In his Encyclical of December 11, 1925, H.H. Pius XI denounced the great modern heresy of laïcism. It refuses to recognize the rights of God and His Christ over persons and peoples and organizes the lives of individuals, families and of society itself, as though God did not exist. This laïcism ruins society, because in place of the love of God and one’s neighbour, it substitutes pride and egoism. It begets jealousy between individuals, hatred between classes and rivalry between nations. The world denies Christ because it ignores His royal prerogatives. It must be instructed on this subject. Now “a yearly feast can attain this end, more effectively than the weightiest documents issued by ecclesiastical authority”. The Holy Father has instituted this new feast to be a public, social and official declaration of the royal rights of Jesus, as God the Creator, as The Word Incarnate, and as Redeemer. This feast makes these rights to be known and recognized, in a way most suitable to man and to society by the sublimest acts of religion – particularly by Holy Mass. In fact, the end of the Holy Sacrifice is the acknowledgment of God’s complete dominion over us, and our complete dependence on Him. And this act is accomplished, not only on Calvary but also through the royal priesthood of Jesus which never ceases in His kingdom, which is heaven. The great reality of Christianity is not a corpse hanging from a cross, but the risen Christ reigning in all the glory of His triumph in the midst of His elect who are His conquest (Epistle). And that is why the Mass begins with the finest vision of the Apocalypse where the Lamb of God is acclaimed by angels and saints (Introit). The Holy Father has expressed his wish that this feast should be celebrated towards the end of the liturgical year, on the last Sunday of October, as the consummation of all the mysteries by which Jesus has established His royal powers and nearly on the eve of All-Saints, where He already realizes them in part in being “the King of kings and the crown of All Saints” (Invitatory at Matins); until He shall be the crown of all those on earth whom He saves, especially by the Mass. It is indeed principally by the Eucharist which is both a sacrifice and a sacrament, that Christ, now in glory, assures the results of the victorious sacrifice of Calvary, by taking possession of souls through the application of the merits of His Passion (Secret) and thereby unites them as members to their head. The end of the Eucharist, says the Catechism of the Council of Trent, is “to form one sole mystic body of all the faithful” and so to draw them in the cult which Christ, king-adorer, as priest and victim, rendered in a bloody manner on the cross and now renders, in an unbloody manner, on the stone altar of our churches and on the golden altar in heaven, to Christ, king-adored, as Son of God, and to His Father to whom He offers these souls (Preface).
Introit
Dignus est Agnus, qui occísus est, accípere virtútem, et divinitátem, et sapiéntiam, et fortitúdinem, et honórem. Ipsi glória et impérium in saécula saeculórum. Ps. lxxi. 1. Deus, judícium tuum Regi da: et justítiam tuam Fílio Regis. v. Glória Patri.
The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power and divinity and wisdom and strength and honour; to Him be glory and empire for ever and ever. Ps. Give to the King, O God, Thy justice, and to the King’s Son Thy judgment. v. Glory be…
Collect
Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, qui in dilécto Fílio tuo, universórum Rege, ómnia instauráre voluísti: concéde propítius; ut cunctae famíliae Géntium, peccáti vúlnere disgregátae, ejus suavíssimo subdántur império: Qui tecum vivit.
Almighty everlasting God, who in Thy beloved Son, King of the whole world, hast willed to restore all things anew; grant in Thy mercy that all the families of nations, rent asunder by the wound of sin, may be subjected to His most gentle rule. Who with Thee liveth.
Second Collect
Deus, refugium nostrum, et virtus: adesto piis Ecclesiae tuae precibus, auctor ipse pietatis, et praesta: ut, quod fideliter petimus, efncaciter consequamur. Per Dominum.
O God, our refuge and strength, who art the author of all godliness; hear, we pray Thee, the devout prayers of Thy Church, and grant that what we ask confidently we may obtain effectually. Through our Lord.
Epistle
Léctio Epístolae beáti Pauli Apóstoli ad Colossénses. Fratres: Grátias ágimus Deo Patri, qui dignos nos fecit in partem sortis sanctórum in lúmine, qui erípuit nos de potestáte tenebrárum, et Christ is the Léctio Epístolae beáti Pauli Apóstoli ad Colossénses. Fratres: Grátias ágimus Deo Patri, qui dignos nos fecit in partem sortis sanctórum in lúmine, qui erípuit nos de potestáte tenebrárum, et tránstulit in regnum Fílii dilectiónis suae, in quo habémus redemptiónem per sánguinem ejus, remissiónem peccatórum. Qui est imágo Dei invisíbilis, primogénitus omnis creatúrae; quóniam in ipso cóndita sunt univérsa in caelis et in terra, visibília et invisibília, sive throni, sive dominatiónes, sive principátus, sive potestátes: ómnia per ipsum et in ipso creáta sunt: et ipse est ante omnes, et ómnia in ipso constant. Et ipse est caput córporis Ecclésiae, qui est princípium, primogénitus ex mórtuis: ut sit in ómnibus ipse primátum tenens; quia in ipse complácuit omnem plenitúdinem inhabitáre; et per eum reconciliáre ómnia in ipsum, pacíficans per sánguinem crucis ejus, sive quae in terris, sive quae in caelis sunt, in Christo Jesu Dómino nostro.
Lesson from the Epistle of blessed Paul the Apostle to the Colossians. Brethren: Giving 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 transferred 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 first born 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. All 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 first-born from the dead, that in all things, He may hold the primacy: because in Him, it hath well pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell; and through Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, making peace through the blood of His cross, both as to the things on earth, and the things that are in heaven, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Gradual
Dominábitur a mari usque ad mare, et a flúmine usque ad términos orbis terrárum. v. Et adorábunteum omnes reges terrae: omnes Gentes sérvient ei. Allelúia. Allelúia, allelúia. v. Dan. vii. 14. Potéstas ejus, potéstas aetérna, quae non auferétur: et regnum ejus, quod non corrumpétur.
Allelúia.
He shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. v. And all kings shall adore Him, all nations shall serve Him. Alleluia. Alleluia, alleluia. v. His power shall be an everlasting power, which shall not be taken away; and His kingdom a kingdom that shall not decay. Alleluia.
Gospel
The Word Incarnate is, by right, the King of the world but He has left to temporal kings the exercise of civil power; He kept, however, His spiritual royalty, to rule the mind and the conscience of men by doctrine and faith.
Sequéntia sancti Evangélii secúndum Joánnem. In illo témpore: Dixit Pilátus ad Jesum: Tu es Rex Judaeórum? Respóndit Jesus: A temetípso hoc dicis, an álii dixérunt tibi de me? Respóndit Pilátus: Numquid ego Judaéus sum? Gens tua, et pontífices tradidérunt te mihi: quid fecísti? Respóndit Jesus: Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo. Si ex hoc mundo esset regnum meum, minístri mei útique decertárent ut non tráderer Judaéis: nunc autem regnum meum non est hinc. Dicit ítaque ei Pilátus: Ergo Rex es tu? Respóndit Jesus: Tu dicis, quia Rex sum ego. Ego in hoc natus sum, et ad hoc veni in mundum, ut testimónium perhíbeam veritáti: omnis qui est ex veritáte, audit vocem meam.
Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. John. 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? Thine 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 this came I into the world, that I should give testimony to the truth. Every one that is of the truth, heareth My voice.
Offertory
Póstula a me, et dabo tibi Gentes hereditátem tuam, et possessiónem tuam términos terrae.
Ask of Me and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession.
Secret
Hóstiam tibi, Dómine, humánae reconciliatiónis offérimus: praesta, quaésumus; ut quem sacrifíciis praeséntibus immolámus, ipse cunctis Géntibus unitátis et pacis dona concédat, Jesus Christus, Fílius tuus Dóminus noster: Qui tecum.
We offer Thee, O Lord, the victim of man’s reconciliation; grant, we beseech Thee, that He whom we immolate in our present sacrifices may Himself bestow on all nations the gifts of unity and peace. Who with Thee liveth and reigneth.
Second Secret
Da, misericors Deus: ut haec salutaris oblatio et a propriis nos reatibus indesinenter expediat, et ab omnibus tueatur adversis. Per Dominum.
Grant unto us, O merciful God, that this saving oblation may unceasingly cleance us from our faults and keep us from all harm. Through our Lord.
Preface for Christ the King
Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutáre, nos tibi semper, et ubíque grátias ágere: Dómine sancte, Pater omnípotens, aetérne Deus: Qui unigénitum Fílium tuum Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum, Sacerdótem aetérnum et universórum Regem, óleo exsultatiónis unxísti: ut seípsum in ara crucis, hóstiam immaculátam et pacíficam ófferens, redemptiónis humánae sacraménta perágeret: et suo subjéctis império ómnibus creatúris, aetérnum et universále regnum, imménsae tuae tráderet majestáti: regnum veritátis et vitae: regnum sanctitátis et grátiae: regnum justítiae, amóris et pacis. Et ídeo cum Angelis et Archángelis, cum Thronis et Dominatiónibus, cumque omni milítia caeléstis exércitus, hymnum glóriae tuae cánimus, sine fine dicéntes:
It is truly meet and just, right and availing unto salvation that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty and everlasting God. Who with the oil of gladness hast anointed Thine only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, as eternal High Priest and universal King; that offering Himself on the altar of the Cross as an immaculate host and peace-offering, He might complete the mysteries of human redemption; and all creation being made subject to His dominion, He might deliver into the hands of Thine infinite Majesty a kingdom eternal and universal, a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, of kingdom of justice, love and peace. And therefore with the angels and archangels, with the thrones and dominions, and with all the heavenly hosts, we sing a hymn to Thy glory, saying without ceasing:
Communion
Sedébit Dóminus Rex in aetérnum: Dóminus benedícet pópulo suo in pace.
The Lord shall sit a King for ever: the Lord shall bless His people in peace.
Postcommunion
Immortalitátis alimóniam consecúti, quaésumus, Dómine: ut, qui sub Christi Regis vexíllis militáre gloriámur, cum Ipso, in caelésti sede, júgiter regnáre possímus: Qui tecum.
Having received the food of immortality, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that we who glory in our service under the standard of Christ the King, may be able to reign with Him forever in His heavenly abode. Who with Thee.
Last Gospel
Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Matthaeum. In illo tempore : Abeuntes pharisaei, consilium inierunt ut caperent Jesum in sermone. Et mittunt ei discipulos suos cum Herodianis, dicentes: Magister, scimus quia verax es, et viam Dei in veritate doces, et non est tibi cura de aliquo: non enim respicis personam hominum: die ergo nobis quid tibi videtur, licet censum dare Caesari, an non? Cognita autem Jesus nequitia eorum, ait: Quid me tentatis, hypocritae? Ostendite mihi numisma census. At illi obtulerunt ei denarium. Et ait illis Jesus: Cujus est imago haec, et superscriptio? Dicunt ei: Caesaris. Tune ait illis : Reddite ergo quae sunt Caesaris, Caesari; et quae sunt Dei, Deo.
Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. At that time, the Pharisees went and consulted among themselves, how to ensnare Jesus in His speech. And they send to Him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying: Master, we know that Thou art a true speaker, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest Thou for any man, for Thou dost not regard the person of the men. Tell us therefore, what dost Thou think? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? But Jesus knowing their wickedness, said: Why do you tempt Me, ye hypocrites ? Show Me the coin of the tribute. And they offered Him a penny. And Jesus saith to them: Whose image and superscription is this? They say to Him: Caesar’s. Then He saith to them : Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.