Christ the King Novena 2025 - Regnum Christi International

NINTH
14-22 November

Come to us

your Kingdom!

This year we celebrate with special joy the centenary of the establishment of the feast of Christ the King, established by Pope Pius XI in the encyclical Quas Primas to remember that Jesus Christ is the center and Lord of history, the only one who can bring true peace and justice to the world.

This ninth invites us to renew our faith and to recognize Christ as King of our lives, our families and society, welcoming his Kingdom of truth, love and mercy.

About the design

On the occasion of the centenary of the encyclical Quas Primas (1925) of the Pope Pius XI, the illustration has been developed for this year's novena, as a renewed expression of Christ King of the Universe. He does not present himself as an earthly king but as the Crucified and glorious King, whose crown of thorns, here golden, remember that his martyrdom is his true majesty.

«He alone is the one who gives prosperity and true happiness» (Quas Primas, n. 16).

Christ appears with the open arms, showing their glorious sores and its Sacred Heart on fire, The source of love and redemption. In his left hand he holds the earth crowned by the cross, The world, a sign of his sovereignty over the world, can find peace only in him.

«Oh, what happiness we could enjoy if individuals, families and societies would allow themselves to be governed by Christ!» (Quas Primas, n. 19)

When the encyclical was written, the world was emerging from a great war, experiencing crises and pandemics. Today, one hundred years later, the context is not very different. That is why this image is also a call: to recognize Christ as King of the world and of history, because only in his Kingdom is true peace to be found.

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November 14 - Day 1 King expected

℣. The Lord reigns, clothed in majesty.
℟. The Lord reigns, clothed in majesty.
℣. Thus the orb stands firm and does not waver.
Thy throne is firm from everlasting,
and you are eternal.
℟. The Lord reigns, clothed in majesty.

OPENING PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ,
King of the universe and of our hearts, you who came to reconcile everything in you and to establish the Kingdom of truth and life, of holiness and grace, of justice, love and peace, we acknowledge you as our only Lord. We want you to reign in our lives, in our families and in society. Grant us to live in fraternal communion, being co-responsible in the mission of making your Kingdom present with joy, dedication and fidelity. Grant that, following your example of humility and service, we may work for a more just and fraternal society, where all may recognize your lordship and find true peace in you.
So be it.

GOSPEL Luke 1:30-33
«Then the angel said to her, »Mary, do not be afraid, for you have found favor with God. And now, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. And he shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.".

REFLECTION
Jesus Christ is the long-awaited King, the promised Messiah. Only in him alone can we find true light, the hope of salvation from a God who reveals his majesty by making himself present in our midst, who shows his face and dwells in those who open their hearts to him. «If we remain in his love, in fact, he himself dwells in us, our life becomes a temple of God, and this love enlightens us, and enters into our way of thinking and our decisions, until it reaches others as well, illuminating every area of our existence» (Pope Leo XIV, May 25, 2025).
As at the Annunciation, this awaited King still needs the yes of his creatures to establish his eternal Kingdom in hearts and in society.

CLOSING PRAYER
Lord, give us a pure heart so that we may see your face, recognize you and welcome your Kingdom in our lives.

Christ our King
Thy Kingdom come!

November 15 - Day 2 Poor and Humble King

GOSPEL Matthew 2:1-2
«After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the time of King Herod, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, asking: Where is the King of the Jews who has been born? For we have seen his star and come to worship him.».

REFLECTION
In Jesus Christ we contemplate the mystery of a God who, being rich, became poor in order to enrich us with his poverty (cf. 2 Cor 8:9). Assuming our humanity, He shares with us His richness: unlimited trust in God the Father, and invites us to share with Him His filial and fraternal spirit, to become sons in the Son, brothers in the Firstborn Brother (cf. Rom 8:29) «God is merciful love and His plan of love, which extends and is realized in history, is above all His descent and His coming among us to free us from slavery, from fears, from sin and from the power of death. With a merciful gaze and a heart full of love, he turned to his creatures, taking on their human condition and, therefore, their poverty. Precisely in order to share the limits and frailties of our human nature, he himself became poor, he was born in the flesh like us, we have known him in the littleness of a child placed in a manger and in the extreme humiliation of the cross, there he shared our radical poverty, which is death» (Pope Leo XIV, Dilexi te, 6). This preferential option of Jesus for the poor reveals to us the majesty of a God who «has compassion for the poverty and weakness of all humanity and, wishing to inaugurate a Kingdom of justice, fraternity and solidarity, is particularly concerned for those who are discriminated against and oppressed, asking us too, his Church, to make a firm and radical option in favor of the weakest» (Dilexi te, 6). (Dilexi te, 6)

CLOSING PRAYER
Lord Jesus, poor and humble King, help us to recognize our need for you and to discover your face in those who suffer. Make us “poor in spirit” so that, trusting in you, we may be true witnesses of your love for the least and the neediest.

Christ our King
Thy Kingdom come!

November 16 - Day 3 Tame King

GOSPEL John 12:13-15
«They took palm branches and went out to meet him, and cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel! And Jesus found an ass, and rode upon it, as it is written, Fear not, O daughter of Zion: behold, thy King cometh riding upon an ass's colt».

REFLECTION
With his triumphant but humble entry into Jerusalem, Jesus Christ teaches us that his Kingdom does not advance by force of arms or power, but by the meekness of the truth that convinces from within. Meekness is not weakness, but an inner strength that overcomes evil without resorting to violence. The majesty of Christ is the meekness of self-giving love, a tender and close love that does not impose itself, but attracts, transforms and conquers hearts. «It is truly said that Christ reigns in the hearts of men because, by his supereminent charity and by his meekness and benignity, he makes himself loved by souls in such a way that no one - among all those born - has ever been or ever will be so loved as Christ Jesus.» (Pius XI, Quas Primas, 6.)

CLOSING PRAYER
Lord Jesus, make our hearts meek and humble like yours, so that, surrendered to your love and clothed with your goodness and gentleness, we may be instruments of your peace in the world and attain the inheritance of your Kingdom.

Christ our King
Thy Kingdom come!

November 17 - Day 4 King of Justice

OPENING PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, King of the universe and of our hearts, you who came to reconcile everything in you and to establish the Kingdom of truth and life, of holiness and grace, of justice, love and peace, we acknowledge you as our only Lord. We want you to reign in our lives, in our families and in society. Grant us to live in fraternal communion, being co-responsible in the mission of making your Kingdom present with joy, dedication and fidelity. Grant that, following your example of humility and service, we may work for a more just and fraternal society, where all may recognize your lordship and find true peace in you.
So be it.

GOSPEL Matthew 25:31-36
«When the Son of Man comes in his glory, with all his angels, he will sit on his throne. glorious. All nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He shall set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right hand, »Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to me".

REFLECTION
Christ is King of justice. His law is charity. His way of governing: total self-giving. The measure of his judgment: love of neighbor. In Christ, justice is lived as mercy and solidarity, inviting us to recognize and serve him in those most in need. Thus, his majesty is revealed in the power of love that transforms and dignifies each person. «Truly I tell you, whatever you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.» This word never ceases to move us, because it reveals to us the extent of God's love: to the point of identifying with us, not when we are well, not when we are healthy and happy, but when we are in need. And in this hidden way he allows himself to be found, he reaches out to us as a beggar. Thus Jesus reveals the decisive criterion of his judgment, namely, concrete love for our neighbor in difficulty. And thus is revealed the power of love, the majesty of God: in solidarity with those who suffer in order to arouse everywhere behaviors and works of mercy» (Francis, Angelus, 26 November 2017).

CLOSING PRAYER
Jesus Christ, King of justice, make us hunger and thirst for your justice, so that we may know how to recognize and serve you in those most in need, and thus, satiated by your love, we may build your Kingdom on earth.

Christ our King
Thy Kingdom come!

November 18 - Day 5 King of Eternal Life

GOSPEL John 18:36-37
«Your nation, and the chief priests, have delivered you to me What have you done? Jesus answered: «My Kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my people would have fought to keep me from being handed over to the Jews: but my kingdom is not from here.» Then Pilate said to him, «Are you then a king?» Jesus answered: «Yes, as you say, I am King. For this I was born, and for this I have come to the world: to bear witness to the truth».

REFLECTION
The kingship of Christ goes beyond human parameters. «Jesus is King, but his kingdom is not of this world. The world of Jesus, in fact, is the new, the eternal one, which God prepares for all by giving his life for our salvation. It is the kingdom of heaven, which Christ brings to earth by pouring out grace and truth. The world, of which Jesus is King, redeems the creation ruined by evil with the power of divine love that liberates and forgives, that gives peace and justice» (Francis, Angelus, November 24, 2024). The kingdom of Christ is love. It is a spiritual kingdom, which is incarnated in the world and longs to reign in our hearts to give us eternal life. «But this is possible only because it is not the sovereignty of a political power, but is based solely on the free adherence of love; a love that responds to the love of Jesus Christ, who has given himself for all» (Benedict XVI, Palm Sunday, April 5, 2009).

CLOSING PRAYER
Jesus Christ, help us to live according to the truth of your kingdom that invites us to go beyond logic and human securities, to be courageous and creative, and to remain in your love in order to make you present in the world.

Christ our King
Thy Kingdom come!

November 19 - Day 6 King Redeemer

GOSPEL Matthew 27:27-29
«Then the soldiers of the governor brought Jesus into the praetorium, and gathered around him the whole company, and stripped him, and put a scarlet robe upon him, and put a crown woven with thorns upon his head, and a reed in his right hand; and bowing the knee before him, they mocked him, saying: Hail, King of the Jews!».

REFLECTION
Christ has the right to reign over all creatures, not only because he is the Son of God, but also because he has redeemed us with his blood (Quas Primas, 12). «He embraced our death, our pain, our poverty, our frailties and our miseries (...) He became a servant so that each one of us might feel himself a son, he paid for our filiation with his servitude. He allowed himself to be insulted and mocked, so that in every humiliation none of us would be alone. He allowed himself to be stripped naked, so that no one might feel stripped of his own dignity. He went up to the cross, so that in every crucified person in history there might be the presence of God. This is our king, king of each one of us, king of the universe, because he crossed the furthest reaches of humanity; he entered into the dark immensity of hatred, into the immense darkness of abandonment, to illuminate every life and embrace every reality» (Francis, Homily, 20 November 2022).

CLOSING PRAYER
Jesus Christ, You who embraced our sin in order to redeem it, make us capable of accompanying and consoling those who suffer, and of feeling true sorrow for our offenses so that, restored by Your mercy and forgiveness, we may experience the joy of salvation.

Christ our King
Thy Kingdom come!

November 20 - Day 7 King of Peace

GOSPEL John 19:17-19
«And he, carrying his cross, went out to the place called the place of the Skull, and in Hebrew, Golgotha; and there they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus in the midst. Pilate also wrote a title, which he put on the cross, saying: Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews».

REFLECTION
On the cross Jesus Christ reveals himself as the King of Peace. He does not rule from a throne of power, but from one of love and mercy where he reconciles heaven and earth. He is not crowned with the glory of gold, but with the thorns of our sins. The cross is the chair of peace. From there, Jesus Christ teaches us a peace that does not dominate, but builds history by transforming hearts. «This is the peace of the Risen Christ, a peace that is unarmed, disarming and also persevering, which comes from God, who loves us all unconditionally» (Pope Leo XIV, Urbi in Orbi, May 8, 2025) «Oh, what happiness we could enjoy if individuals, families and societies allowed themselves to be governed by Christ (...). Then so many wounds could be healed, every right would recover its ancient vigor, the goods of peace would return, swords and weapons would fall from their hands, when all would willingly accept the rule of Christ, when they would obey him, when every tongue would proclaim that Our Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father» (Pius XI. Quas Primas, 19).

CLOSING PRAYER
Jesus Christ, help us to recognize your kingship in our lives so that as we find true peace in you,
let us be peacemakers so that you may reign in the world.

Christ our King
Thy Kingdom come!

November 21 - Day 8 King of Mercy

GOSPEL Luke 23:39-43
«One of the malefactors hanging there insulted him, saying to him, -If you are the Messiah, save yourself and save us! But the other rebuked his companion, saying, "Do you not fear God, you who are suffering the same punishment? We rightly suffer, for we receive the just payment for our deeds; but this one has done nothing wrong. Then he added: -Jesus, remember me when you remember me when you reach your kingdom. Jesus answered him, »Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise".

REFLECTION
From the throne of the cross Jesus Christ reveals his majesty as King of mercy, demonstrating that sin does not have the last word and that «God's mercy has set a limit to evil» (St. John Paul II, Memory and Identity). Mercy opens the heart to the hope of being loved forever regardless «Mercy is the way that unites God and man, because it opens the heart to the hope of being loved forever notwithstanding the limit of our sin» (Francis, Misericordiae Vultus, 2). «Precisely in the failure of sin - sin is a failure, the failure of human ambition - there is the triumph of the Cross, there is the gratuitousness of love. Jesus Christ the King reveals the power of love (...) For this reason the majesty of Jesus does not oppress us, but frees us from our weaknesses and miseries, encouraging us to walk the paths of goodness, reconciliation and forgiveness». (Francis, Angelus, 22 November 2015).

CLOSING PRAYER
Jesus Christ, help us to open ourselves to the grace of your love, which is always greater than our sin, and give us a merciful heart to make your kingdom present in this world with gestures of tenderness, understanding and love.

Christ our King
Thy Kingdom come!

November 22 - Day 9 King of kings

Reading Revelation 17, 14
«They will go together to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is the Lord of all lords and the King of all kings. And those whom he has called and chosen and are faithful to him shall be with him.».

REFLECTION
«Love always wins, just as Christ has always won! Love always wins, even if at times, in the face of concrete events and situations, it may seem powerless to us, Christ seemed powerless on the Cross! God is always more powerful!» (St. John Paul II, Message to Youth in Chile 1987). Jesus Christ, King of kings, the Lamb who won the Kingdom for all on the Cross, teaches us that his power is love, his majesty, that of the beatitudes and that fidelity to the Gospel is the way to true happiness: that of the pure in heart, the poor in spirit, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for justice, those who mourn, those who work for peace, the merciful, those who are persecuted for the sake of justice. «Blessed are you when they revile you, and persecute you, and speak all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven» (Mt 5:12).

CLOSING PRAYER
Jesus Christ, King of kings, help us to open ourselves to your grace so that, transformed by your love, we may walk the path of the beatitudes so that you may reign in our lives, and so that we may collaborate in the construction of a more just, fraternal and supportive world, where all may experience the joy of your Kingdom.

Christ our King
Thy Kingdom come!

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