He must reign!

"If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth; if all men, purchased by his precious blood, are by a new right subjected to his dominion; if this power embraces all men, it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from his empire. He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or to use the words of the Apostle Paul, as instruments of justice unto God (Rom 6:13). " ~Encyclical of Pope Pius Xi on The Feast of Christ the King, December 11, 1925

Ave Maria! Ave Christus Rex! Yesterday's Solemnity of Christ the King is such a full and rich one that I am still pondering its message and meaning today. This morning I have been reading and reflecting upon Quas Primas, Pope Pius XI's encyclical on Christ the King. I am challenged by the passage above, which is a stark reminder to me that if Jesus our Lord truly is my King and I His servant, absolutely everything belongs to Him and nothing, not even a smidgen, to me. I may not hold anything back from Him who has given His All to me. Such are the sweet imperatives of Love. Isaac Watts sums it up quite well:

"Love so amazing, so divine,

demands my soul, my life, my all."

Sweet Jesus my King, oh, make me love You more and more!