Ship of Fools: Reign of Christ/Christ the King/The Sunday before Advent

Thread: Reign of Christ/Christ the King/The Sunday before Advent Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Anglican_Brat (# 12349) on :

Sunday is Reign of Christ Sunday:

1) What rank is this feast? Is it on par with the lesser Christological feasts (Candlemas, Annunciation?)
2) Do you do anything special in your churches? Processions?
3) What would you preach on?

Posted by Vulpior (# 12744) on :

I know that it's a good choice for Patronal for those churches that are Christchurch or Christ Church.

Posted by LQ (# 11596) on :

We'll have a procession, but sadly it won't be the traditional Sacrament procession ending in Solemn Benediction. As for preaching, I'd probably start with Ken Leech!

Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :

A church in our group of churches is indeed Christ Church so it's their patronal - so joint service, gold vestments and solemn Sung Mass, with a meal afterwards. We'd do everything but the meal and joint service even if it wasn't a patronal though.

Posted by Eirenist (# 13343) on :

I'm preacing on 'Thy Kingdom Come: do we realise just what it is we're asking for?'

Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Anglican_Brat:
3) What would you preach on?

On the upside-downiness of Christ.

Posted by churchgeek (# 5557) on :

Eirenist and Adeodatus, those both sound like great sermons!

Posted by shamwari (# 15556) on :

Link them with the OT lectionary ( Jeremiah 23 vv 1-6) and you have a startlingly appropriate message for the day.

Christ is the Shepherd King as opposed the the shepherds castigated by Jeremiah.

[ 23. November 2013, 20:35: Message edited by: shamwari ]

Posted by Hart (# 4991) on :

1) It's a solemnity.
2) Nothing too special.
3) It appears we have different readings assigned. I'm not preaching this weekend, but he's a first guess at what I might preach on if I were. Given ours, I would concentrate on the gospel reading and try to draw out the surprise that we're reading about the crucifixion on Christ the King Sunday. Christ's kingship is most thoroughly displayed in his loving self-sacrifice, a self-sacrifice that draws conversion from the worst of criminals. Given that I think the eucharistic homily should always be about God's action, I might take my good news statement to be something like: "God rules us by sacrificing Himself for us." I would also point to the Table (which I try and make sure my Sunday homilies do at least half the time), that we can encounter that self-sacrificial kingly love in this Eucharist.

Posted by Ceremoniar (# 13596) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Jade Constable:
A church in our group of churches is indeed Christ Church so it's their patronal - so joint service, gold vestments and solemn Sung Mass, with a meal afterwards. We'd do everything but the meal and joint service even if it wasn't a patronal though.

Posted by St. Punk the Pious (# 683) on :

My Texas parish will have a luncheon after services tomorrow, but that's really for American Thanksgiving, which is this Thursday. We do always note it's Christ the King Sunday and the last Sunday of the church year.

I'm probably posting this too late to help shipmates in England. But Pusey House in Oxford really did up Christ the King back when I visited in 07. They brought in an orchestra and finished with a glorious Solemn Te Deum complete with a thurible 360!

I don't know their plans, but I would definitely go there tomorrow if I were in the area.

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :

Well observed by us this morning, with plenty of incense, even with a short procession. 2 excellent communion motets by the choir, including an Ireland, which was very well sung. The hymns were also appropriate.

Posted by Beeswax Altar (# 11644) on :

I'm just going to preach on Quas Primas and Johnny Cash.

Posted by Gramps49 (# 16378) on :

High Mass, pull out all the stops!

Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King in his 1925 encyclical letter Quas Primas, in response to growing nationalism and secularism, and in the context of the unresolved Roman Question. The title of the feast was "D. N. Jesu Christi Regis" (Our Lord Jesus Christ the King), and the date was "the last Sunday of the month of October - the Sunday, that is, which immediately precedes the Feast of All Saints". In Pope John XXIII's 1960 revision of the Calendar, the date and title remained the same and, in the new simpler ranking of feasts, it was classified as a feast of the first class.

In his 1969 motu proprio Mysterii Paschalis, Pope Paul VI gave the celebration a new title: "D. N. Iesu Christi universorum Regis" (Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe). He also gave it a new date: the last Sunday in the liturgical year, before a new year begins with the First Sunday in Advent, the earliest date for which is 27 November. Through this choice of date "the eschatological importance of this Sunday is made clearer". He assigned to it the highest rank, that of "Solemnity".

I should add this came from the Wikipedia article on Christ the King

[ 24. November 2013, 04:09: Message edited by: Gramps49 ]

Posted by dj_ordinaire (# 4643) on :

Hopefully any Anglicans will follow the CW practice of using the Collect for Stir-Up Subday as a post-communion prayer? Wouldn't want people forgetting that it is time to start work on their pudding!

Posted by Barefoot Friar (# 13100) on :

Churches in this part of the country tend to be rather jingoistic when it comes to Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day. I'm going to point out that if the Church has a patriotic holiday, today is the day. Christ is King!

I'm also pulling out all the stops but one (incense), which I'm saving for Christmas Eve. Chasuble and all.

Posted by Mockingale (# 16599) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Anglican_Brat:
Sunday is Reign of Christ Sunday:

1) What rank is this feast? Is it on par with the lesser Christological feasts (Candlemas, Annunciation?)
2) Do you do anything special in your churches? Processions?
3) What would you preach on?

At the very least, it is a sign that the long, boring Green season is finally at an end.

Bring on Advent!

Posted by LQ (# 11596) on :

I'm off in a few minutes, and curious to see what we end up with, propers-wise, as I can't recall from years past and don't have a leaflet to hand. Ordinarily we use the prayer book lection (+ OT lesson of ambiguous provenance), but we're definitely keeping the white Sunday so I don't know if or where the "Stir-Up" collect will make an appearance, though I wouldn't be surprised if it were commemorated.

[ 24. November 2013, 13:14: Message edited by: LQ ]

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :

We had Christ the King, stirred:

Collect, Preface - Xt the King
Prayer after Communion - Xt the King & Sunday before Advent ("Stir up")

White vestments, of course.

Posted by Carys (# 78) on :

White vestments, and lots of smoke...

Carys

Posted by Mudfrog (# 8116) on :

We did Christ the King here at The Salvation Army too. No incense though [Biased]

Posted by LQ (# 11596) on :

Stir-Up ended up being the station collect at the rood (and the kids and parents were in the kitchen stirring up more literally during the Mass of the Catechumens).

Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :

We did indeed have 'stir up' for our post-Communion prayer. Bells but no smells though which I think is usual for this church in our group (it's not the one I attend).

Posted by Clotilde (# 17600) on :

I wonder about such Post Communion prayers. I know why that one is used today but actually what does it have to do with Christ the King? Could an alternative be provided - of course I know an alternative can be used!

I also wonder what the Post Communion prayer is about. I used to see it as a simple thank you prayer, and good for that. So '...we thank you for feeding us...' a little like a communal gerace at the end of the meal [Smile]

But that isn't what they seem to be. I'd be interested in wise comment on this.

But then maybe thats too much of a tangent so back to the thread. I don't hear a lot about the UNIVERSE side of today's feast - the Cosmic Christ. I'd like to hear preachers guide us more in that from time to time.

Posted by Anglican_Brat (# 12349) on :

The Stir Up Collect on Reign of Christ Sunday only applies to the CofE.

For us Anglicans in Canada, following the Modern Lectionary, Stir Up Sunday occurs on the Sunday between 4 and 10th September:)

Posted by St. Punk the Pious (# 683) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Anglican_Brat:
The Stir Up Collect on Reign of Christ Sunday only applies to the CofE.

For us Anglicans in Canada, following the Modern Lectionary, Stir Up Sunday occurs on the Sunday between 4 and 10th September:)

Us Reformed Episcopalians (US) used the Stir Up Collect this morning.

Posted by Olaf (# 11804) on :

We have recently-composed Stir Up collects through all of Advent.

Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :

Our church had the crucifixion reading from Luke for the Gospel reading. Our vicar especially emphasized the exchange between Christ and the Good Thief in her sermon. The authorities who condemned Christ sarcastically labeled him king. But when the thief asked a boon of Christ, the one Christ offered was an act of special favor in middle eastern kingdoms, the privilege of walking with the king in the king's private garden, his paradise. Beautiful. [Tear]

Posted by Bostonman (# 17108) on :

Heard two sermons today. One on the contrast between earthly kings and Christ the King; one on the jarring crucifixion gospel reading. Both coincided on the nature of Christ's rule: his throne is the cross and his crown made of thorns.

Good preaching, gold vestments, good meals (though these are typical for these congregations!) and king-hymns.

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :

Stunning sermon at my lego-on-the-edge-of-the-world cathedral - but I'm biased as the preacher was kuruman to whom I happen to be married. Nevertheless, many others said so, too.

Posted by LQ (# 11596) on :

quote:
Originally posted by St. Punk the Pious:

quote:
Originally posted by Anglican_Brat:
The Stir Up Collect on Reign of Christ Sunday only applies to the CofE.

For us Anglicans in Canada, following the Modern Lectionary, Stir Up Sunday occurs on the Sunday between 4 and 10th September:)
Us Reformed Episcopalians (US) used the Stir Up Collect this morning.

Does the REC use the RCL though?

(The sole remaining Reformed Piskie parish in Canada, the last time I was there, was using the same Canadian BCP of 1962 and lectionary we use at my own parish, rather than any house version).

Posted by Mudfrog (# 8116) on :

I preached on seeking first the Kingdom of God - placing Jesus at the centre of everything in life.

Posted by Ceremoniar (# 13596) on :

Since we are an FSSP parish who uses the old kalendar and Order of Mass, we celebrated the feast at the end of October. (That date was intended by Pope Pius XI, BTW, to "compete" with the Protestant observance of Reformation Sunday.) At the end of all Masses on that Sunday, we recited the prayer for consecration of the human race to the Sacred Heart of Our Lord and King--a prayer ordered by Pius XI for the feast of Christ the King.

Posted by Ceremoniar (# 13596) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Jade Constable:
A church in our group of churches is indeed Christ Church so it's their patronal - so joint service, gold vestments and solemn Sung Mass, with a meal afterwards. We'd do everything but the meal and joint service even if it wasn't a patronal though.

Traditionally, churches named Christ Church observe the Transfiguration as their titular feast, whereas only churches named Christ the King would observe Christ the King as their titular feast. (And prior to the introduction of the feast of Christ the King in 1925, they would have observed the Transfiguration as the titular feast, as well.)

Posted by venbede (# 16669) on :

It was a stroke of genius to move Christ the King to the Sunday before Advent, and so tie up with the coming of the kingdom which is such an important aspect of Advent.

(In the C of E since 2000 it has been a festival, and the gospel yesterday was the Lucan crucifixion - remember me when you come into your kingdom.)

It sounds a triumphalist climax to the Christian year, but the gospels remind us it is a very different sort of kingship. And it leads us into Advent so the year never comes to an end in a sense.

Posted by Fr Weber (# 13472) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ceremoniar:
Since we are an FSSP parish who uses the old kalendar and Order of Mass, we celebrated the feast at the end of October. (That date was intended by Pope Pius XI, BTW, to "compete" with the Protestant observance of Reformation Sunday.) At the end of all Masses on that Sunday, we recited the prayer for consecration of the human race to the Sacred Heart of Our Lord and King--a prayer ordered by Pius XI for the feast of Christ the King.

We keep CtK on the same day, Ceremoniar. Our logic is that if it's kept on the last Sunday of October you lose a different Sunday after Trinity each year, whereas if you eclipse the Sunday Next Before Advent then you never see it again.

In general we stick to the older version of the calendar; in fact our relationship to mainstream Anglicanism is not dissimilar to the FSSP's relationship to mainstream Catholicism.

Posted by Og, King of Bashan (# 9562) on :

I became aware of the history of Christ the King Sunday after my last trip to Mexico. After seeing a number of Rivera-inspired murals with anti-clerical themes, I started looking into the history of the Cristero war, in which some Catholics fought against restrictive laws under a flag picturing the Virgin of Guadalupe and the words "Viva Cristo Rey" (Viva Christ the King). Pius was aware of the situation in Mexico at the time of his encyclical.

Now I don't advocate taking up that banner today. But I think that Graham Greene's "The Power and the Glory," which was inspired by his visit to Mexico at the time, tells us something about the Kingdom of God. That novel mostly features the stumbling of a drunk priest, and his eventual capture and death. But in the end, another priest comes up and takes on the dead priest's call. God calls messed up "soldiers," and ways of establishing the Kingdom that might strike political leaders as frivolous. But it's happening, and no one can stop it- not even by killing God incarnate. Something to take hope in when all else seems lost.

Posted by georgiaboy (# 11294) on :

We did Christ the King with our customary High Mass, but in white vestments and with Solemn Procession before.
Good and appropriate hymns -- procession was 'Crown Him with Many Crowns' (in the bowdlerized TEC version, which misses out some of the splendid imagery of the original text), but sung to 'Diademata' which really rocks -- and the organist took full advantage.
Curiously, the anthem at the offertory was 'Domine Jesu Christi,' which from the title seems appropriate, but it was in fact the offertory from the Fauré Requiem, well sung, but . just . strange, IMHO.
Going-out hymn was 'Hail to the Lord's Anointed.'
A good time was had by all!

Posted by shamwari (# 15556) on :

I preached on the lectionary OT lesson Jeremiah 23 vv 1-6. Nobody has mentioned this so far.

Jeremiah attacked the "shepherds" for failing the people. Shepherds, for him, included the King; priests and all in 'authority who had a care for the people.

Given the Banking scandal ( Co-Op) and the priestly scandal ( Rev Flowers) in the last week it was startlingly relevant.

But he also promised God would send someone to rule in 'equity and righteousness'. In other words a Shepherd King.

Which brings us back to the theme Christ the King.

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :

Shamwari - It sounds as if you preached very much the same sermon as I did, making the same allusions and coming to the same conclusions. [Smile]

We sang: “O worship the King”, “We have a King who rides a donkey” (!), “The King of love my shepherd is”, “Lord, your kingdom bring triumphant” and “Let us sing the King Messiah”; the anthem was a setting of "King of glory, king of peace".

(Yes, we are a Nonconformist church which does anthems).

[ 25. November 2013, 17:00: Message edited by: Baptist Trainfan ]

Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ceremoniar:

quote:
Originally posted by Jade Constable:
A church in our group of churches is indeed Christ Church so it's their patronal - so joint service, gold vestments and solemn Sung Mass, with a meal afterwards. We'd do everything but the meal and joint service even if it wasn't a patronal though.
Traditionally, churches named Christ Church observe the Transfiguration as their titular feast, whereas only churches named Christ the King would observe Christ the King as their titular feast. (And prior to the introduction of the feast of Christ the King in 1925, they would have observed the Transfiguration as the titular feast, as well.)

The Transfiguration is in August and everyone is on holiday which is, I suspect, why the local Christ Church uses Christ the King for the big celebration.

I had heard that about the old date for Christ the King, that it was to compete with Reformation Day (which we definitely don't celebrate!).

Posted by St. Punk the Pious (# 683) on :

quote:
Originally posted by LQ:

quote:
Originally posted by St. Punk the Pious:

quote:
Originally posted by Anglican_Brat:
The Stir Up Collect on Reign of Christ Sunday only applies to the CofE.

For us Anglicans in Canada, following the Modern Lectionary, Stir Up Sunday occurs on the Sunday between 4 and 10th September:)
Us Reformed Episcopalians (US) used the Stir Up Collect this morning.
Does the REC use the RCL though?

If you are asking about our lectionary, I think the answer is no. I think our Sunday mass readings are the traditional ones in Elizabethan English, of course. And I think our Daily Office readings are based on an Australian lectionary of all things.

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :

quote:
Originally posted by St. Punk the Pious:
are based on an Australian lectionary of all things

Which is just RCL, isn't it?

Posted by St. Punk the Pious (# 683) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Zappa:

quote:
Originally posted by St. Punk the Pious:
are based on an Australian lectionary of all things
Which is just RCL, isn't it?

I'm pretty sure not. I dug into my REC BCP and it states the Lectionary "is generally drawn from the altar edition of An Australian Prayer Book 1978, augmented by the Sunday Psalms and Lessons from the 1945 edition of" the TEC BCP, 1928.

Posted by lily pad (# 11456) on :

quote:
Originally posted by St. Punk the Pious:

quote:
Originally posted by LQ:

quote:
Originally posted by St. Punk the Pious:

quote:
Originally posted by Anglican_Brat:
The Stir Up Collect on Reign of Christ Sunday only applies to the CofE.

For us Anglicans in Canada, following the Modern Lectionary, Stir Up Sunday occurs on the Sunday between 4 and 10th September:)
Us Reformed Episcopalians (US) used the Stir Up Collect this morning.
Does the REC use the RCL though?

If you are asking about our lectionary, I think the answer is no. I think our Sunday mass readings are the traditional ones in Elizabethan English, of course. And I think our Daily Office readings are based on an Australian lectionary of all things.

Those Canadians who use the BCP had the "Stir up" collect on Sunday. The Book of Alternative Service users did not.

Posted by LA Dave (# 1397) on :

White vestments, of course. Entrance hymn, "To Jesus Christ, Our Sovereign King." Offertory hymn involved Crowning with Many Crowns. Anthem one was a Candlyn effort, "Christ Whose Glory Fills the Skies." Anthem two was a Handel chorale arrangement from the Brockes Passion, whose name I cannot now recall. Organ prelude was Virgil Fox's arrangement of Bach's Nun Danket alle Gott and the voluntary was Karg-Elert's arrangement of same.

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :

quote:
Originally posted by shamwari:
I preached on the lectionary OT lesson Jeremiah 23 vv 1-6. Nobody has mentioned this so far.

Jeremiah attacked the "shepherds" for failing the people. Shepherds, for him, included the King; priests and all in 'authority who had a care for the people.

Given the Banking scandal ( Co-Op) and the priestly scandal ( Rev Flowers) in the last week it was startlingly relevant.

But he also promised God would send someone to rule in 'equity and righteousness'. In other words a Shepherd King.

Which brings us back to the theme Christ the King.

That's very much as we view it. Some time ago, in the thread on Kings and Chronicles, I asserted that the ancient Jews were very anti-monarchist. There were many bad kings, but few bad judges. Evensong said "but what about David and the promise that David's house would provide a king".

Well, like all of us, David had feet of clay, only too clearly shown. But the king who came from David's house, the promised one, was the one without sin, tempted though he was. It is this king whom we celebrate at the end of the liturgical year.

Why celebrate then? Well, we have quite a few festivals linked to particular events in Christ's life - Incarnation, Epiphany, Baptism, Presentation in the Temple, Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension, followed by Transfiguration. But there is none of these upon which we particularly celebrate the various day to day acts of Christ's ministry, the day upon which he converted water to wine, cured the sick, lepers, blind and maimed, cast out devils and so forth. All these were acts of a king, and a king acting as Good Shepherd to His people. Indeed, the King's Touch for scrofula continued in England up to the Hanoverians.

So, on this festival we remember all these acts of ministry as acts associated with a king, and from there go to the sign of Christ the King in His eternal glory upon the throne. A fitting end the the year and a look forward to Advent as well.

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