Feast Day!

This Sunday we celebrated the Feast of Christ our King in the traditional Latin Mass! Pope Pius XI instituted this feast in 1925 in response to growing nationalism and secularism. After Vatican II, this feast was shifted to the last Sunday before Advent, so most of you will celebrate it in a month.

Here is a link to Christus vincit, Christus Regnat.

Given that it's an election year, I couldn't be more pleased to celebrate this feast before the elections. What a great reminder. We have the laws of the land, but they can never, ever supersede God's laws. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Although economics might be high on most people's minds, I hope folks will look to Our Father ...

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  

Interestingly, the first Latin Mass we ever attended was in Seattle at the Church of North American Martyrs, and it was at the Feast of Christ our King. I was transported to a different plane with that High Mass. Although I *know* Mass is heaven on earth, it took the beautiful Gregorian music and incense for me to be utterly lost in it. Now that we sing in the choir, I find that I can get distracted by having to keep place, mark time, and making sure I don't butcher the Latin, but I try to remind myself I am joining angels in worship even if I mess up. And I think the Lord looks with affection at his servants who try hard.

We are preparing Faure's Requiem Mass for All Souls Day. Here's an excerpt of the Sanctus. I realize many of you might have heard this in a concert, but it is unbelievable to hear this during Mass. I hope you get a chance. Pray for all our beloved dead. And given Hurricane Sandy's destructive path, I can't help but say, prepare and pray. Not just for safety but also for death. We could all disappear from earth in a blink. Are we ready to meet our Maker?
May the Lord bless and protect us all, and grant us mercy.
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