HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF B/CLOSE OF THE CENTENRARY 21 November 2015 Fr. Anthony M. Criscitelli, TOR

The Parish of Saint Bridget was ten years old when the Feast of Christ the King was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925. It was time when Europe was recovering from the devastating effects of the First World War...a time of great upheaval and confusion: western Europe was beginning to see the rise of oppressive regimes like Fascism and the Nazi party and, in eastern Europe, Soviet Communism was beginning to gain a stronger hold. Meanwhile, on our side of the Atlantic, we were becoming an increasingly consumer society. In the face of all that, Pius XI proclaimed a feast in honor of Christ the King to remind people on both sides of the ocean and throughout the world that there is one Kingdom above all kingdoms—a Kingdom of justice and peace over which Christ is the king and leader and that it is to this Kingdom that we owe our ultimate allegiance.

The passage from St. John’s Gospel that we hear this weekend makes it clear that Jesus understood both his kingship and his kingdom in very different terms than the world—and we—are used to. His encounter with Pilate, whose authority is a little more than threatened by the thought of Jesus as king, makes it clear that Jesus’ authority derives its power from a source other than this world. “My kingdom is not from this world” is how Jesus answers Pilate’s question. However, what many of us walk away thinking we heard Jesus say was “My kingdom is not of this world.” The difference is subtle, but it’s important. “My kingdom is not of this world” has often been used as a proof text used by Christians who would separate religion from the affairs of the world. When our bishops, for example, call Christian people to greater political responsibility by exercising their faith and values in the marketplace, when they advocate for nuclear disarmament or comment on the inequities in our economy...or when the Holy Father writes an on global warming and care for the environment, these same Christians often ask, “What has religion got to do with any of these things; why don’t the bishops and the Pope stick to what they know? After all, didn’t Jesus say, ‘My kingdom is not of this world’?”

But what Jesus said to Pilate was, “My kingdom is not from this world.” In answering that way, Jesus is trying to be clear about the source of his kingdom’s authority…not the location of his kingdom. And that, in turn, tells us that response to the reign of God and the kingship of Jesus Christ has everything to do with how we live our earthly citizenship—how we work, how we play, how we buy, sell, vote, use the resources that have been entrusted to us.

The preface for the feast of Christ the King, which we will hear in a few moments, confirms that when it enumerates the qualities that mark the kingdom of God. It does not speak about domination, military might, material wealth, or any of the things we might associate with an earthly kingdom. Instead, it speaks about a kingdom of truth and life…holiness and grace…justice, love, and peace. This is the kingdom that you and I must extend into our little acre of God’s world.

For over one hundred years now, in small and quiet ways, St. Bridget’s has been striving to do just that. From Fr. Donahoe’s making sure that families had coal to keep them warm in the winter and that their children had shoes to keep their feet warm and dry to our more recent efforts to make known and give flesh to the social teaching of the Church by addressing issues like racism, gun violence, human trafficking, and care for creation and by trying to be the compassionate and welcoming presence of God in a neighborhood that sometimes knows too much the absence of God...in all these ways and more, the people of St. Bridget’s are helping to make the Kingdom of God more visible and we are able to do that because we know, first and foremost, that Kingdom must reside in our hearts.

Here we are, 90 years after Pius XI instituted this feast. As we look around and consider the world in which we live, it’s not so vastly different. Instead of turmoil in Europe, it’s in the Middle East...instead of Nazism, Socialism, and Fascism, its radical Islam...and, as for America becoming a nation of consumers; we’ve only gotten better at it! In short, we the world that God created and pronounced good is still far from the kingdom Christ envisioned when he passed it on to us. And that means you and I still have a fair piece of work to do. It’s a job we may well want to run from because it seems so overwhelming.

Next week we begin the hope-filled season of —a season which focuses us on the second coming of Christ, but also reminds us of his first coming among us. The marvelous fact of the Incarnation assures us that even as we work to build the kingdom of God, Christ our King is with us; Christ who shares with us the power of his dying and rising and whose kingdom is within us. May we and the Parish Community of St. Bridget continue to call upon that Kingdom within us and continue to make it known in our community and in the world.

Universal Prayer November 21st-22nd, 2015 Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Presider

Hearts filled with gratitude, let us offer our prayers to God, who rules the universe and who loves each and every one of us.

Minister of the Word

1. For the holy Church of God as we proclaim Jesus Christ Lord of the universe and the Lord of our lives, let us pray to the Lord.

2. That leaders of all nations follow the example of Jesus by dedicating themselves to the truth and to the service of their people, especially the weakest and the least, let us pray to the Lord.

3. For all who live under the thumb of oppressive regimes and who are persecuted for their religious beliefs and way of life, let us pray to the Lord.

4. In thanksgiving for the Parish Community of St. Bridget; for the ways it has been a presence of Christ on the North Side and a source of comfort, strength, and welcome for those seeking to know God, let us pray to the Lord.

5. For the priests of the Archdiocese, the Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular, the Benedictine Sisters, the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Deacon Rich, and all the consecrated religious and lay ministers who have served here throughout the years that God may bless them for their dedication and generosity, let us pray to the Lord. 6. For those who planned and organized the events that have helped us mark this Centenary year, that they may know our gratitude for their efforts and the blessing of our God, let us pray to the Lord.

7. For our parish community, that as we look to the future, we may continue to do our part in building up the reign of God, let us pray to the Lord.

8. For those intentions we hold in our hearts (pause) and for: 4:30 PM – Our parish community, in gratitude for the past and with hope for the future 9:30 AM – George Paquette for whom this is being offered, we pray to the Lord.

9. For all the sick, those being remembered by our Parish Prayer Ministry, and especially: Mary Ann Carter Rita Holmes Steve Johnsrud Mary Joan Larsen Kay Larson Wilma Livingston Jim & Evie Lausen Chris Nyberg Bob & Joan Roos Justin Smith & Family Allissa Zantac

may they experience the healing power of Christ, we pray to the Lord.

10. For all who have died, especially all our deceased parishioners, the souls who have been commended to our prayers this month, Sharon Lange, and Richard Kroll, brother of James Kroll; may they enjoy the eternal glory of our Lord and Savior, we pray to the Lord.

Presider

Hear these prayers, O Lord our God, and graciously grant that we may have a share in your heavenly kingdom, where you live and reign for ever and ever, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and King.

PENTITENTIAL RITE:

 Lord Jesus, you are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end: Lord, have mercy.

 Christ Jesus, you came to testify to the truth: Christ, have mercy.

 Lord Jesus, you are the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty: Lord, have mercy.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 Tickets for the Luncheon on December 5th will be on sale after Mass;

 The Inter-faith Thanksgiving Service will be at Salem Lutheran Church at 6:30 PM on Wednesday evening;

 Mass will be celebrated on Thanksgiving Day at the St. Bridget Campus at 9:30 AM. We invite you to begin your day of thanks by coming together to celebrate Eucharist. As is our custom, we will have the blessing and distribution of bread within the Mass.

 The Parish Office will be closed at Noon on Wednesday and closed through the weekend.