~The Feast of Christ the King~
The Recognition of the Reign of Christ the King
The Kingdom of God is revealed by Our Lord Jesus to men who should submit to it in faith. The Kingdom comes to us individually when we recognize our sinfulness and the absolute necessity of the Savior, and begin to reform our lives, believing in and surrendering to the sovereignty of God in the person of Jesus Christ, abandoning habitual sin, if we are adults or of the age of reason, and if infants, through Baptism and the faith of our parents. He said, "the reign of God is at hand! Repent and believe in the Gospel!" [Mark 1:15] Those who fail to do this must face severe judgment. Mt. 11:22-24. But to those who accept the help of God's grace He promises the sweetness of his yoke [Ibid., ff.]
Jesus, as King of all nations, in Scripture:
The Angel Gabriel announced to Our Lady that the reign of Jesus was to be without end: Luke 1:32-33. This is a declaration from Heaven that He is King by birthright as the Divine Son of God but His kingdom was not of this world. [John 18:36] He said that He would come in majesty with His Angels to judge all nations which will be assembled before Him sitting upon His royal throne: Mt. 25:31-32.
He solemnly proclaimed that full authority has been given to Him both in Heaven and on earth and commanded His Apostles to go out, to Baptize, and make disciples of all the nations." [Mt. 28:18-19]
Christ the King means what He says: His power is great and His reign extends over every nation on earth.
The reign of Jesus Christ, King of every nation, is in the spiritual world over the minds, wills and hearts of humanity because He is the truth, the way and the life [John 14:6] This is accomplished through His Holy Catholic Church, His Kingdom on earth, which teaches, governs and sanctifies His subjects through the administration of the Seven Sacraments, by decrees and the definition of dogma and guarding the deposit of Faith, maintained by holding to Tradition. The Church is the authentic teacher of His doctrine and ministers His graces of forgiveness and eternal life. As Jesus commanded her, the Church teaches His Commandments [Mt. 28:20] to every nation to guide them in faith and morals.
Jesus Christ the King holds all executive power. All men must obey His sovereign rule. He must reign over every nation until the end of the world when He puts all enemies beneath the feet of God the Father. [1 Cor. 15:25] Against those who refuse His rule He has issued a penalty of eternal punishment which no one may escape. [Mt. 25:46]
Jesus Christ the King also has all judicial power. "All judgment has been given to the Son." [John 5:22] This power of judgment is eternal and includes the privilege of rewarding and punishing of every single one of us and it will be immediately executed. "These will go off to eternal punishment and the just to eternal life." [Ibid.]
Recognition of the Reign of Jesus Christ the King must first of all be recognized by every individual. Each person must accept Christ's sovereignty and submit himself to His reign through faith, conversion and membership in His Church.
The reign of Jesus Christ, Sovereign King, was not recognized by the Jews who said, "we have no king but Caesar" [John 19:15] and "we will not have this man to reign over us." [Luke 19:14] Jesus had informed Pilate that His Kingdom was not of this world. [John 18:36] The only kingdoms recognized by the chief priests were the kingdoms of this world which were created and doomed to perish. They did not follow Christ's teaching in Saint Matthew to render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's. [22:21]
Neither do the nations today follow Christ's teachings nor do they recognize His reign. They only recognize the reign of the kingdoms of this world and not the reign of Jesus Christ, Sovereign King of every nation. Yet, He must reign!
[1 Cor 15:25]
The presence, name and commandments of Jesus have been removed from governments, schools and public places. Laws are continually passed that violate His commandments [such as "legalized" abortion] thus opposing His kingdom. We must remember Pope Leo XIII's words that "all public power proceeds from God, for God alone is the true and supreme Lord of the world. Rulers are legates of God." Encyclical Letter, Immortale Dei.
The Church, as Christ's Kingdom on earth, has a natural and inalienable right to full freedom and immunity from the power of the state in establishing the Kingdom of Christ. If the reign of Jesus Christ is not recognized, authority is derived from man and not from God, which is a cornerstone of the false creed of Amercianism. This will result in the collapse of human society because its foundation has been eliminated. In fact one can easily see that the collapse is happening before our very eyes. Only those who have willingly blinded themselves cannot see.
"Since the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world, the Catholic Church takes nothing away from the temporal welfare of any nation by establishing this Kingdom. Rather does she foster and take to herself insofar as they are good, the ability, resources, and customs of each people. Taking them to herself she purifies, strengthens, and ennobles them, and if they would submit to Him as Sovereign, wars and animosity would cease.
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