The Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, marks the end of the liturgical year in the Church.

The various prayers describe his kingdom as “an eternal and universal kingdom, a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace.”

This year it also marks the completion of a full year using the new translation of the Roman Missal.

The language of prayer is to lead you to the sacred, to God — “Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.”

Our prayers as Church reveal what we believe and so what is important is not whether a doctrine or belief is beautiful, but whether it is true. When you wish to go to a place, you don’t ask whether the road leads you through a pretty route but whether it is the right road. When you follow Jesus, you are to go where he goes, not where you want.

In the midst of life, you may find yourself in difficult and trying circumstances. Jesus is in a trying circumstance before Pilate, who portends to be searching for truth. No one, except Jesus, seems to know what truth is ...

“It is you who say I am a king.

The reason why I was born

the reason why

I came into the world

is to testify to the truth.

Anyone committed to the truth

hears my voice.”

The truth to which Jesus testifies is that God so loves us He wants to save us from sin.

 Biblically, truth is about commitment, belonging, and fidelity, that is, to stay with God, which you express whenever you make the sign of the cross on yourself.

Jesus appeared before Pilate who asked him, “What have you done?”

Jesus responded by talking about his kingdom, that he is a king from another world. The truth is, Jesus is a king. Jesus is the way, and the truth and the life.

That’s the truth Pilate missed and it may be that you and I, too, miss this truth when we become so pressured by difficult choices that we forget, or never take notice that Christ is standing within us, beside us and among us as he told us he would.

What’s the hardest thing for you to do from day to day? Learning to forgive when you are hurt? Apologizing when you would rather not? Being patient when raising your children? Loving your parents, regardless of age? To stop making excuses for growing in faith by doing the minimum or nothing?

Pope Benedict said, “I also wish to place in the hands of the Mother of God this special time of grace for the Church, now opening up for us. Mothers of the “yes,” you who heard Jesus; speak to us of him; tell us of your journey, that we may follow him on the path of faith; help us to proclaim him, that each person may welcome him and become the dwelling place of God. Amen!”