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Views from the Choir Loft

Proclaiming Christ’s Kingship

Fr. David Friel · October 28, 2018

ESUS CHRIST is a matchless King. Solomon dressed in splendid clothes and built a magnificent temple; David led his army to victory in numerous battles; Pharaoh maintained an iron rule over the Egyptians and their Israelite slaves. Jesus, meanwhile, lay in a manger, shared meals with the poor and public sinners, and hung stripped and bloodied upon the Cross. Christ never looked very much like a King.

Even now, the Kingship of Christ is unique, inasmuch as the reign of God extends throughout both heaven and earth. Christ’s Kingdom is among us (Lk 17:21), as a present reality, and yet beyond us (Jn 18:36), as an eschatological reality. As the preface for the feast proclaims, the reign of God is “a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love, and peace.”

All Christians, by virtue of their Baptism, are subjects of Christ’s benevolent Kingship. In addition to the many graces that flow from being Christ’s subject, this identity also entails responsibilities. Citizenship in the Kingdom of God (Phil 3:20) bestows, for example, a mission. This mission is not entrusted solely to bishops, priests, and deacons, nor is it the preserve of saints, scholars, and mystics who seem beyond the reach of ordinary people. All followers of Christ, rather, have a part to play in the realization of the Kingdom.

One of the most significant, difficult, and all-encompassing missions related to the Kingdom of God, in fact, is entrusted to the laity. According to the Second Vatican Council, the vocation of the lay faithful is to sanctify the world. In its dogmatic constitution on the Church, the Council teaches that the laity have the specific vocation of making the Church present and active in the world (Lumen gentium, no. 33). This teaching is further developed in the Council’s decree on the apostolate of the laity, which states that laypeople fulfill their mission by evangelizing and sanctifying people; by their lives, the laity are called to permeate and perfect the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel (Apostolicam actuositatem, no. 2). The laity, in this vision, are bearers of a mission to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Mt 5:13-14).

Sanctifying the world, therefore, is not chiefly the task of chanceries or committees or curial officials. The sanctification of the world properly belongs to the apostolate of the laity. This extraordinary call to discipleship remains unchanged in every place, in every period, and in every person. It is the task of the laity to make the Father known, to allow the love of Christ to shine forth, and to become suitable temples for the Holy Spirit. The proclamation of the Kingdom, begun by Jesus in the countryside of Galilee, is extended through time and space by the Church, with particular reliance upon the gifts and zeal of her lay members.

HE ROMAN SOLDIER who nailed a placard to the Cross identifying Jesus as the “King of the Jews” did so as an act of sarcasm. Every Christian has the opportunity to make the same proclamation, not in mockery, but as an act of worship. By the manner of our lives and our commitment to the Gospel, we announce to all the world the joy and freedom that come from submitting ourselves to the sweet dominion of Christ the King.

This post is reprinted from the blog of the USCCB Committee for Religious Liberty, where it first appeared.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

Is this the dumbest statement ever written? “When considering texts for his motets, Gombert obtained his inspiration from Scripture—such as the Psalms—as opposed to the liturgy of the Roman Catholic church.”

— Wikipedia

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Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.

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