In 1997, there was this Canadian-born director named James Francis Cameron who brought us the film Titanic. In this movie, there was this brave young lad named Jack Dawson who rescues this girl named Rose who was trying to jump off the ship. And here started a story of love. In one part of the movie Jack brings Rose to the bow of the ship. And there Jack goes to the front, stands facing the wind, stretches out his arms, and shouts: I am the king of the world! And at the end of the the story, Jack offers his life that Rose may live.
And today we remember a similar love story like that where a brave young man more than 2000 years ago rescued all of us from certain death... and there he stood facing all insults, nailed on a cross with arms out stretched and whispers to us in his dying breath: My child, take courage, I have conquered the world. And through that death on the cross he redeemed us all. He is indeed King of the world. Christ the King!
Do you know why Pius XI instituted this feast in 1925. If you look at history, this was the start of so many terrible wars.. all because dictators like Hitler, Mussolini, and so many others came out and tried to be the greatest king of the world. At that time when people thought they would reign supreme Pope Pius XI wanted to remind everyone then that only Christ could be the true King and his ways were different from these earthly so-called leaders.
At this same time in Mexico, the President Calles declared war on the Catholic Church. He closed down seminaries and convents. Catholic schools and properties were confiscated. Hundreds of foreign priests, and religious men and women were expelled and forced to leave the country. The president with his new laws has removed Christ from the altars. And so those who chose to remain and fight the system brought Christ into their hearts and were called Christeros (the men that fought against their government to protect their faith). At this time, many priests were martyred while celebrating mass, either by being shot or beheaded. In a last affirmation of their faith, these Cristeros would shout, "Viva Cristo Rey!" (Long Live Christ the King!) just before dying. Padre Miguel Agustin Pro was one of the best known of the martyred priests. Pro used elaborate disguises so that soldiers would not recognize him as a priest. He visited the faithful often dressed as a beggar. He administered the sacraments, provided jokes and laughter, and helped financially those in need. Padre Pro would disguise as a businessman to enable the rich families to receive the sacraments. Pro was arrested for being erroneously linked to a car bombing. Calles took advantage of the opportunity to execute a priest publicly to discourage other priests from joining the Christeros. At his execution Padre Pro carried a small crucifix and his rosary and held his arms out forming a cross as he was shot, he shouts: Viva Christo Rey! long live Christ the King.At around this same time, there was this young boy named Jose Sanchez del Rio. Jose told his mother "In order to go to heaven we must go to war" and begged her to allow him to go fight alongside the Christeros, his mother eventually submitted and allowed Jose to join the cause. Jose became a Christero and was well accepted by his comrades. In a major battle Jose was transporting ammunition to the soldiers when he noticed that his general's horse had been shot dead and the general was laying on the ground in a vulnerable position. Seeing that his general may be killed Jose rushed to the officer's assistance and gave up his own horse, the general hesitated but Jose insisted that the general save himself. Jose was then captured by the soldiers.
The soldiers then decided to kill Jose, and decided to torture him first. They cut into Jose with machetes and with every slash into the his body Jose cried "Viva Christo Rey". The soldiers told him "If you just shout 'Death to Christ the King' we will spare your life" and as they continued to torture him be began to shout louder: "Viva Christo Rey!" Seeing that the boy would not submit the soldiers cut off of the soles of his feet and forced him to walk on salt. The soldiers escorted Jose through town, as he walked on the cobblestone roads he left puddles of blood behind him, he continued to endure the pain. When they reached the place where he was to be murdered, the commander gave the order for Jose to be bayoneted, the soldiers stabbed the boy over and over and every time the steel entered his body the whole town could hear the boy's cries: Viva Christo Rey!. The commander became enraged by the boy's display of faith, pulled out his pistol and shot Jose, instantly killing him. Jose was 14 years old when the was martyred for the faith in Christ the King.
How many of us would die for Christ the King these days? Would we look death in the face, suffer torture and ridicule in defense of Christ's Church? Will we stand up when people defile the house of God? If a boy could endure these pains for his faith why can't we defend our religious freedom? When others persecute us, when millions of children are being murdered in the womb, when governments threaten to remove God from every public monument and document, will we just back out of our faith?
When Pilate taunted Jesus where are those of your kingdom who will protect you now: "My kingdom is not of this world... it can only be in the hearts of men and women who will accept my reign." So, shall we?
References:
Check, C. ( 2007). Viva Cristo Rey! http://www.catholic.com/magazine/articles/¡viva-cristo-rey