Feast of the SOVEREIGNTY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, SUPREME KING Missa “Dignus est Agnus”
The royalty of Christ rests upon a twofold basis. He is our King by right of birth and by right of conquest. The first refers us to the personality of the son of God, whereby, in His divine nature as. God an by virtue of the hypostatic union, He is the sovereign Lord and Master. The second places before us the God-man coming down on earth to to rescue fallen man from the slavery of Satan, and by the labours and sufferings of His life, and passion, and death to win a glorious victory for us over sin and hell.
A special liturgical feast in honour of the Kingship of our Lord Jesus Christ, to be celebrated throughout the world on the last Sunday in October, was instituted at the end of the Holy Year Of Jubilee by His Holiness Pius XI. The Pontiff points out in his encyclical letter on this occasion that people are instructed in the truths of faith, and brought to appreciate the inner joys of religion far more effectually by the annual celebration of our sacred mysteries than by any pronouncement, however weighty, of the teaching of the Church.
“The Church’s teaching affects the mind primarily; her feasts affect both mind and heart, and have a salutary effect upon the whole of man’s nature…
“Moreover, the annual and universal celebration of the Feast of the Kingship of Christ will draw attention to the evils which anti-clericalism has brought upon society, in drawing men away from Christ, and will also do much to remedy them. While nations insult the beloved name of our Redeemer by suppressing all mention of it in their conferences and parliaments, we must all the more loudly proclaim His kingly dignity and power, all the more universally affirm His rights… This Feast sets the crowning glory upon the mysteries of the life of Christ already commemorated during the year; thus too, before celebrating the triumph of all the Saints, we proclaim and extol the glory of Him who triumphs in all the Saints…
“He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to Him alone…”
When once we recognize both in private and public life that Christ is King, society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony.
INTROIT Apocalypse 5: 12, 1
The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive the power and divinity and wisdom and strength and honour: to Him be glory and empire for ever and ever. (Ps. 71: 1) Give to the King, O God, Thy judgment, and to the King’s Son Thy justice. v. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Repeat The Lamb that was slain…
COLLECT
Almighty and eternal God, Who hast wished to restore all things through Thy beloved Son, the King of the universe, graciously grant that all the families of the Gentiles separated by the wound of Sin, may be subjected to His most loving dominion, Who with Thee liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, Forever and ever. R. Amen.
Commemoratio Dominica XX Post Pentecosten
O Lord, we beseech You, graciously grant Your faithful forgiveness and peace, that they may be cleansed of all sin and serve You with minds free from care. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.
EPISTLE Colossians 1: 12-20
Lesson from the Epistle of blessed Paul the Apostle to the Colossians. Brethren, we give thanks to God the Father, Who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins; Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature for in Him were all things created in Heaven and on earth visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominations, or principalities, or powers: aIl things were created by Him and in Him. And He is before all, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the Church. Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He may hold the primacy: because in Him it hath well pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell; and through Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, making peace through the blood of His cross, both as to the things that are on earth, and the things that are in Heaven, in Christ Jesus Our Lord.
GRADUAL/ALLELUIA Psalm 71: 8, 11
He shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. V. And all kings of the earth shall adore Him: all nations shall serve Him. Alleluia, alleluia. V. (Dan. 7, 14) His power is an everlasting power that shall not be taken away: and His kingdom that shall not be destroyed. Alleluia.
GOSPEL John 18: 33-37
At that time: Pilate said to Jesus: Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered: “Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have others told it thee of Me?” Pilate answered: Am I a Jew? Thy own nation, and the chief priests, have delivered thee up to me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now My kingdom is not from hence.” Pilate therefore said to him: Art thou a king then? Jesus answered: “Thou sayest that I am a King. For this was I born, and for I this came I into the world; that I should give testimony to the truth, Everyone that is of the truth, heareth My voice.”
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Psalm 2:8
Ask of Me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.
SECRET
O Lord, we offer Thee this host for the reconciliation of humanity; grant, we beseech Thee, that Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord, Whom we immolate in this sacrifice, will bestow on all Gentiles the gifts of unity and peace, Who with Thee liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, Forever and ever. R. Amen.
Commemoratio Dominica XX Post Pentecosten
May these sacramental rites, O Lord, we beseech You, be our heavenly medicine and expel evil from our hearts. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.
PREFACE of Christ the King
It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God Who didst anoint with the oil of gladness Thine only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, eternal Priest and King of the universe: that, offering Himself as a stainless peace-offering on the altar of the cross, He might fulfil the pledges of man’s redemption; and, having all creatures subject to His power, might deliver to Thy sublime majesty an eternal and universal kingdom, a kingdom of truth and life; a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace. And therefore with the angels and archangels, with the thrones and domination, and with all the array of the Heavenly host, we sing a hymn to Thy glory and unceasingly repeat:
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY…
COMMUNION ANTIPHON Psalm 28:10, 11
The Lord shall sit King forever. The Lord will bless His people with peace.
POSTCOMMUNION
Fed with this immortal nourishment, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that we who glory to fight under the standard of Christ the King, may forever reign with Him on the heavenly throne. Who with Thee liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, For ever and ever. R. Amen.
Commemoratio Dominica XX Post Pentecosten
That we may be made worthy, O Lord, of Your sacred gifts, make us, we beseech You, ever obedient to Your commandments. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. . Amen.
PROPER LAST GOSPEL St John 4:46-53
At that time, there was a certain royal official whose son was lying sick at Capharnaum. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and besought Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Jesus therefore said to him, Unless you see signs and wonders, you do not believe. The royal official said to Him, Sir, come down before my child dies. Jesus said to him, Go your way, your son lives. The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and departed. But even as he was now going down, his servants met him and brought word saying that his son lived. He asked of them therefore the hour in which he had got better. And they told him, Yesterday, at the seventh hour, the fever left him. The father knew then that it was at that very hour in which Jesus had said to him, Your son lives. And he himself believed, and his whole household.
Consecration of the Human Race
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
on the Solemnity of the
Sovereign Kingship of Jesus Christ
On this Double of the First Class Feast of the Sovereign Kingship of Jesus Christ (Christ the King Sunday), celebrated on the last Sunday of October (the Sunday before the Feast of All Saints) and initiated in 1925 by His Holiness Pius XI in his Encyclical Quas Primas, there follows after the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass a Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. All kneel in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament and, with the priest, recite the following consecration; then the Litany of Christ the King and Benediction. Those in the state of Sanctifying Grace by making a good Confession within eight days and worthily receiving Holy Communion receive a plenary indulgence in praying the following Consecration.
Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before Thine altar. We are Thine, and Thine we wish to be; but, to be more surely united with Thee, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to Thy most Sacred Heart.
Many indeed have never known Thee; many too, despising Thy precepts, have rejected Thee. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to Thy sacred Heart. Be Thou King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee; grant that they may quickly return to Thy Father’s house lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.
Be Thou King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbour of truth and unity of faith, so that there may be but one flock and one Shepherd.
Be Thou King of all those who are still involved in the darkness of idolatry or of Islamism, and refuse not to draw them into the light and kingdom of God. Turn Thine eyes of mercy towards the children of the race, once Thy chosen people: of old they called down upon themselves the Blood of the Saviour; may it now descend upon them a laver of redemption and of life.
Grant, O Lord, to Thy Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give peace and order to all nations, and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: “Praise be to the divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to it be glory and honor for ever.” Amen