“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty.” Revelations 1:8
Today we celebrate the joyous feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of All—a day on the Church calendar commonly known as Christ the King.
We may think of a king as someone with great power. But today’s feast day has a different meaning. The Church is asking us to acknowledge the power of Christ to forgive our sins… deliver us from evil… and to grant us eternal life with the Father and all the saints of heaven.
Today’s feast day is another way of saying that God is greater than anything we can imagine. God’s love is immense and eternal, not subject to measurement. God’s grace is infinite, too, a wellspring of divine favor that renews our spirit and refreshes our soul. So in honor of Christ the King, today is a good day to renew our consecration to the living Christ whom we venerate in the Eucharist.
One practice that can help us comprehend, in human terms, the enormity of God’s love is developing the habit of being grateful. Our celebration of Christ the King just happens to fall a few days before Thanksgiving, our great national holiday. If you want to glimpse who God is, practice gratitude. Everything we have comes from God. To live that thankfulness is our calling.
Friend, even though we can’t completely grasp the concept of eternity or infinity, it’s good to remember this: God is the alpha and the omega in whom we are fulfilled. Be joyful and messengers of gratitude. I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving in the company of those you love. May the blessings of our faith be the gift you share without measure. I wish you a rich harvest.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Father Lance Nadeau, M.M.
Prayer for 3rd Sunday
Christ, our Savior, Lord, and King
the Beginning from which all life and
love flow and the end toward which all things
grow we give You thanks for all that is,
all that was, and all that will be.
In You we live and move and have our being.
Without You we can do nothing
for without You we are nothing.
May Your praises fill the Earth
as they do the heavens
and help all Your children know
Your loving-kindness and forgiveness.
Into Your most merciful hands
we commend the souls of all
our departed family and friends.
And from the wellspring of Your heart
may we receive every good blessing
we need to follow You more faithfully
through Jesus, Your Son and our Lord.
Amen.
Prayer by Father Joe Veneroso, M.M.
