The Church’s liturgical year concludes with this feast of Christ the King instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 to celebrate the Jubilee year and the 16th centenary of the Council of Nicaea. One of the reasons this feast was shifted to take place at the end of the Church’s liturgical year is to remind us that Jesus is the end of our lives. In instituting this feast, Pope Pius XI proclaimed “Pax Christi in Regno Christi.” The peace of Christ in the Reign of Christ. This means that we live in peace of Christ, when we surrender our lives to Him as our God, Savior and King and allow Him to rule our lives. We honor Christ as the king of the universe and the king of our hearts by allowing Him to take control of our lives.

Today’s gospel presents us with a very famous story many of us are very familiar with. The story of the King or master who gave his three servants talents and left for a long trip. On his return he expected to get a result on how they used the talents. The first two doubled what they were given because they tried and traded with it. The last never did anything on his own.

Wisdom forms the central message in today’s liturgy. The first reading says that wisdom is perceived by those who love her and can be found by those who seek it out. Those who seek it will find it, as it is not hidden nor inaccessible. Another aspect of the passage is that wisdom is personified with feminine pronouns and can be found in solitude. It is a precious gift that helps us navigate through life’s challenges because with wisdom we would be able to make right choices that would enrich our life here on earth and draw us close to God.

Who doesn’t desire the praise and respect of others? Who doesn’t like to be recognized or to be praised? We want others to see us at our best with all our strength and achievement, rather than at our worst with all of our faults and shortcomings.

Prophet Malachi, in the first reading of today, calls the attention of priests who prefer the praise and respect of people rather than giving glory to God. He says, “If you do not listen, if you do not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, says the Lord of hosts, I will send a curse upon you and your blessing I will make a curse.” Prophet Malachi condemns the attitude of priests who have abandoned true worship and service of God for self-praise and fame. In the days of Prophet Malachi many priests had lost the true meaning in the worship of God they presided over so that their worship no longer imparts their lives anymore.