“He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” – Colossians 1:13-14
Blessed Feast of Christ the King! Pay special attention during Mass this Sunday to the Preface for Christ the King, which takes place at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist:
“For you anointed your Only Begotten Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ, with the oil of gladness
as eternal Priest and King of all creation,
so that, by offering himself on the altar of the Cross
as a spotless sacrifice to bring us peace,
he might accomplish the mysteries of human redemption,
and, making all created things subject to his rule,
he might present to the immensity of your majesty
an eternal and universal kingdom,
a kingdom of holiness and grace,
a kingdom of justice, love and peace.”
Using this Preface, the Catechism connects this special feast day with how we can live out our role to bring the Kingdom of Christ to the world: “By living with the mind of Christ, Christians hasten the coming of the Reign of God, ‘a kingdom of justice, love, and peace.’ They do not, for all that, abandon their earthly tasks; faithful to their master, they fulfill them with uprightness, patience, and love.” (CCC 2046). In other words, God calls us to put on the “mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16) in all situations of our daily lives. By thinking and then acting like Jesus, we build up and bring the Kingdom of God to earth, here and now. By carrying out our everyday tasks and treating others with “holiness, grace…justice, love, and peace,” the Kingdom is made present wherever we are.
For the kingdom of God… [means] righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17
The virtues of the Kingdom of Christ might be invisible, but they are very real. It’s in these unseen ways that the Kingdom is present: “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Lo, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you” (Luke 17:20).
This week, consider taking time to pray about the virtues of the Kingdom. You could focus on the ones mentioned here. Or meditate on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12)! Ask Jesus which virtue He is calling you to grow in so as to extend His Kingdom further into your heart and in your sphere of influence. This could be a good virtue to focus on during Advent–it’s next week!
Jesus, what virtue of the Kingdom do you want to grow in me? How do you want to extend Your Kingdom to the world through me?