The Feast of Christ the King AD 2024
This year, the Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity is the last Sunday in October, on which the Feast of Christ the King has been celebrated since 1925. Pope Pius XI instituted this holiday to confirm important facts that emerge from the following Bible verses:
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Matthew 28:18)
“For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” (Romans 13:1)
“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)
Christ is not only the great King of the end times, but He is King now and always. The kingship of Jesus is not limited to the heavenly realm, but everything, both the invisible and the visible world, is subject to it. Christ is King and we are His subjects – we even confess this in the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven… For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.”
Everyone who has any power and authority on this earth has received it from God. This doesn’t mean that those who have power and authority can be arrogant and lord it over others as tyrants. On the contrary, realizing that their authority comes from God should make them humble because they know that it does not belong to them, but to God, who has power and authority over everyone, including them. It is not for nothing that members of the government in many countries are called ministers – this word comes from Latin and means servant. This is also what we say when praying for our President: “Most heartily we beseech thee, with thy favour to behold and bless thy servant The President of the United States, and all others in authority; and so replenish them with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, that they may always incline to thy will, and walk in thy way.”
Unfortunately, it often happens that earthly rulers do not do God’s will and do not walk in His ways. In this case, we must listen to the word of God rather than the word of men. We must obey the laws of the land, but if they conflict with God’s Law, we cannot follow them. This is not a call to rebellion, but a reminder that we must follow our conscience, which may lead to a situation where we have to suffer persecution for the sake of truth and justice.
Christ is the King who, as the Gospel for the Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity shows, is merciful, long-suffering and forgiving. Christ is the King who is compassionate even to those who have transgressed against Him. He expects the same from us: that we, being obedient to Him, follow His example, living in forgiveness and love.