FAITH Saginaw Winter 2009 : Page 2
f r o m t h e e d i t o r E ach year, I am fascinated by the Feast of Christ the King. This celebration, in a sense, marks both an end and beginning to the yearly cycle of the church’s liturgical calendar by closing out Ordinary Time and preceding Advent. Last year, we celebrated the feast on Nov. 23; this year, it will come on Nov 22. In one way, the concept of this feast is difficult to grasp. We do not live in a nation with a monarchy; most 21st century kings and queens are figureheads rather than rulers. While the concept of kingship might be foreign to our modern minds, Christ is not. He makes himself known to us in word, in sacrament and in our neighbor. In his encyclical inaugurating the Feast of Christ the King in 1925, Pope Pius XI wrote, “If We ordain that the whole Catholic world shall revere Christ as King, We shall minister to the need of the present day, and at the same time provide an excellent remedy for the plague which now infects society … the plague of anti-clericalism, its errors and impious activities. This evil spirit, as you are well aware, has not come into being in one day; it has long lurked beneath the surface.” Pius XI wrote this at a time when Nazi Germany and other fascist regimes were leading Europe on the path to World War II. It also applies today, as a secular plague against Christ’s church remains a reality. That battle was made more evident in the most recent general election with the passage of Proposal 2 in Michigan, the defeat of health-care initiatives in Saginaw and Bay counties and the crushing of other high profile pro-life initiatives on state ballots across the country. Voters also gave approval to many pro-abortion candidates, including our new president, who said during his campaign that the Freedom of Choice Act will be among his first priorities. In a statement following the outcome of the November election, Bishop Robert J. Carlson wisely observed the choice of voters: “The culture has chosen to reject the matters that are nearest and dearest to the Catholic heart. Therefore, our witness must grow stronger.” But I think our witness can only be as strong as our bond to the one who called the prophet Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” (Jer. 1:5) Is Christ truly our king? Do we let him rule over our hearts, minds, bodies and souls? Or are we kings of our will? Do we embrace and trust the wisdom of the teachings of Christ’s church, passed down through his authority and by his apostles? Do we guard ourselves with truth or do we allow ourselves to become slaves to the lies of relativism? Are we the kings of our own temperal domains, or are we the loyal subjects of our creator? These are serious questions that we must examine, not only on the annual Feast of Christ the King, but every day that we live nourished by his body and blood. May we all be blessed with the wisdom and courage to proclaim our FAITH boldly in the court of Christ the King. - Matt Treadwell is editor-in-chief of FAITH Saginaw and communications director for the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw. FAITH Saginaw Winter 2009 Liturgical Calendar: The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God Jan. 1| St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, bishops King of my castle nowhere, or follow Christ to heaven? Do we lead ourselves to
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