The coming Sunday is the final Sunday in the liturgical year, the 34th such Sunday of Ordinary Time, celebrated as the Solemnity of Christ the King Sunday. While the title of Christ as “King” is scriptural and has always been in the tradition, the solemnity itself was established in the aftermath of the “Great War” that raged in Europe 1914-1918. Established by Pope Pius XI in 1925, the point of the celebration was that despite all the machinations of man, Christ was the only true king; a king timeless and universal. As such, it is placed on the final Sunday of each liturgical year, a symbol of the kingdom that will come at the end of time.
It is interesting that this solemnity is celebrated by contemporary believers, who for the most part, have little first-hand experience of kings, queens and their royal reigns. Most nations of the world are no longer governed by monarchs and in those countries where royal families continue, their roles are usually limited to that of figureheads, symbols of national unity, and serve in official and diplomatic circles. While the titles might be inherited and passed on they are temporal. In complete juxtaposition to these earthly sovereigns, whose reigns are limited in time and whose territorial dominions narrow, Jesus and his reign are forever and absolute.
Christ the King is a title of Jesus in Christianity referring to the idea of the Kingdom of God where Christ is described as being seated at the right hand of God. In the Gospel of Luke, the angel Gabriel proclaims to Mary, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:31-33)
Outside the gospel, the First Epistle to Timothy (6:14–15) explicitly applies the phrase of “king of kings and lord of lords” to Jesus adapting the Pentateuch’s declaration, “For the LORD, your God, is the God of gods, the Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome.” (Dt 10:17). In the Book of Revelation, an Angel of the Lord appears: “He has a name written on his cloak and on his thigh, “King of kings and Lord of lords.’” (Rev 19:16)
Image credit: “Christ before Pilate” by Duccio di Buoninsegna | Museo dell’Opera metropolitana del Duomo, Siena | PD-US
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friarmusings 
these were power full powerful words for centruies when fifdoms and kingdoms ruled all the growing world. Really when K G3 was defeated in the USA that only way of rule began to crumble. That lead to many more uprising ???? interesting how church was the primary sanctioner of the kingdom rule from Roman methods . H8 broke this deal over his heirs. interesting PBS series is running now on Cromwells role portrayed as sympathetic character with h8 wives. history even this recent is puzzling !! Will PF change this ARC ???