The Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
This weekend marks the end of the liturgical year for the church with the celebration of the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, also known as Christ the King. This is the weekend we remember that while governments and authorities come and go, Christ reigns as King forever.
Pope Pius XI instituted this solemnity in 1925 because of the world's growth of secularism and extreme nationalism. The beginning of the 20th century was a turbulent time. It was an age of progress, war, and worldwide change. This was a time of movements, revolutions, and scientific progress. Governments and military regimes posed a threat, not just to the Catholic Church and its faithful, but to civilization itself. The solemnity gave and continues to provide Catholics hope and—while governments around them crumbled—the assurance that Christ the King shall reign forever.
We are called to recognize Christ the King's dominion within our lives.
He must reign in our minds, wills, hearts, and bodies. Christ is the king that brings order to our lives, mends relationships, conveys truth, protects us from the danger of sin, inspires us to live to our full potential, and affirms us. We proclaim him as our king. We follow him and work to build his kingdom on earth.
Celebrate the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
within your Church of the Home this weekend.
Lectio Divina
Spend time praying with Scripture passages that call to mind Christ’s Kingship.
Daniel 2:44
In the lifetime of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people; rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever.
Daniel 7:14
He received dominion, splendor, and kingship;
all nations, peoples and tongues will serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not pass away,
his kingship, one that shall not be destroyed.
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Royal Celebration
Celebrate the feast day with a truly magnificent feast for dinner. Create a “feast fit for a king” for this week’s Sunday dinner. You might make Chicken a la King and serve a bundt cake “crown” for dessert. Or recreate the roasted chicken, corn, and potatoes that would be served at a kingly feast.
Happy Thanksgiving
Resurrection wishes everyone a very happy Thanksgiving! Whether you are traveling across the country or staying home, and whether your day will be busy and loud or quiet and cozy, we hope your day is filled with the celebration of all the blessings in your life. It is part of our faith as Catholics to give thanks to God for the many blessings he has bestowed on us. We are called to share our gratitude and our blessings with others.
Christina Gebel of Busted Halo shares some tips on building a lifestyle of gratitude:
Work on being present.
Realizing the gifts in our own life or extending our gratitude toward others cannot happen without presence. Make more eye contact. Hold your head up when you walk around, and take in your surroundings.
Start a gratitude journal.
A gratitude journal is not used to make a point about how good or bad any person’s life is. Rather, it’s to make us aware of the gifts in our life on any given day. If you don’t like writing at length, try making a list. Try to write five things you were thankful for each day. If that becomes easy, write 10, and so on.
Be kind to yourself.
When we make a commitment to health and wellness, we often gauge our success by how many miles we ran this week, and beat ourselves up when we take a nap on the couch instead of going for a run. In your commitment to gratitude, know that you are fighting a lot of modern day norms, like the mindless lack of presence that threatens us in day-to-day life. It will take time. Stay the course, and measure your success by how your awareness is changing.
Join us for Mass this weekend in person at 4:00 PM on Saturday, 8:30 or 10:30 AM on Sunday, on www.gbres.org/live, our YouTube channel, and our Facebook page.
READINGS FOR THIS WEEKEND’S MASSES
VIRTUALLY SUNDAY REFLECTION
It only takes one voice to speak up for what is right among the angry shouts of hatred. We are called to follow the truth Jesus taught us and bring light to the darkness. Join Sr Marla as she reflects on this weekend's gospel.
Families
This Weekend's Bulletin
(click to read)
Recent Losses in Our Parish Family
November Town Hall
This past Wednesday, Sr. Nancy Schreck and Sr. Liz Brown from Okolona joined the monthly Town Hall series to discuss What Scripture Says About Economics and How We Are Called to Share.
Note: There were a couple of issues with the audio. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Revealed Podcast
Episode 5 is Now Available!
Join Katie and Tony in learning about a reflective practice called the Daily Examen from St. Ignatius. The Examen helps one notice God's revelation in our daily lives. Through this practice, we’re invited to encounter God, express gratitude for the gift and gifts of each day, and to commit to make up for any mistakes we may have made.
Announcements
Ruby and Res
Get out those winter coats! The snow has arrived!!
Of course, Ruby is ready and looking fashionable.
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