Welcome to the final week of the Church’s liturgical year! This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. It’s a time to look back on the year we’ve had and look forward to the future.

The word of the week this week is Kingdom.

When we think of a “Kingdom,” we often think of castles, power, armies, and rulers sitting on high thrones. But the Kingdom of God is different. It’s not about power over people; it’s about power for people. It’s a Kingdom built on love, justice, and peace. This week, we are invited to ask ourselves: “Who is my King?” and “What kind of Kingdom am I helping to build?”

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke

R./ Glory to You O Lord

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

R./ Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ

It seems strange to celebrate a King who reigns from a cross rather than a throne. In this Gospel, Jesus is mocked for being powerless. The world says a King should save himself, but Jesus is a King who gives himself away to save others. He shows us that true authority doesn’t come from force, but from sacrificial love. His Kingdom is open to everyone—even a criminal on a cross—who simply asks to be remembered.

This week we’re going to look at service in a different way with a live quiz all about Lourdes! Tune in and join us live on Wednesday!