The King of Nations

Extract

The third requirement for peace laid down by His Holiness Pius XI is “ some juridical institution which shall guarantee the loyal and faithful fulfilment of conditions agreed upon and which shall in case of recognized need revise and correct them.” There can be no guarantee of loyal fulfilment of treaties and contracts without a recognition of the universal laws of right and wrong ; and these laws proceed from Christ the ‘‘Lord of all.” Peace and order therefore demand the rule of Christ the King. The influence of the Incarnate ‘Word must extend over the whole of society.

When it comes to concrete realities, does not this seem quite impracticable? Pius XI wrote: ‘‘Not only private individuals but also rulers and princes are bound to give public honour and obedience to Christ.” But can we visualize this “ reign of Christ in the Kingdom of Christ “ in a world where Hitlers and Mussolinis sprout like mushrooms in the night? Is the gentle spirit of the King of Kings a match for the powers of this world, which have seized dominion over society and are rapidly destroying it? How can Christ nde in the twentieth century? He does not enforce his laws with armaments and sanctions. No police force takes its orders from him and patrols the nations to see that they observe the eternal injunctions of their King. It is difficult enough to visualize its working even in a society that was wholly Christian in name, for the downward tendency of fallen nature always plays its part. Indeed many of the worst blackguards are Christian in name—Hitler and Mussolini are Christians, yet there seems to be no superior Christian power to stop their destructive arrogance Since in actual fact all men do not give their allegiance to Christ, and since there are vast tracts of modern society that definitely reject him, his ruling over the hearts of men seems a Utopian dream.