Happy 34th Sunday, Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe! This is the last Sunday of the Church year. We begin a new Church year with Advent next week.
On this feast of Christ the King we are specially encouraged to remember the importance of religious freedom. We acknowledge publicly the reign of Christ over all the world. Religious freedom is a right we must celebrate and defend—the freedom to live and practice our faith not just privately, but respectfully in the public square as well.
This coming week we also celebrate Thanksgiving. Thanks be to God that Jesus is our King and that we do have religious freedom in our country! Yet, there is so much more for which to be thankful.
Let us give thanks to God for the gifts of:
Our lives, our families, our homes, our friendships.
Our faith, the Mass, the Sacraments, and God’s grace.
Our capacity to love and be loved, and especially for God’s unconditional love.
Our parish, our community, and all our relationships.
Our country and our freedoms.
Our joys and sorrows, our prayer and our work.
Our heath, happiness, and holiness.
Our crosses as ways to follow Christ.
Thanks be to God!
Thank you for all you do for Prince of Peace. Thank you for your prayerfulness, your faith, your acts of love and service, and all your sacrificial gifts of time, talent, and treasure.
I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you, praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, because of your partnership for the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:3–6)