Sunday, 23 November 2014

Feast of Christ The King


We Catholics need to revive in our hearts, minds, families and parishes, the concept of the Kingship of Christ.

The fact that today we celebrate this magnificent feast reminds us that the Kingdom of God has a real King. The Kingdom of God is neither a democracy or a tyranny, but a hierarchy ruled by Christ Himself.

A few notes from today's Divine Office may help us remember Who the real authority of all the nations is.




Psalm 2 Douay-Rheims 

Why have the Gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things?
The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes met together, against the Lord and against his Christ.
Let us break their bonds asunder: and let us cast away their yoke from us.
He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them: and the Lord shall deride them.
Then shall he speak to them in his anger, and trouble them in his rage.
But I am appointed king by him over Sion his holy mountain, preaching his commandment.
The Lord hath said to me: Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.
Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, and shalt break them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
10 And now, O ye kings, understand: receive instruction, you that judge the earth.
11 Serve ye the Lord with fear: and rejoice unto him with trembling.
12 Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way.
13 When his wrath shall be kindled in a short time, blessed are all they that trust in him.


Psalm 71 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

71 A psalm on Solomon.
Give to the king thy judgment, O God: and to the king's son thy justice: To judge thy people with justice, and thy poor with judgment.
Let the mountains receive peace for the people: and the hills justice.
He shall judge the poor of the people, and he shall save the children of the poor: and he shall humble the oppressor.
And he shall continue with the sun, and before the moon, throughout all generations.
He shall come down like rain upon the fleece; and as showers falling gently upon the earth.

In his days shall justice spring up, and abundance of peace, till the moon be taken sway.
And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
Before him the Ethiopians shall fall down: and his enemies shall lick the ground.
10 The kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents: the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts:
11 And all kings of the earth shall adore him: all nations shall serve him.
12 For he shall deliver the poor from the mighty: and the needy that had no helper.
13 He shall spare the poor and needy: and he shall save the souls of the poor.
14 He shall redeem their souls from usuries and iniquity: and their names shall be honourable in his sight.
15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Arabia, for him they shall always adore: they shall bless him all the day.
16 And there shall be a firmament on the earth on the tops of mountains, above Libanus shall the fruit thereof be exalted: and they of the city shall flourish like the grass of the earth.
17 Let his name be blessed for evermore: his name continueth before the sun. And in him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed: all nations shall magnify him.
18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone doth wonderful things.
19 And blessed be the name of his majesty for ever: and the whole earth shall be filled with his majesty. So be it. So be it.
20 The praises of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.