Christians prepare for birthday of Christ the King

As Christians worldwide prepare for Christmas, which is the birthday of Jesus Christ the King, the last Sunday of the liturgical year is designated for the purpose.

Today, Sunday, 26th November 2023 has been slated for this year’s Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe for many Christians.

According to the New Ways Ministry, Maryland, US, today is “frequently used by churches and Christians to pontificate about secularism, patriotism, and political leadership.”

White Christians too often have interpreted the concept of “Christ the King” to justify forcing the United States to “submit to Christ’s kingship.”

Explaining the kingship of Christ, the church on its website quoted Rev’d Elle Dowd as saying, “[T]he solemnity of Christ the King was fairly recently established by Pope Pius the 11th in 1925 in response to the increasing threat of the rise of fascism in Europe leading up to World War II.

“At the time, authoritarian leaders of fascist regimes were being lifted up as all powerful demigods, and the Roman Catholic Church created this holy day in an attempt to reclaim power for the church.

“If this feast tells us anything, it’s this: Fascism is diametrically opposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Reign of Jesus Christ stands in strong opposition to the death-dealing policies of tyrants and fascists.”

It also spoke about the relevance of Jesus in one of the teachings in the Bible, saying, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me…Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least [siblings] of mine, you did for me.”

“These words stand in stark contrast to power- and resource-hoarding, xenophobia, degradation of the poor, inadequate healthcare, and dehumanizing systems of incarceration and punishment, which were as much a hallmark of Jesus’ time as they are of our own.

“We should be reminded that just like LGBTQ+ people today, Jesus, a Jew from Galilee, was himself a victim of fascism and nationalism at the hands of the oppressive Roman Empire.

“In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that his authority is not the way of this world, not the way that our very human minds and spirits get called away from what is right and just when tempted by power and comfort. Rather, Jesus’ authority—which should be ours, too—is God’s dream of goodness, justice, and peace for all people.”