Happy New Year…almost. Some of you might think I got my dates mixed up. Not quite! In the Church, the Feast of Christ the King is the final Sunday of our liturgical year. We are approaching a new beginning as we prepare for the Season of Advent, which will begin next weekend; that is the official start of the new liturgical calendar. That means that this week is the perfect time to more intentionally reflect, reset, and maybe even make a few “New Year’s Resolutions” for Christ, our King.

Today’s feast celebrates Jesus as King – not only King of the Universe, but most especially, King of our hearts. But let’s be honest: kingship isn’t exactly a word we toss around in our everyday lives. In fact, as Americans, we rejected the reign of a temporal king almost 250 years ago. In our democratic world, many of us don’t think about kings very often, unless we’re binge-watching some medieval drama or we come across the latest royal gossip on social media. And yet, as Christians, we proclaim that Christ is our King – not just any king, but one who calls us to transformation, to deep love, and to new life.

With that in mind, as we wrap up this liturgical year, why not make some resolutions? And I’m not talking about the “go-to-the-gym-more-often” kind of resolutions, but resolutions that will help us live as disciples and open the door more for Christ to truly reign over our lives. What could some of those be? Here are three resolutions to consider:

Resolution #1: Daily Audience with the King

If Christ is our King, He deserves some dedicated time on His throne in our hearts. That could be as simple as giving the Lord five minutes in the morning, offering our day to Him, or a quiet moment at night giving thanks for God for the blessings He has given us throughout the day. Or it could be something more substantial, like dedicating a weekly hour or two to spend time with Jesus in the Adoration chapel. Imagine it like scheduling time with the King Himself! Too often, our lives get so packed with things to do that Jesus gets squeezed out of our daily routine. And no one is immune to that, not even a priest. It’s something that I struggle with constantly. But it doesn’t mean we don’t try. Let’s flip that around. Let’s make Him first.

Resolution #2: Be the King’s Ambassador

The Kingdom of God is built one act of love at a time. This week, find one small way to be Christ’s presence for someone – whether it’s a kind word, a helping hand, or simply listening. Don’t underestimate those moments where the Lord puts us in the right place at the right time and gives us opportunities to be Him for others. When we respond to those invitations, the ripple effect goes far beyond what we see. And remember, being an ambassador of Jesus doesn’t mean we have to have it all together; it simply means we show up…it means that we strive to love like Jesus does. We won’t always get that right. We won’t always respond in the right way, but we shouldn’t give up trying.

Resolution #3: Dethrone Other Kings

Let’s be honest: for all of us, there are other “kings” that sometimes take over parts of our hearts and lives. Maybe it’s the king of comfort – choosing what’s easy instead of what’s right. Maybe it’s the king of pride – holding onto grudges or needing to be right. Maybe it’s the king of busyness – always rushing, never pausing to notice God’s quiet voice. Or maybe it’s the king of despair – giving up our fight against that habitual sin we have been struggling with. Whatever those things are that are keeping us away from Jesus. This week, identify one “king” that’s been taking up too much room and ask Christ to reclaim that space.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells Pilate, “My kingdom does not belong to this world” (John 18:36). His kingdom isn’t about power or riches; it’s not about status or position. Instead, the Kingdom that Jesus established on this earth is one where hearts are transformed by love and truth. When we make these resolutions, whenever we strive to transform our hearts with the Lord, we are deliberately choosing to allow Him to reign within us. When Jesus is King of our lives, our actions, our words, and even our struggles become part of His kingdom work. They become part of how He is seeking to redeem us and the world.

Now, you might be wondering: how will I stick to these resolutions? Here’s the secret: sometimes, it’s as easy as remembering that we’re not in it alone. Christ walks with us every step of the way. He is continually offering us strength and grace. He is always there to reassure us that we’re on the right path and encourages us to not give up. He doesn’t expect perfection; instead, He just wants us to show up and invites us to give our “yes” to Him every single day.

So, as we crown this liturgical year and step into the next, let’s celebrate with purpose. Let’s make room for Christ, our King, to reign more deeply within us. Let’s make this upcoming year truly royal – one heart, one step, one act of love at a time.

So once again, a little early, I know, but Happy New Year! May Christ the King reign in our hearts forever.

Photo: Christ the King, stained glass. Flickr, Mike F. (mdf3530). Used under Creative Commons license Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).