Viva Cristo Rey!

As I began to reflect on the Church’s solemn feast today – The Solemnity of Christ the King – for some reason I remembered Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding in Great Britain.   As Kate came down the aisle after the ceremony she stopped and curtsied to the Queen.  As Americans we do not have a secular king or queen but we do have a King – He who rules and reigns over the Heavens and the earth.  He is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

And it occurred to me that each time we enter the Catholic Church, we do more than curtsy – hopefully  we  genuflect – we bend our knee and make a profound bow in solemn adoration of our sovereign King who is really and truly present there in the tabernacle.

 In the “Our Father” we ask our Heavenly Father to let  “your Kingdom come” – in our world but especially in our hearts.  We can’t have a Kingdom without a King.  What we are really praying for is that Jesus will reign – will be the Lord of our hearts and of our lives.  He will – if we let Him!

As we come into the Church we also reverence the Crucifix over the altar.  This is the throne of our valiant Heavenly King.  From the Cross He won the decisive victory over sin and death.    Perhaps we can keep all of these truths before us the next time we go to Mass. Let’s be on time, genuflect with a sure understanding of what we are doing and Who it is we are worshipping. 

“The Lord reigns as king forever! May the Lord give might to his people; may the Lord bless his people with peace" (Ps 29:10-11).