Solemnity of Christ King of the Universe/C
Massimo Palombella
Pope Pius XI instituted today’s Solemnity on 11th December 1925 with the Encyclical “Quas Primas“.
Beyond any historical or cultural connotation of this feast, it seems important to grasp the essence of today’s celebration of Christ, “King of the Universe”.
A kingship imbued with the weakness of a God who was insulted, beaten and put to death; a kingship that stops at our freedom; a kingship that never abandons us when we take refuge in that apparent peace with an aftertaste of death, and that is capable of overcoming all our hidden resistance with unimaginable love and infinite mercy.
Saint Paul VI, in his homily given in Manila on 29th November 1970, admirably and essentially summarizes Christ’s kingship in our lives:
“Jesus is the Christ, the living Son of God. He is the revealer of the invisible God, he is the first-born of every creature. He is the foundation of all things. He is the Master of mankind, and the Redeemer. He was born, he died, he rose again for us. He is the centre of history and of the world. He is the one who knows us and loves us. He is the companion and friend of our life. He is the man of sorrow and hope. He is the one who is to come and who must one day be our judge and, as we hope, the eternal fullness of our existence, our happiness”.
The Gradual for today’s celebration is taken from Psalm 71 (Ps 71:8, 11) with the following text:
Dominabitur a mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad terminos orbis terrarum.
Et adorabunt eum omnes reges terrae: omnes gentes servient ei.
(He shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
All the kings of the earth shall adore him; all nations shall serve him).
The attached music, in Gregorian chant, is taken from the Graduale Triplex published in Solesmes in 1979. The music track can be found on YouTube, where there are no indications about the interpretation.
A blessed Sunday and heartfelt greetings.
