Friday, November 20, 2015
The Feast of Christ the King
This Sunday is the Feast of Christ the King. "What does that mean," you say? Use this link to discover what the feast celebrates and why and make an argument about why this feast is essential to Christians of our time. Why and how is it relevant to 2016? The feast is not just celebrated by Catholics, but by all christian faiths. Please underline your thesis and make a well formed argument. You may use quotes from the article as well as quotes from this Sunday's readings, response and or gospel. You will find a link to all of those on the right hand side of the article. And happy Feast of Christ the King to all of you!!
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(The Feast of Christ the King has a variety of deep-rooted meanings which assert the dominance and proclaim the royalty of our God). The celebration can have many literal meanings. It represents an ever growing desire of our waiting of the coming King, because it marks the end of our Roman Catholic Church year and beginning to our advent season. But what exactly do we desire? "Rex Pacificus" is the Latin for "The King of Peace Gloriously Reigning", who is presented to us on Christmas. We desire Jesus Christ, who later reigns upon the earth. It is a celebration in honor of the all-embracing reign of Him as Lord over our entire universe. It is the celebration of His willingness to die for humanity so we can reach eternal happiness. It is a celebration of a King who is unlike all other mortal leaders because he is all-powerful. Many people wonder, why is this even celebrated if we can acknowledge it everyday? First of all, it is a "Antidote to Secularism." In other words, it is a medication for someone who doesn't believe in God. It is this particular day because it proclaims Christ's royalty over this world. He is the Creator of the universe, the Redeemer, the Head of the Church, and the advocate bestowed upon us from God. But what this generation is forgetting is that their is only ONE God. We are forgetting that He needs to be praised above all else. Forget about the money, social media, sports, or anything distracting you from Him. He created these wonderful gifts so instead of focusing on them, we should just enjoy them and really think about why they are here. This celebration is essential to our world because it causes us to ponder on the end of the world, the Second Coming, and the Last Judgment, which can hopefully make us take faith more seriously. Hopefully, this thinking can change us in a way that exterminates and corrects our bad habits and instead, redirects us on a new path of belief.
ReplyDelete(Thesis is Parentheses)
Charlie,
DeleteYour blog is well supported by examples and sources, but there is one point that you do not fully explain or prove. How is the holiday a medication to someone who does not believe in God? As far as the popularity of this holiday goes, I am not sure someone not Christian would even know it exists. As far as I understand, I believe that the holiday serves as a reminder to those who do believe in God but have somehow left him out of their lives, so they can reorder their priorities.
Charlie, I love your last line! Your blog had a structure that made me read it in a way I k ow you wanted me to read it. Just a though though, is there a more deeper way to understand God's love rather than just forgetting worldly items?
DeleteCharlie,
DeleteI do not think that the feast day is essential to us because it causes us to ponder on the end of the world. I think it is essential because it causes us to reevaluate what role the faith plays in our lives. You are the first blog I read every week. Your blog always seems to be the most informative.
Christ The King
ReplyDeleteThe feast of Christ the King is essential to Christians around the world. This holiday is so important because it is a reminder to us to refocus on God and make sure we have not strayed from his path. According to catholicculture, the feast was meant to act as "An antidote to secularism, a way of life which leaves God out of man's thinking and living and organizes his life as if God did not exist". This is a very important practice because of the society we live in, which promotes materialism and a method of obtaining self worth and love by serving yourself and not others. TV shows and advertisements all carry a similar message, the we deserve something. *The feast of Christ the King serves as a reminder to evaluate ourselves to see if we are living a life inspired by God.*
It becomes increasingly easier to simply leave Christ out of our lives and follow the masses into a life of material things with no purpose. This can happen to us without is even realizing it. The Christ the King feast day reminds us to reorder our lives to have a specific meaning. We can ask ourselves a series of questions such as: Where do I get my happiness from? Am I really happy, or am I trying to fill the hole in my life with the things people are trying to sell to me? Am I continually trying to make others happy? Is God a significant part of my life, and do I praise him and ask him for help when I need it? Do I realize my life is a gift given to me by God, and I should thank him for it? These questions can start us off on a self evaluation that can turn our lives around for the better, or just simply make us realize small changes we need to make to our life for it to be more purposeful.
The argument could be made against this holiday by saying that other Christian holidays such as Christmas and Easter should remind us of our lord, and that further celebration is useless. However, this is not the case. Holidays such as Christmas and Easter no longer are entirely about Christ. The Christ the King feast day has not been changed to fit the needs of non Christians, and therefor serves to remind us of our Christian heritage, so we can celebrate Christmas and Easter the correct way.
Catherine,
DeleteYou made a great arguement about why the feast day is necessary, people do tend to forget about the religious aspects of holidays and the Feast of Christ the King turns people back to the religious significance of holidays
Cathy,
DeleteYou have got this thing packed with retorical questions. I love retorical questions. It think it is neat how you added in the questions so that the reader can do a little self analysis while reading your blog.
Catherine,
DeleteI was very impressed with the way in which you connected the article and its relevance to modern society. I think your argument would have been strengthened had you offered a solution to materialism, such as idealism, since it is a philosophy based on nurturing moral values rather than physical needs.
I also noticed a counterargument in the last paragraph. You explained how one could argue against the celebration of Christ the King, but then you responded with a refutation. This feast day, unlike Christmas and Easter, still retains its true purpose of honoring Jesus Christ as Almighty.
*The Feast of Christ the King is an essential celebration for Christians and Catholics because it is a great way to conclude the Church's Ordinary time and prepare for the season of Advent, recognize the power and reign of Christ, and to structure our lives in order to be perfect servants to our King, Jesus Christ.*This solemnity instituted in the year 1925 by Pope Pius XI, reminds Christians and Catholics of their true king, Jesus Christ. As this celebration falls on the final Sunday on Ordinary time, Catholics can take this opportunity to prepare themselves for the season of Advent and ready their hearts for the coming of our King. The reason for this preparedness is on Christmas, the Church welcomes "Rex Pacificus" which translates into "the King of peace gloriously reining." The feast of Christ the King is a reminder to Christians and Catholics of the power and reign that Jesus has. The power and mercy of Christ is going to be celebrated all year long in 2016, as Pope Francis has declared it to be the year of mercy. In the Responsorial Psalm this weekend, we will hear "The LORD king; He is robed in majesty." This psalm emphasizes that our Lord Jesus Christ is the King over everyone and all things and our duty is to listen to His voice and do all things in His name. This ties into the gospel reading when Pontious Pilot questions Jesus about his reign as King. Jesus proclaims, "For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." As Catholics and Christians celebrate Christ as Lord, we are called to listen to his voice as we follow him as servants to the King. During this celebration, we should put aside all distractions and focus on the One who is King, as He gave his life in order for our salvation. This is not the only day we are called to honor and worship Christ as King, but instead grow from this celebration and incorporate it into our daily lives as we surrender ourselves to Creator of the universe.
ReplyDeleteThesis inside of *
Gabe,
DeleteI think you did a great job tying the article in with your blog, it really strengthened the arguement about the importance of the Feast of Christ the King
Gabe, you made a great argument. I also really like how you incorporated the responsorial psalm into your blog. I too related my blog to the 2016 year of mercy. Good job!
DeleteGabe,
DeleteYou did a really good job of incorporating sources in you blog. I agree with your points, but I believe your argument may have been stronger if you included a bit more of your opinion in the blog.
Gabe,
DeleteI thought that your thesis was great because it really structured the remainder of your blog. Almost every argument that you made was backed up with other sources, and made good points. Great job.
Gabe,
DeleteI found no faults in your blog, and think you did a fantastic job. I thought it was awesome you mentioned the responorial psalm, and like Charlie said all your examples were backed up and were very strong.
*The Feast of Christ the King was instituted to prevent exactly what is happening today, secularism. The feast is necessary because people are breaking away from Christ aspect of Christmas and it helps to bring that aspect back through its meanings* The main purpose of the feast day is to establish Christ's royalty over all and the universalness of his kingdom. It also presents Christ as the Creator, Redeemer, and the head of the church. The meaning is a big part of the feast day, but why it was created is what is relevant to us and to 2016. Pope Pius instituted the feast day in 1925 to counteract secularism, which has worsened, especially around holidays. Recently, Christmas has become more about the gifts, rather than Christ and family. People are forgetting the root of the word Christmas, CHRIST! Rather than focus on Jesus and giving, people have turned their attention to receiving presents. The Feast of Christ the King can turn the attitude around. By presenting Christ as a superior, the feast day reminds us that Christmas is about Christ. This year, the celebration occurs just before the start of the Advent season. People need to take advantage of this opportunity to prepare themselves even better before Advent has even started. People need to pay attention this weekend at the mass in order to be reminded of Christ's divinity and power, and if more people do, Christmas will transition into a holiday for Christ instead of what presents people relieve. The feast day also presents Christ as a gift, the only gift we will ever need in our lives. The history of the celebration, along side with its literal meanings, will help the world to remove selfishness from Christmas and to devote themselves more to Christ, just as Pope Pius wanted.
ReplyDeleteJohn:
DeleteI thought you had a solid point, that people are taking Christ out of Christmas. You were a bit repetitive, though, and I think that took a little bit away from your argument. Also, I think that if you would have mentioned that celebration of Christ the King takes place in the Advent season a little earlier, it would have served you better. Lastly, you could have expanded on the relevance to the year 2016 that this has. (not trying to be too harsh, just positive criticism)Overall, nice work, John!
John, you had a lot of the right ideas, and I appreciated the thoughts behind Christmas! I just think maybe more could have been involved, but your explanation about the feast day and Christmas was a very good point to bring up!
DeleteJohn, your argument brought a good point. I too brought the idea of the holidays into it, including Christmas and Easter. I related it to how we don't share the true meaning of them. Although your blog was good, I think you could have broadened your aspects out a little more to more than just Christmas!
DeleteSometimes, in all of the distractions of the modern world, we lose our connection with God. We might see such distractions as a large importance, and in that sense, I believe we lose our way. The Feast Day of Christ the King helps to bring us back to the Church, whether we have forgotten or have remained. *The Feast Day of Christ the King serves as a necessary reminder of God Our Savior and everything He has done for us. *
ReplyDeletePope Pius XI introduced this feat day to be "an antidote to secularism, a way of life which leaves God out of man's thinking and living and organizes his life as if God did not exist." With television, advertising, and and other modern devices, we have created for ourselves a certain sense of entitlement. Many Christian holidays are becoming increasingly influenced materialism, but the Feast of Christ the King remains a pure Christian celebration with no exchange of gifts or rewards. This feast is purely centered in our faith in God and worshipping Him. It brings the perspective of thankfulness rather than selfishness. As Thanksgiving draws near, such a holiday seems incredibly appropriate for Christians. At the conclusion of Ordinary time, the feast prepares us for the coming of Christ and reminds us of everything He is. We are encouraged to turn away from modern-day false gods and instead, turn to Christ.
The Feast Day of Christ the King is wonderful way to bring those who had forgotten God back to the Church, but it also reminds those who faithfully attend Church, say their prayers, and practice Christian values of their true purpose. Even those who have never strayed must be reminded of why they are here. As humans, we make mistakes. We sin, we hurt each other, but most of all, we forget. This celebration recalls Christ's royalty over us and His supreme, universal, superior, and spiritual kingdom. We call upon God to help us avoid sin.The Feast Day of Christ the King reminds us that we are not perfect, but God is, and from His grace, we may be saved.
Jenna:
DeleteThis blog you wrote made some solid points that I agree with. I agree we value material things rather than the things that matter. Something I do not agree with in your argument is that the feast of Christ the King can bring back those who do not practice. Chances are if they do not practice than they are not going to come back to church for this celebration, and chances are they do not even know of this feast day. Other than that, I think this was a good blog.
The Feast of Christ is described by being, "established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 as an antidote to secularism, a way of life which leaves God out of man's thinking and living and organizes his life as if God did not exist". *This special holiday is very important because of the connection that God is trying to build between his people and himself. We have a very important role in this world, and that was only created by Jesus, our true savior. So, with the the help from this celebration we can become closer with ourselves and our God.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful celebration because of the time the world is at in our lives. Our world has been facing many struggles with evil, and the solution to that to put God back into our thoughts and acts. Children, teenagers, adults, and elderly have all been sucked into a life that is more focused on physical pleasures rather than spiritual. This holiday is reminder to all the Christ is our reasoning for doing all. Also, the celebration reminds us to not only remember Jesus during holidays, but to remember him every moment of the day. In 2016 the Holy Catholic Church will be starting "The Year of Mercy" and this is "re- awaking" for all Christians. This is relevant to the celebration of the Feast of Christ because we are also meant to be "re- awakened". Our lives, our world, our spirits needs to be awakened to the beauty and truth of what God has for us because we sometimes forget to do that.
This celebration can remind us to love our lives as God calls us to do. All things were created by God, formed a don shaped by his own hands, so we must open our minds, hearts, and souls to replenish into his love. This feast falls before the time of thanksgiving which beautifies the holidays even more. The feast of the Christ prepares us for thanksgiving by seeing his light and then with his light we can see all that we are thankful for. We are not just nourished with plentiful foods, but we are than filled with plentiful spirits as well.
Reilly,
DeleteI think your thesis was really good and you made a lot of really solid points, however I think after stating the facts you need to add more of what you say and less of what they say. You made a lot of really good points and it was a great blog!
I think you were smart to continue to emphasize that the feast reminds us about how much we need God. I didn't think to talk about the year of mercy or thanksgiving in my blog, but you did a nice job incorporating that. I agree that the solution to the problems of the world is too emphasis God in our lives, not just on holidays, but every moment.
DeleteReilly,
DeleteI think you did a very good job developing your argument. You really connected the feast with the fact that people are less focused on their faith and makes it even more important. I related my blog to Christmas and I did not even think to link it with Thanksgiving, but it was a really good point. I think your blog is very well done this week, good job!
Reilly,
ReplyDeleteYou had some pretty solid points. Your argument may have been stronger if you stated your opinion more clearly by using more examples, but altogether it was a good blog. Great job!
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ReplyDelete*The feast of Christ the King is a rememberable and an essential feast celebration in our Church because it concludes our Ordinary time and leads us into the most known and blessed holidays, Christmas.* This feast is greatly needed for everyone. For those who have maybe lost God in their lives can finally realize himself again through this feast too. The feast of Christ of King sets ourself for Advent and the true Christmas season. During advent, everyone awaits for something, but we especially await the coming of our King, Jesus Christ. Every year we need to prepare ourselves for the coming of our Savior. This feast also tells and shows us how important God is in our lives. The Church Culture states, "The feast is intended to proclaim in a striking and effective manner Christ's royalty over individuals, families, society, governments, and nations". Why is this feast relevant to the year or 2016? 2016 is the year of mercy as stated by Pope Francis. The power and mercy God has and give us is overwhelming. The mercy and power is what makes our faith and our own self stronger each and everyday. The Feast of Christ the King will remind and hopefully bring us closer to God in our faith so we can realize and share this mercy and power together. In society today, we struggle to see the true meaning of the holidays especially Christmas and Easter. We focus more on the gifts, surprises, and ourselves more than our own Savior King. As this feast is celebrated this weekend, we need to let it remind us of the true meaning of the holidays; celebrating the joyous gift of our Savior and our own life within him
ReplyDeleteAllie,
DeleteYou made some great points in your blog. However, I disagree with your statement about those who lost God coming back to the Church for this feast day. Most people who do not attend mass every week will not know that this is the feast day of Christ the King.
Allie,
DeleteYou bring up some very valid points. I disagree with your view on how this feast day is a rememberable celebration as I did not really know much about it until writing this blog. Overall, I think your thesis could have been stronger if you take that part out.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete(The Feast of Christ the King was created almost a century ago because Pope Pius XI thought that Catholics, and everyone else, were slowly drifting away from the faith.) Even then, people preferred that political issues were not intertwined with religion.The feast day points out that if we keep God first in our lives, he will take care of us under any circumstances. In 2015, it is unbelievable how distant the church has become to everyday life, and it is on track to become even worse in years to come. That can all be changed in one day. This feast day is essential to Christians because it helps them reflect on how they have been practicing their faith. To have a holiday that was founded solely on reminding the community that Christ is number one is special. Nowadays, it is easy to get caught up in materialism or to idolize people or things that should be put after God.
ReplyDeleteA big issue for Catholics or Christians alike is the growing emphasis on secularism. The government stresses the separation of church and state, but what they do not realize is that the United States of America was founded on religion. If it is completely pulled away from the government then we will have lost our heritage. Pope Pius saw the issue and addressed it a long time ago, but it has obviously become worse over time.
Something that seems to be a prominent thought is that one person will never be able to change an entire nation's attitude on something. Everything that you do started with one person. During this feast day, change yourself for the better. Get rid of those barriers and blockades that are keeping you from developing a good relationship with Christ.
Zach,
DeletePersonally, I loved your second paragraph because it is concise and accurate at the same time. Our country was absolutely founded with religion as one of its primary foundations. Think of the currency in the United States. It is imprinted with "In God We Trust." In a just way, church and state do need to find a way to function harmoniously.
However, I do not think that the sentence in parentheses is a valid thesis because it is factual information. A thesis should be a statement that proposes an claim and invokes argumentative discussion.
Zachary, I also think that your thesis should be more provoking because it is a argument and not simply informing people of something. I think that your blog was overall very good. I also agree that secularism is a hug concer for Catholic's and Christians.
DeleteLike Jared and Mackenzie, I thought that you could have had a stronger thesis statement. I think that if you would have made one solid point and described it more, it could have been more effective. It's main purpose is to start an argument or to get people thinking, and it just wasn't there.
DeleteI enjoyed your third sentence the most out of your blog. It truly drives home that Christ is our savior and that he will always help us when help is needed. Great job.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
ReplyDeleteNovember 22, 2015
The first reading of this weekend's Mass, a passage from Chapter Seven from the Book of Daniel, declares "His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed." Through this proclamation, Christians become spiritually enriched by recognizing Jesus Christ and His Almighty royalty over all beings.
What is the significance of the Feast of Christ the King? Consider the four components of Christ's kingdom as mentioned by Catholic Culture. It is supreme, universal, eternal, and spiritual. The first two signify that the Kingdom of God extends to all people and is not bound by limitations such as sex, race, nationality, ethnicity, etc. Eternal and Spiritual, on the other hand, are the qualities that fuel us to lead virtuous lives. Spiritual refers to the idea that Heaven is not of this world. It is a whole different dimension. Eternal obviously means forever. When the two are united, life's purpose becomes clearer. After all, meeting Christ in eternal paradise is the ultimate goal.
How does this celebration challenge Christians to conduct a self-reflection? In today's society, it is so easy to break the First Commandment because there are so many elements, or "false gods," to place ahead of Jesus. With consumerism on the rise, Jesus often gets lost or intentionally disregarded. This trend is on the verge of continuing in 2016, which is why it is now more important than ever for Christians to start living up to the faith that they so devoutly profess. The Feast of Christ the King gives us a unique opportunity to remodel our lives around Jesus and everything He embodies.
At the Benediction procession and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Father Ross talked about the various ways in which Christians identify themselves with Christ. How do you see Jesus? Do you think of Him as that little, innocent infant? Does the suffering Jesus resonate with you? (Regardless of how Jesus is portrayed in their daily lives, Christians gain a sense of self-purpose, strengthen their faith, and pledge their devotion by putting aside the false interpretations of Jesus and acknowledging Him for who He truly is: The Savior, Redeemer, and King of the Universe through which eternal salvation is made possible.)
(Thesis)
I like how you talked about the four components of Christ's kingdom and then expanded off of each of them. You talked about people worshiping false Gods to express why the holiday is relevant today. That was a perfect way of answering it. People are so concerned with things that have little or no meaning, but can never be bothered with the entire reason for our existence. In your thesis, you did a great job of pulling all these ideas back together and relating them to the main idea. Maybe you could have used some more concrete and specific examples, but overall I completely agree with your response.
Delete"This holiday of Christ the King is one of the most complex holiday because it has so many meanings and leads us into some of the most liturgical celebrations with a clear heart." I think this is a very powerful holiday for Christians, however for those who are not Christians I think they may not even know what it is. For Christians, it opens our eyes up to where God is at in our lives. It allows us to take one day and appreciate him for all that he does for us. This holiday is one that allows us to put God center where he should always be and to readjust where he is in regards to where he should be in our heart.
ReplyDeleteThe timing of this holiday falls right before Thanksgiving, Christmas and the start of a new year. This is because if God is not at the top we can rearrange our priorities before the new year begins. It allows us to be even more thankful before Thanksgiving time and appreciate Christ all the more. "The Feast of Christ the King was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 as an antidote to secularism, a way of life which leaves God out of man's thinking and living and organizes his life as if God did not exist." I think that this is a good holiday for non Christians to celebrate as well to help them find God. If Christ does not exist in someone's life it is now that anyone can change it. After all that God and Jesus have done for us this is a special day for them. Jesus died on the cross so that we could live forever, as we are approaching Easter and so many important celebrations in the liturgical season it is important to acknowledge all that Christ has done for us.
Prioritizing our lives allows for us to clean our hearts of all the sinful things which is one of the most important things we could do before these celebrations take place. It is one of those eye opening celebrations to open your eyes to the type of religious being that you are and to change it if it is not who you want to be. This is why it is so important for all people and not just Christians.
Makenzie,
DeleteYou made some strong points in your blog. I have to disagree with taking this feast day as an opportunity to make sure God is first before the new year starts. I don't think we should look for a special occasion to keep God first in our lives, but just make sure that he is first everyday.
Makenzie,
DeleteYour blog is very well done this week. I really like the different quotes you put incorporated into it, however I think that Hailee might have misinterpreted what you said about a specific point to put God first. I get that you meant that God should always be first but if he isn't, this is a good time of year to make that realization and make the change.
The Feast of Christ the King is the most underrated holiday in the Catholic Church. Especially in light of the recent terrorist attacks, everyone needs to be reminded of just how much worse our lives would be if God wasn't a part of our lives. Through thinking about what life would be like without a God, people realize how much God needs to be in their lives. It is a reminder of God's great love for us. With our World slowly becoming worse and worse, know especially is a time when we need to realize just how much we need God, which the Feast of Christ the King highlights. The article says "The feast is intended to proclaim in a striking and effective manner Christ's royalty over individuals, families, society, governments, and nations." Everyone of us is too caught up in our own lives. The feast gives us all a chance to take a break and reflect on our prioritizes. Would not the world be a better place if everyone realized the power of God and his love? Luke 1:37 reminds us that "For nothing is impossible with God". *God gave everything for us, the Feast of Christ the King helps us to better understand the importance of God in our lives by having us think what it would be like without Him.*
ReplyDeleteJustin,
DeleteI liked how you could bring in examples of the terrorist attacks and what our world is becoming. I do wish that you would have talked more about what the Feast Day of Christ the King actually means and what it celebrates, as you had already begun to but kind of went away from. Way to pull an example from the Bible!
I like how you mentioned how important God is in our lives, and stated how our lives would also be meaningless without Him. I also liked how you mentioned that we are all to caught up in our own lives, because I believe this to be very true. The only trouble I have with your blog is I think you focused to much on our lives without God, and not enough with.
DeleteJustin,
DeleteI like how you started out by saying it is an underrated holiday because I was not to aware of it before today. It makes me realize I should be more attentive towards these type of things. I really enjoyed your quote from the Bible as it is my favorite one. I write it on all my sports shoes reminding me of the message it brings.
I like how you brought up the terrorists and how life would be so different. It truly would be if you think about it. God is always with us and that is what keeps us safe. I enjoyed the message you brought across.
DeleteJustin,
DeleteI think you do a great job of relating this blog to the current events that have taken place. I agree with your statement that this feast day is one of the most underrated times of the church year. By talking about the terrorist attacks you make a good analogy of why we need God in our lives. Great blog!
The feast day of Christ the King is one of the most important celebrations for all Christians because it allows all believers in Jesus to give Him thanks for dying for us and joining God as the King of the universe. This feast day is essential to Christians because it prepares us for Advent and Christmas. On this feast day, Christians everywhere are able to celebrate that Jesus is the King of the universe, and that He is the King of all people throughout the world, not just Christians. This feast day is a major part of 2016 since it has been declared a year of mercy. Jesus rules the universe as a merciful King and He shows that mercy to all His people. As Christians, we should observe this day as one of the most important days and celebrations of the year.
ReplyDeleteHailee,
DeleteI did very well at getting your point across but I think you should have added some examples from the article. Other then that you did a very good job.
The Feast Day of Christ the King is essential to our Catholic identity. As all Catholics attest, Christ is the King of the world. The question is, do they truly recognize what they are saying? As stated by the Catholic Culture website, "The feast is intended to proclaim in a striking and effective manner Christ's royalty over individuals, families, society, governments, and nations." With this being said, the intended outcome of this holiday is to establish Christ as our king, especially right before Advent begins. "With an ever-growing desire, all Advent awaits the "coming King"; in the chants of the breviary we find repeated again and again the two expressions "King" and "is coming." The two celebrations build on one another and exemplify the true meaning of who the "King" is. All Christians should celebrate this feast day as it helps us prepare for Christmas and truly understand what our faith is saying. It is necessary that this day be recognized by everyone because without it, Advent would just be meaningless. Also, the Feast Day of Christ the King allows Christians to become stronger disciples of Jesus because it reminds us of the path we must follow. This feast day reinforces the notion that we are to carry throughout Advent, which is that Christ is our light and we must follow. *Christ the King's Feast Day reminds us that we are not individuals among ourselves, but rather individuals among God. Every religion, not just Christians, has the problem of individualism.* It is not about us, but rather our King. This idea is the true meaning of the feast day. We must come together to welcome Jesus, while rejecting the individualistic idea of self-absorption. When asked if He was king Jesus said answered,"You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth (John 18:33b, 36-3 7).
ReplyDeleteNovember 22, 2015- Feast of Christ the King
ReplyDeleteAs the article mentions, "the feast of Christ the King was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 as an antidote to secularism." Pope Pius XI instituted this solemnity to remind us Christians of Jesus Christ, our King and savior. Personally, I believe the feast of Christ the King falls on the perfect Sunday each year. To start, the feast of Christ the King falls on the last Sunday of Ordinary time in the Church's liturgical season. Also the Feast of Christ the King gets us ready for the upcoming holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Unfortunately, thanksgiving and Christmas have fallen into the category of becoming "media holidays." Thanksgiving is a day that should be dedicated to spending time with family, and being thankful for the many things God has blessed you with. In today's world, however, as everyone knows, black Friday (the busiest shopping day of the year) comes right after thanksgiving. Many people cut precious time that could be spent with family, and instead go out to the stores and get in line to buy discounted items on sale. This is a great example of what is wrong with today's society, and why the celebration of Christ the King is so important. As a member of the ECC basketball team, I am often reminded by Coach Straub that we should live our lives around God being first, and family being second. This is exactly like the article says about the Feast of Christ the King, "The feast is intended to proclaim in a striking and effective manner Christ's royalty over individuals, families, society, governments, and nations." We often times forget are true meaning, and put other, much less important things above Jesus Christ. *The Feast of Christ the King is a day that reminds us Christians why we are here on Earth, and reminds us to always put God above anything else because in the end he will lead us to the eternal happiness and joy we all long for.*
Frank,
DeleteI enjoy how you started out with the quote from Pope Pius XI because that really explains the start of the entire blog. In my blog I also talked about holidays like Christmas that are being ruined by shopping or just simply forgetting the true meaning. I also like how you mentioned a personal experience regarding basketball as I relate to it. Your blog was very well done good job.
Frank,
DeleteI like how you relate the analogy of basketball and making our faith first in our lives into your entry. It gives me something to visualize while I am reading. It really strengthens your argument. Good Blog!
In today's life, our world is full of distractions that often cause us to lose our goal as a follower of Christ. Christians often can struggle with keeping God as our top priority in life with everything happening in our lives. The Feast of Christ the King ends Ordinary Time and prepares us for the journey to Christ's birth in Advent. It also helps Christians get their priorities straight and remember that Christ is number one in our lives and will be by our side through all our hardships. *This feast day aides in reminding Christians everywhere to forget about all our distractions and follow Christ and enter into his Church shaping our lives into children of God.*
ReplyDeleteA big problem that goes hand in hand with this reminder is that we seemingly tend to leave Christ out of many of our celebrations. A big celebration is Christmas. People often leave the Christ out of Christmas and just call it a holiday or Xmas. Secondly, people forget about the true meaning of Christmas and celebrate material things instead of the birth of our King. Pope Pius XI states that the Feast of Christ the King was established as an "antidote to secularism, a way of life which leaves God out of man's thinking and living and organizes his life as if God did not exist." It is intended for Christ's royalty over individuals, families, society, governments, and nations. 2016 is the Year of Mercy presented by Pope Francis in which all Christians should follow. This is very relevant as we celebrates Jesus' mercy this year. At mass this weekend we hear Pontious Pilate question Jesus about his reign and who is truly was. Jesus responded with "Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." This is a very strong message delivered by Jesus and makes us think about what Jesus is trying to deliver, but reminds us to listen to Jesus and his teachings.
During the Feast of Christ the King and during the year of mercy we need to be reminded to put Jesus in our life, and continue to live as servants of our King, Jesus Christ.
Brad,
DeleteI liked how you used the aspect of getting our priorities straight to explain how the feast day toes in with the year of mercy, Also, I liked how you pointed out that God does not just rule over us, but the entirety of the nations and leaders around the world.
Pope Pius Xl stated that the feast of Christ the King is the antidote to secularism. (He wants us to be reminded that Christ is our king through the things he has done for us. He died on the cross to allow us into eternal life with God the Father Almighty in heaven.) It is to keep us in mind that God is our savior and he his son the king of Catholics to teach us how to praise our creator. Not only does this significant day fall on the last Sunday in the liturgical time but also is celebrated directly before Thanksgiving and Christmas. With being so close to these special occasions it keeps us focused on thanking him for everything he did on earth to make us focused on our religion and reminds us of Jesus the Kings birth on Christmas. This is a special holiday because of the life Jesus had on earth. He taught in the temples as a child, he professed the faith to his disciples, performed the miracles to help the less fortunate, and finally he gave his life to free all humans to give them the opportunity to reach the gates of heaven.
ReplyDeleteChristians need to keep The Feast of Christ the King because when there is trouble we just need to pray that he will save us. People believe the world is going to end and global warming along with other natural disasters. Well God has a plan and everything is done for a reason so Christians need to remember that Christ is our savior and he will save us when needed.
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Doug,
DeleteI think you a great job bringing in Thanksgiving and Christmas into your blog. I got kind of confused because you kept using he, and at the beginning I wasn't sure if you were talking about the pope or Jesus. Also, I liked how you brought global warming into your blog.
On the last Sunday of Ordinary time, the church celebrates a feast called Christ the King. This celebration was instituted into the church in 1925, by Pope Pius XI, to deter and abolish all ideas of secularism. What Pope Pius XI intended was for Christians to "proclaim in a striking and effective manner Christ's royalty over individuals, families, society, governments, and nations." This day allows people to prepare themselves more deeply and thoroughly for the coming of Christ. In a way it allows us to refresh our minds, hearts, and souls to accept Christ into our lives with the coming of a new church season, as well as the new church year. Without this celebration Christians of all beliefs not just Catholics would be so far lost in the secularist ideas that their belief in God could no longer exist. People today adore the material things in life. They lose sight of the true meaning behind the church teachings. This period of time brings the people who have strayed back to their faith. It allows them to regain their love for God, and celebrate all throughout the liturgical seasons. "Almighty ever-living God, whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of the universe." This prayer to the collect has a very significant meaning, but one word that really stuck out was "restore". Christians of today need to restore the catholic faith back to its former glory. That is why this feast is so important. It is a time to renew and reevaluate what we have done the entire year within the church. *Christ the King is a remembrance of Jesus sacrifice, a renewal of Christian Faith, and also a time to remove the secularist ideas that may have fallen into our minds so we can prepare for the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.*
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Dan.
DeleteI loved how you talked about restoring the Catholic faith to its "former glory". I one hundred percent agree. I like how you decided to say to look back at our year, since today is the last Sunday of the church year. I do not really understand why you said "the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." but that just might be me.
The feast of Christ the King has been celebrated since 1925 in almost all Christian faiths. This feast reminds us that Christ is the ruler of the universe and that his kingdom is everywhere. *Christ the King is a celebration that ends the liturgical year and allows Christians to begin the new year waiting for our King on Christmas. *Since the start of this holiday the meaning might be even more relevant now in 2015 than it was 90 years ago. As Catholics we say Jesus is our king but he is not the traditional image of a king that we see in movies. The visiting brother at St. Marys church brought this to my attention during his homily. Most kings use force to let their will be known, Jesus gives us all the free will to make our own choices and follow his will. This celebration occurs right before the season of advent and the renewal of the liturgical year to show us that Jesus or our King will be born on Christmas. The timing allows us to go through advent preparing and thinking of how Jesus came from being an infant to the savior and redeemer. As Christians it is essential that we remember and celebrate the fact that Jesus is our king and the ruler of all, in order to reach his kingdom at the end of time we must follow his will.
ReplyDeleteRachel,
DeleteYou did a very good job at giving examples and I liked how you stated how long the feast of Christ the King has been celebrated. It shows how important it is to Christians.
Rachel,
DeleteYour examples were great and I like how you incorporated images into your blog. It was very good.
(Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe is an essential feast of the liturgical year, which helps men connect to God and Jesus.) The feast of Christ the King is intended to announce Christ's authority over men. The mass of Christ the King establishes authority for Jesus, like he is part of God and had a hand in creation, he redeemed us though his death on the cross, Jesus is the head and leader of the church, and God gave Christ the power over all nations of the Earth. The mass not only gives Christ authority, but it also describes his kingdom. The mass describes in detail the qualities of the kingdom of Christ, such as supreme, universal, eternal, and spiritual. The feast on highly important, because it reminds us of the power Jesus. It also falls on the last day of the liturgical year, and helps the people of the church to transition into the new year and into advent. The advent season is the season of preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ. The feast of Christ the King is meant to inspire the desire to prepare for the coming of Christ. The feast of Christ the King also calls Christians to refocus our thoughts on God, and what we all need form him. This year the feast of Christ the King is even more special and needed. With the resent terrorist attacks in Paris and around the world. The refocusing of how we view the world and how Catholics need to come together and work with each other. Another problem that this feast can assist in, is the growing problems between church and state. The growing split between the government and religion, and how this affects Catholics in the United States. The feast of Christ the King is an essential feast for all Catholic and needs to be celebrated.
ReplyDeleteThe feast of Christ the King is essential to Christians because it remind them who truly is the ruler of the earth. The feast of Christ the King is "an antidote to secularism, a way of life which leaves God out of man's thinking and living and organizes his life as if God did not exist." It is very important to Christians because it helps them stay on track and remember that God is the ruler of the earth. In today's society it is a very important to celebrate this because people stray away from God in so many ways. There are so many pleasures and distractions from God that people forget that he loves them and no matter what happens, he is always there watching over them. Christians need to remember that "Christ is God, the Creator of the universe and hence wields a supreme power over all things; "All things were created by Him"." This feast reminds us that there is nothing more powerful then God. Every Christian should celebrate this just to remind them that God is truly the creator of earth.
ReplyDeleteKira,
DeleteI really enjoyed how focusing on God during this time is the central part of your blog, and how you credited everything to God.
The Feast of Christ the King began in 1925 for Christian religions by Pope Pius XI. (This celebration is held on the Sunday before the beginning of Advent, which prepares Christians for Christmas, welcoming Rex Pacifus. The Feast of Christ the King is a reminder to not get caught up in the stress of the season and to prepare for the coming of the Child of Bethlehem.) For me, Christmas is the best time of year, no matter what form of God you believe in. The Feast of Christ the King expresses the importance Jesus is in our world, especially this time of year. Christ is the reason for the season and the major point of Christmas, a time of joy, thanks, giving, hope, and goodness. The reason I believe anyone can celebrate Christmas is the spirit that is in all of us, to give back, just watch a Hallmark movie. Before this blog, I knew nothing about the Feast of Christ the King, and now that I do, more people should use this day to stop and give thanks.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read about this blog, I thought of my childhood. I remember a celebration of when I went to church with my grandma at the Lutheran Church in Ridgway. The celebration was known as the St. Lucia Festival, popular in Sweden. This is celebrated on December 13th, a day in Advent. This day got the members of my grandma’s church in the spirit for Christmas, similarly to the Feast of Christ the King.
The Feast of Christ the King was established by the Pope in 1925. This feast day is g many Catholics need to be reminded of the Lord that died for each and every one of us. Many people tend to forget about their savior, especially around Chrsitmastime. People get caught up in gift giving and receiving, and all the while they don't even know why they are exchanging gifts. The Feast of Christ the King helps people to remember their Lord Jesus. It has a great significance that I had not ever realized until today.
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DeleteIt is truly significant because people really need to be aware of what they are actually celebrating and this feast day does this for some people. Everyone forgets what God has done for all of us, and the Feast of Christ the King helps people to remember these things.