Our Lord Jesus Christ the King

November 23

This day ends the Church year, and overtones of it still continue into the first part of Advent, when we reflect on the coming of Christ in his power at the end of time. From Reginald Fuller's Preaching the New Lectionary comes a bit of history about this day:

It was a happy inspiration when Pope Pius XI made the last Sunday of October the feast of Christ the King. Although in some ways it is duplicating certain themes of Ascension Day, it provided for a distinctive emphasis on Catholic social action, the counterpart of the social gospel in American Protestantism. It also provided liturgical support for the social teachings of the great encyclicals from Leo XII on...Now the time has come for a review of Pius XI's action. Feasts governed by the secular calendar, like the last Sunday in October' lack sound precedent in liturgical history. The feast of Christ the King, if it is to be observed at all ought to be integrated into the kingship of Christ from its proper biblical context, which is the eschatological reign, and his continued heavenly rule between the ascension and his return marks the progressive defeat of evil. For he must reign until he has subjected all his enemies under his feet...Those needs were met by another happy inspiration, namely, the transference of the feast to the last Sunday of the Church year. This Sunday has always had a strong eschatological tone, even with traditional readings.

This feast was established at the time when repressive regimes such as Fascism, Nazism, and Communism were gaining hold in Europe and threatening the rest of the world. Pius XI wanted to remind the followers of Christ that NO earthly power has ultimate hold over them, especially if it was evil. Christ himself was the ultimate ruler and authority!!

source:  http://www.catholic-forum.com/from_parishes/from_parishes_981122.html