship is redefined, not salvation through power, but through humble endurance. The Gospel recounts the encounter between the “Good Thief”, St. Dismas, with Jesus. Of him, Pope Francis said, “On that day at Calvary, many voices remained silent; others jeered. Only the thief’s voice rose to the defense of the innocent victim of suffering. His was a brave profession of faith. Each of us has the same possibility: we can choose to remain silent, to jeer or to prophesy. What brought about this conversion? The gift of faith. Faith is not something we can simply summon for ourselves. Like hope, it is a gift from God.” — Pope Francis at Mass in Nagasaki, November 24, 2019.
As this liturgical year ends, let us renew our allegiance to Christ, our Sovereign King. Let us dethrone idols, ambitions, and materialism that rival Him. In prayer, echo St. Dismas, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus’ response? Paradise awaits you.
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord.