Christ the King
Make Present the Kingdom
Live the mystery
DAY 1
Friday, November 15, 2019
Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, King of the universe, we want to open our spirit in this novena dedicated to you and contemplate the mystery of your life as an Apostle of the Kingdom with your mind and heart. We ask you, through the intercession of Mary, to establish your reign in our hearts so that united to you, we can make your Kingdom present in the hearts of people and in society.
“…yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me…” (Galatians 2:20)
To make Christ’s Kingdom present is to enter into a relationship with him and give our free consent to let him gradually transform us. Our ability to make Christ present is rooted in the reality that he can and wants to be present in me and through me.
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, open my heart so that you can reign in it, make present your mystery in me, and transform my life so that you can continue your mission through me.
Christ our King, thy Kingdom come!
DAY 2
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, King of the universe, we want to open our spirit in this novena dedicated to you and contemplate the mystery of your life as an Apostle of the Kingdom with your mind and heart. We ask you, through the intercession of Mary, to establish your reign in our hearts so that united to you, we can make your Kingdom present in the hearts of people and in society.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Jesus Christ is sent by the Father to redeem humanity. His kingdom is not of this world. He is the king of the manger, of the crown of thorns… the king who came to serve, to give his life for love. Jesus Christ is the Apostle of the Kingdom, who goes out to meet people, reveals the love of his heart to them, gathers them together and forms them as apostles and Christian leaders, sends them out and accompanies them as they collaborate in the evangelization of people and of society .
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, open my heart so that you can reign in it, make present your mystery in me, and transform my life so that you can continue your mission through me.
Christ our King, thy Kingdom come!
DAY 3
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, King of the universe, we want to open our spirit in this novena dedicated to you and contemplate the mystery of your life as an Apostle of the Kingdom with your mind and heart. We ask you, through the intercession of Mary, to establish your reign in our hearts so that united to you, we can make your Kingdom present in the hearts of people and in society.
“And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them” (Luke 24:15)
Christ, the one who is sent, the Apostle of the Father, goes out to meet humanity and to make his Kingdom present in our hearts and in the world. He finds us in all the circumstances of our existence, in our deepest experiences. He is a King who seeks us, who takes the initiative, who calls us continuously. There is nothing in our lives that cannot be embraced by Him.
To live the mystery of Christ is to let yourself be found by Him and go out to meet others.
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, open my heart so that you can reign in it, make present your mystery in me, and transform my life so that you can continue your mission through me.
Christ our King, thy Kingdom come!
DAY 4
Monday, November 18, 2019
Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, King of the universe, we want to open our spirit in this novena dedicated to you and contemplate the mystery of your life as an Apostle of the Kingdom with your mind and heart. We ask you, through the intercession of Mary, to establish your reign in our hearts so that united to you, we can make your Kingdom present in the hearts of people and in society.
“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:12-13)
Jesus Christ, our Friend and Lord, reigns from the Cross. There he reveals to us the love that burns in his Heart and the thirst he has to be loved. His unconditional, free, and redeeming love invites us to open our own hearts to receive it. He invites us to love Him and to love what He loves. He invites us to let him love us.
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, open my heart so that you can reign in it, make present your mystery in me, and transform my life so that you can continue your mission through me.
Christ our King, thy Kingdom come!
DAY 5
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, King of the universe, we want to open our spirit in this novena dedicated to you and contemplate the mystery of your life as an Apostle of the Kingdom with your mind and heart. We ask you, through the intercession of Mary, to establish your reign in our hearts so that united to you, we can make your Kingdom present in the hearts of people and in society.
“…that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us…” (John 17:21)
Jesus Christ calls us to make his Kingdom present. The love that burns in the heart of Christ is a love that gathers us in communion and invites us to remain in Him. A love that makes us brothers and sisters in Him.
To live the mystery of Christ means that gathered together in his name, we make his Kingdom present among all people.
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, open my heart so that you can reign in it, make present your mystery in me, and transform my life so that you can continue your mission through me.
Christ our King, thy Kingdom come!
DAY 6
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, King of the universe, we want to open our spirit in this novena dedicated to you and contemplate the mystery of your life as an Apostle of the Kingdom with your mind and heart. We ask you, through the intercession of Mary, to establish your reign in our hearts so that united to you, we can make your Kingdom present in the hearts of people and in society.
“Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25: 31-46)
With his own life, Jesus Christ teaches us what it means to be King according to the criteria of the Kingdom of his Father. He shows us that true leadership consists in giving witness to the truth, in serving our brothers and sisters, in submitting freely to the will of the Father, and in giving our life for love. He teaches us that the way of the beatitudes is the one that leads to the Kingdom, and that at the end of our life, we will be judged on love.
To live the mystery of Christ who forms us as apostles is to remain united to him, to learn to think as He thinks, to feel as He feels, to love as He loves.
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, open my heart so that you can reign in it, make present your mystery in me, and transform my life so that you can continue your mission through me.
Christ our King, thy Kingdom come!
DAY 7
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, King of the universe, we want to open our spirit in this novena dedicated to you and contemplate the mystery of your life as an Apostle of the Kingdom with your mind and heart. We ask you, through the intercession of Mary, to establish your reign in our hearts so that united to you, we can make your Kingdom present in the hearts of people and in society.
“As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
(John 20:21)
Jesus wants to make us participants in the mystery of his Kingdom… he invites us, together with others, to make it present here and now. He wants to go out to meet the people of today through us, show them his love, and save them.
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, open my heart so that you can reign in it, make present your mystery in me, and transform my life so that you can continue your mission through me.
Christ our King, thy Kingdom come!
DAY 8
Friday, November 22, 2019
Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, King of the universe, we want to open our spirit in this novena dedicated to you and contemplate the mystery of your life as an Apostle of the Kingdom with your mind and heart. We ask you, through the intercession of Mary, to establish your reign in our hearts so that united to you, we can make your Kingdom present in the hearts of people and in society.
“I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)
Jesus never leaves us alone. He sent us the Holy Spirit, gave us to his Mother, and remained present in the sacraments. He walks with us along the interior and exterior paths of our existence, but he always leaves us free. His presence is not imposed; it needs to be recognized and accepted.
To make Christ’s mystery present is to seek his company and to accompany others on their path.
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, open my heart so that you can reign in it, make present your mystery in me, and transform my life so that you can continue your mission through me.
Christ our King, thy Kingdom come!
DAY 9
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, King of the universe, we want to open our spirit in this novena dedicated to you and contemplate the mystery of your life as an Apostle of the Kingdom with your mind and heart. We ask you, through the intercession of Mary, to establish your reign in our hearts so that united to you, we can make your Kingdom present in the hearts of people and in society.
“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel” (Mark 16:15)
Our ability to make Christ present is based on the fact that He can be, and wants to be, present in us and through us. Let us make our life the mystery of Christ the King, letting him do his work in us so that we can be instruments of his love, and so that “God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:28).
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, open my heart so that you can reign in it, make present your mystery in me, and transform my life so that you can continue your mission through me.
Christ our King, thy Kingdom come!
