Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe – Year C

First Reading

2 Samuel 5:1-3

David is anointed king.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 122:1-2,3-4,4-5

Enter the house of the Lord rejoicing.

Second Reading

Colossians 1:12-20

Hymn to Jesus as the first-born of all creation.

Gospel Reading

Luke 23:35-43

Jesus is crucified under the title King of the Jews.

Background on the Gospel Reading

Today as a Church, we conclude our liturgical year and celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. The Gospel we proclaim shows the great mystery of our faith: In the moment of his crucifixion, Jesus is shown to be King and Savior of all.

Luke's Gospel has been loaded with surprises: the poor are rich, sinners find salvation, the Kingdom of God is found in our midst. Here we see the greatest surprise of all. We are confronted with the crucified Jesus, whom faith tells us is King and Savior of all. The irony is that the inscription placed on the cross, perhaps in mockery, contains the profoundest of truth. As the leaders jeer, the thief crucified by his side recognizes Jesus as Messiah and King, and finds salvation.

Jesus is King, but not the kind of king we might have imagined or expected. His kingship was hidden from many of his contemporaries, but those who had the eyes of faith were able to see. As modern disciples of Jesus, we, too, struggle at times to recognize Jesus as King. Today's Gospel invites us to make our own judgment. With eyes of faith, we, too, recognize that Jesus, the crucified One, is indeed King and Savior of all.

Crown Him with Many Crowns

"Crown Him with Many Crowns" is very appropriate for the Solemnity of Christ the King. It was written by English hymn writer Matthew Bridges in 1851. The tune is 'Daidemata', which was written by George J. Elvey and first published in 1868. The name is derived from the Greek word for "crowns." This performance is by the Huddersfield Choral Society.

Christmas Boutique -

This Weekend

The Ladies of the Altar Society will be holding their Annual Christmas Boutique and Bake Sale this weekend November 22 & 23. Saturday hours will be from noon to 6pm and on Sunday from 7:30am to 1:00 pm. 

Plan to stop by and see all the beautiful items the ladies have for sale, along with all their delicious baked goods. Donations of baked goods are always appreciated. 

Santa will be arriving at 8:30am on Sunday and will stay until noon to greet all the kids. In addition, we have a Santas Workshop where the kids can make their own Christmas Ornament to take home and hang on their tree. 

We look forward to seeing all our very supportive Church members who make our Boutique a success every year!

Family Mass

Our next Family Mass will be this Sunday, November 23 at 9:00 am in the church.

During this Mass we will have the joy of welcoming two young people into God’s family, the Church, through the waters of Baptism.



Also, after the Mass we will be selling Advent wreaths for use in your family. The metal ring costs $10 each and a set of four candles is $5.00. Cash only. Correct change is appreciated. And candles and rings left over will be offered for sale at the 11:00 am Mass

Flower Sale



The Knights of Columbus are holding another flower sale to benefit Birth Choice of San Carlos. The flowers will be sold on the patio on this weekend November 22-23. 

Congratulations, Pat Clasby

We are so proud to announce that our Coordinator of Youth Ministry, Pat Clasby, is receiving a national award at this week’s National Catholic Youth Ministry Conference in Indianapolis. He will receive The Saint John Bosco Accompaniment Award.

Saint John Bosco dedicated his life to helping young people grow in faith and character, always leading with love, patience, and encouragement. He believed in walking with youth, guiding them to Christ through friendship and support. The Saint John Bosco Accompaniment Award recognizes those who follow his example by finding new ways to support and mentor young people in their faith journey.

The award is given to an individual, apostolate, or organization working on the regional or national level that:

• Inspires others through their efforts to support and strengthen the faithful accompanying young people

• Collaborates with others at the national/regional level to illuminate the necessity of accompaniment in ministry outreach with young people

• Advocates a comprehensive approach of ministry with young people

• Promotes the necessity of encountering and following Jesus Christ

Only three people from across the United States will be given this award in 2025. We are proud of Pat and congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition.

Waiting in Joyful Hope: Daily Reflections for Advent and Christmas 2025-2026



Once again, we are pleased to make these small booklets available for free to our parishioners. They will be available on the patio on the First Sunday of Advent (November 29-30). One per family. Donations to cover the cost are welcome.



Esperando con alegre esperanza: Reflexiones diarias para Adviento y Navidad 2025-2026

Una vez más, nos complace poner estos pequeños folletos a disposición de nuestros feligreses de forma gratuita. Estarán disponibles en el patio el Primer Domingo de Adviento (29-30 de noviembre). Uno por familia. Se agradecen las donaciones para cubrir los gastos.

Solemnidad de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo, Rey del Universo

Reflexión: Cristo Rey y el Llamado a la Conversión

Reflexión Pastoral

Somos seres complejos. Pensamos demasiado, torcemos las situaciones a nuestro favor y, a veces, incluso intentamos que Dios haga lo que queremos. El mal ya no es solo debilidad; los malvados planean y actúan deliberadamente. Jesús nos advierte que esta generación pide señales, pero la mayor señal es nuestra propia conversión.

En el Evangelio de hoy (Lucas 23:35-43), vemos a Cristo en la Cruz, rodeado de burlas e indiferencia. Sin embargo, incluso en su sufrimiento, ofrece la promesa de salvación al ladrón arrepentido: “Hoy estarás conmigo en el paraíso”. Este momento nos enseña que nadie está fuera de la misericordia de Dios. La verdadera conversión comienza cuando reconocemos nuestros pecados y abrimos el corazón a Él. Todos somos imperfectos, pero Dios nos encuentra en nuestra debilidad, ofreciendo perdón y libertad.

Cada día, Dios pone señales ante nosotros, guiando nuestras decisiones. Debemos notarlas, actuar con prudencia y no dejarnos presionar ni por la prisa ni por la obsesión. Dios nos habla en lo simple y cotidiano, si abrimos los ojos y el corazón. Convertirse significa cambiar cada día, reconocer nuestros pecados y buscar el perdón. El cambio verdadero comienza cuando enfrentamos nuestras debilidades, pedimos perdón e incluso nos perdonamos a nosotros mismos. Solo así Dios nos puede levantar y poner en el camino de la transformación.

Hoy, al celebrar a Cristo Rey, recordamos que su trono es la Cruz y su corona es de espinas. Su reinado no es de coerción ni de poder mundano, sino de amor, misericordia y servicio generoso. Esta solemnidad nos invita a preguntarnos: ¿coronamos a Cristo como Rey en nuestro corazón, en nuestra familia y en nuestras decisiones diarias, o dejamos que los valores del mundo tomen el trono?

Oremos por la gracia de seguirle fielmente, servir con generosidad y vivir el Evangelio con actos de amor, misericordia y justicia. Como el ladrón arrepentido, hoy también podemos encontrar la misericordia de Cristo y dejar que su reino transforme nuestra vida desde dentro.

P. George G. Pérez, CJM

3821 Adams Street

Carlsbad, California 92008

760.729.2866