Looking for some inspiration as I tried to write about today’s solemnity of Christ the King, I came upon the first encyclical of Pope Pius XI, Ubi Arcano Dei Consilio, which he wrote just before Christmas 1922, with the memory of World War I still fresh. Themes of division in the world and in the Church, violence, hatred, and disrespect for the dignity of the human person articulated in the encyclical resonate in a special way, as we realize that even with the passage of more than a century, we as a Church continue to face many of the same challenges. The whole document is worth reading, but I was especially struck by a few paragraphs, which I will quote at length here.
“41. If we stop to reflect for a moment that these ideals and doctrines of Jesus Christ, for example, his teachings on the necessity and value of the spiritual life, on the dignity and sanctity of human life, on the duty of obedience, on the divine basis of human government, on the sacramental character of matrimony and by consequence the sanctity of family life – if we stop to reflect, let Us repeat, that these ideals and doctrines of Christ (which are in fact but a portion of the treasury of truth which He left to mankind) were confided by Him to His Church and to her alone for safekeeping, and that He has promised that His aid will never fail her at any time for she is the infallible teacher of His doctrines in every century and before all nations, there is no one who cannot clearly see what a singularly important role the Catholic Church is able to play, and is even called upon to assume, in providing a remedy for the ills which afflict the world today and in leading mankind toward a universal peace…
48. It is possible to sum up all We have said in one word, “the Kingdom of Christ.” For Jesus Christ reigns over the minds of individuals by His teachings, in their hearts by His love, in each one’s life by the living according to His law and the imitating of His example. Jesus reigns over the family when it, modeled after the holy ideals of the sacrament of matrimony instituted by Christ, maintains unspotted its true character of sanctuary. In such a sanctuary of love, parental authority is fashioned after the authority of God, the Father, from Whom, as a matter of fact, it originates and after which even it is named. (Ephesians iii, 15) The obedience of the children imitates that of the Divine Child of Nazareth, and the whole family life is inspired by the sacred ideals of the Holy Family…
49. It is, therefore, a fact which cannot be questioned that the true peace of Christ can only exist in the Kingdom of Christ – “the peace of Christ in the Kingdom of Christ.” It is no less unquestionable that, in doing all we can to bring about the re-establishment of Christ’s kingdom, we will be working most effectively toward a lasting world peace. Pius X in taking as his motto “To restore all things in Christ” was inspired from on High to lay the foundations of that “work of peace” which became the program and principal task of Benedict XV. These two programs of Our Predecessors We desire to unite in one – the re-establishment of the Kingdom of Christ by peace in Christ – “the peace of Christ in the Kingdom of Christ.” With might and main We shall ever strive to bring about this peace, putting Our trust in God, Who when He called Us to the Chair of Peter, promised that the divine assistance would never fail Us. We ask that all assist and co-operate with Us in this Our mission.”
If the challenges facing the Church do not change much over time, neither do our marching orders. No matter the moment in world history, we as a Church are called to proclaim Christ as King, to give Him authority in our lives, homes, and society, and to model all that we do on His example. As Pope Pius XI reminds us, when we place ourselves under the authority of Christ, we are best able to pursue our own happiness and the good of all. May this solemn celebration of Jesus Christ the King of the Universe, help us to reorder our attention and our priorities, that we might be more perfectly conformed to the will of God.
