Christ the King (Year C): Resources

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Date: November 23, 2025
Liturgical Season: Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Last Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C)
Readings: USCCB Lectionary #162

One-Sentence Theme:
When earthly kingdoms collapse and the cosmos expands beyond human comprehension, the Church proclaims a King stripped naked on a cross-throne, where a criminal enters Paradise TODAY—not through cosmetic performance, but through simply saying “Jesus, remember me.”

WHERE ARE WE?

A Feast Born from Fallen Kingdoms

This Sunday is unlike any other in the liturgical year. The solemnity itself tells a story—and the key to understanding this day is not just in the readings, but in the history of the feast itself.

In 1925, Pope Pius XI established the Feast of Christ the King in the aftermath of World War I and a world-shattering reality: all four major European monarchies had fallen.

• The Hohenzollerns (Germany) – gone
• The Romanovs (Russia) – executed
• The Habsburgs (Austria-Hungary) – collapsed
• The Ottomans (Turkey) – dissolved

The Bolshevik Revolution had birthed the Soviet Union. Fascism was rising. Militant secularization was spreading across Mexico, Russia, and Europe. The age of kings was over.

And in that moment—when earthly kingship lay in ruins—the Church proclaimed: “We point to a King of whose kingdom there shall be no end.”

But here’s what’s stunning: Where do we find this King?

On a cross. Stripped naked. Crowned with thorns. Dying as a convicted criminal.

The first person to enter His kingdom? A thief who simply says, “Jesus, remember me.”

From “Christ the King” to “King of the Universe”

In 1969, Pope Paul VI changed the title from “Christ the King” to “Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.”

Why 1969? Because humans reported walking on the moon that year. The cosmos was no longer an abstract concept—it was VAST, infinite, billions of galaxies, expanding beyond comprehension.

And the Church’s response? “Christ is King of ALL of it. The UNIVERSE.”

Not just King of earth. Not just King of human affairs. King of ALL THINGS—visible and invisible, earthly and cosmic, the entire created order.

Paul’s letter to the Colossians (our second reading) becomes suddenly urgent:

“In him all things were created… all things created through him and for him… in him all things hold together… through him to reconcile all things… making peace by the blood of his cross.”

ALL THINGS. Not just humans. The universe itself.

The Cosmic/Cosmetic Paradox

Here’s where it gets beautiful—and uncomfortable.

The Greek word for universe: kosmos (κόσμος) means ORDER, ARRANGEMENT. From this same root comes kosmetikos—the art of ADORNMENT, BEAUTIFYING, making presentable.

So cosmos = the ordered universe
And cosmetics = the art of ordering/adorning ourselves to look acceptable

We spend our lives trying to look cosmetically acceptable:

• Adorning ourselves to seem worthy
• Creating impressive offerings (like the temple-admirers)
• Building well-decorated structures
• Performing to prove we deserve access to God

We’re doing cosmetics—covering our chaos, hiding our imperfections, sweeping our mess under the rug. Like Adam hiding in the bushes: “I saw I was naked, so I covered myself.”

But the King who brings COSMIC order—who reconciles ALL THINGS in the universe—appears as:

• Stripped naked
• Bloodied and beaten
• Crowned with thorns
• A convicted criminal
• Zero cosmetic presentation

And the first person into Paradise? Also has no cosmetics:

• A dying thief
• Nothing to offer
• No adornment
• Just: “Jesus, remember me.”

Why These Readings NOW?

Last Sunday, Jesus told his disciples the temple would fall—every stone thrown down. No temple = no worship, no access to God. It was unthinkable.

And now, on this final Sunday of the liturgical year, we see what replaces the temple:

A King on a cross. A torn veil. Paradise opened TODAY.

Not someday when we get our act together. Not after we’ve perfected ourselves cosmetically. TODAY. For criminals. For the broken. For those who’ve stopped hiding.

We’re one week away from Advent—from preparing to meet Christ as a baby born in poverty. But before we go small, the Church asks us to go impossibly BIG:

King of the UNIVERSE. Reconciling ALL THINGS. Cosmic scope.

And then shows us: This cosmic King reigns from a cross.

This universal order comes through the ultimate disorder—bloodshed, mockery, execution.

True cosmic ordering happens through the one who appears most chaotic.

LITURGY PLANNING

Symbols & Themes That Emerge

• Cross-Throne – The instrument of execution becomes the seat of cosmic authority
• Crown of Thorns – Kingship through suffering, not power
• Nakedness/Stripping – The cosmetic removed; only bare truth remains
• “TODAY” – Immediacy of Paradise; the kingdom is accessible now
• Torn Veil – The barrier between heaven/earth ripped open (not in our Gospel but theologically present)
• Two Thieves – One mocks (cosmetic covering), one asks (bare honesty)
• Jerusalem “Joined to Itself” – Heaven and earth united (from Psalm 122)
• Universe/Cosmos – The vast scope of Christ’s reconciling work

Worship & Gesture Suggestions

The Approach:
This Sunday calls for AWE and SILENCE before it calls for celebration. The bigness of “King of the Universe” paired with the starkness of the crucifixion should render us speechless.

Consider usage of silence—letting people sit with the paradox before attempting to explain it.

Focus on pieces that hold both majesty and humility. We’re celebrating a King, but one crowned with thorns. Avoid triumphalism. Lean into mystery.

Connect to the “cosmetic” theme—we bring our unadorned selves, like the good thief. Nothing impressive. Just “Jesus, remember me.”

“TODAY you will be with me in Paradise.” The kingdom is accessed NOW, in the Eucharist. This is the cosmic joining—heaven and earth united in bread and wine.

End the liturgical year with something both celebratory and bittersweet. We’re closing Ordinary Time. Next week is Advent. The tone shifts from “King of the Universe” through apocalyptic watchfulness to “infant in a manger.” Hold that paradox.

Flexibility Note

This Sunday works powerfully with multiple entry points depending on your parish’s season:

• Historical/cultural angle: If you’re in a community wrestling with political upheaval, the fall-of-kingdoms context resonates
• Cosmic/scientific angle: If you serve a community of thinkers/scientists, the universe language opens doors
• Mercy/criminal angle: If you’re in a community touched by incarceration or addiction, the good thief’s immediate access to Paradise is pure grace
• End-times/Advent prep: If you want to emphasize the eschatological dimension, this is the last cosmic statement before we zoom into Bethlehem’s intimacy

Choose the thread that serves your people. The readings are rich enough to hold whatever you need.

FREE RESOURCES FOR THIS SUNDAY

Biblical Background – Deep Context
What does kosmos really mean—and why does it also mean “cosmetics”? Where are we in salvation history? How does David’s anointing connect to Christ’s crucifixion? Plus the human/embodied dimension of these texts.

INCLUDES INTRODUCTION TEXT, which you are welcome to read aloud before the Liturgy of the Word.

Perfect for: Homily prep, catechists, liturgy coordinators, anyone who wants to understand why this feast matters in our moment.

Prayer of the Faithful – Intercessions
Theologically rich, pastorally sensitive intercessions flowing from this Sunday’s themes: cosmic reconciliation, the good thief’s immediate access, kingdoms that fall and the Kingdom that endures, those who’ve stopped performing and those still hiding.

Perfect for: Liturgy planning teams, prayer leaders, those preparing petitions.

CALL TO ACTION

These resources are offered freely to support individuals and any parish’s liturgical life. If you’d like custom liturgy planning tailored to your community’s specific needs, or coaching for liturgical coordinators navigating transitions, I’m available for individual consultations.

In the meantime, explore these resources, adapt them for your context, and—as we close this liturgical year—give thanks for a King who reigns not from a palace but from a cross, who opens Paradise TODAY for anyone who stops trying to look cosmetically acceptable and simply says His name.

The temple has fallen. The earthly kingdoms have collapsed. The cosmos has expanded beyond our wildest dreams.

And still—impossibly, beautifully—the King of the Universe reigns from a criminal’s cross, and the first citizen of His kingdom is a thief who brought nothing but his broken, unadorned self and said, “Jesus, remember me.”

That’s the kingdom. That’s the King. That’s the invitation.