The Feast of Christ the King
The Feast of Christ the
King, or Christ the King or the Reign of Christ Sunday, is a relatively recent
addition to the western liturgical calendar. In 1925 Pope Pius XI was worried
about the growth of secularism and the rise of non-Christian dictatorships in
Europe, and Catholics being taken in by these earthly leaders. In response he instituted The Feast of Christ
the King in his 1925 encyclical Quas
Primas. Pius hoped the institution of the feast would have various
effects. These included:
1.
That nations would see that the Church has the right to freedom, and immunity
from the state (Quas Primas, 32).
2. That leaders and nations would see that they are bound to give respect to Christ (Quas Primas, 31).
3. That the faithful would gain strength and courage from the celebration of the feast, as we are reminded that Christ must reign in our hearts, minds, wills, and bodies (Quas Primas, 33). [1]
2. That leaders and nations would see that they are bound to give respect to Christ (Quas Primas, 31).
3. That the faithful would gain strength and courage from the celebration of the feast, as we are reminded that Christ must reign in our hearts, minds, wills, and bodies (Quas Primas, 33). [1]
By 1970
its observance was adopted by Anglicans, Lutherans, and many other Protestants as
well as by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. So this morning we
join with Christians all around the world and celebrate the reign of Christ.
However,
there will be objections to any Sunday entitled “Christ the King” or the “reign
of Christ”. For some the language is too patriarchal, too male. Others struggle with the language of empire
and kingship and the images that evokes: either of sometimes brutal tyrants who
were more interested in their own wealth and security than that of their subjects;
or of far off figureheads with no real power to influence or change anything. And
whether we like it or not, these images colour our understanding of “Christ the
King”.
Others
object because implicit is this Sunday is the place of the church as the
expression of Christ’s reign, and somehow that means for some we should hold a
prime place in society. I think in part that was what Pope Pius was
reaffirming.
Others
object because it implies that we come to “God” only through Christ, and in
this pluralistic age and in this pluralistic country that seems a little too imperialistic,
a little too exclusive. For some this Sunday seems to be about declaring
everyone else to be wrong and “us” right, seems to be about reinforcing the fences
we have built that define who God is and who God chooses to call “chosen” or “beloved”.
So,
there will be a number of people suggesting (you can find them on the internet
for a start, I did) that either we don’t need this Sunday anymore, or that we
need a much better name.
Given
all that I want to suggest that this Sunday offers us an opportunity to stop
and reflect on the year we have had with Luke and the other readings. What does
Luke suggest kingship is about? As we
read this gospel what images of God are offered us? How then might we
understand the reign of God, the church, and ourselves here at St. Georges? Lastly,
as we prepare to end another church year and begin the cycle again with advent,
what do we give thanks for and what do we look for in the coming year?
Comments