Last Minute Ideas for a Christ the King Feast Day Tea

image from Wikipedia

Between preparing for and celebrating Thanksgiving and beginning to obsess over how to tweak our Alphabet of Plans for this year, I almost forgot that today is Christ the King day – a day that I had set aside at the beginning of the academic year as one on which we’d celebrate a monthly Liturgical Tea.  Luckily, I remembered last night and Mike was gracious enough to offer me time online to plan and share about the tea we will celebrate.

 

Decoration

• A Christ the King image printed from Google image searches
• A large candle with Jesus on it, on which the kids will tape a paper crown.

Tea Time Fare

• Royal Punch (whatever purplish-colored 100% juice we can find.)
• Warmed chocolate almond milk (because the kids don’t like real tea, but LOVE this!)
• Red apples slices put together as hearts, to symbolize that Christ is King of our hearts.
• GFCF Coconut-Almond cookies, to represent earth.
• Vanilla coconut “ice cream” on defrosted blueberries, to symbolize the heavens, of which Christ is King.

Prayer

• Pray the Act of Dedication of the Human Race to Jesus Christ King as found at Catholic Culture:

Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before you. We are yours, and yours we wish to be; but to be more surely united with you, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to your Most Sacred Heart. Many indeed have never known you; many, too, despising your precepts, have rejected you. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to your Sacred Heart. Be King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken you, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned you; grant that they may quickly return to their Father's house, lest they die of wretchedness and hunger. Be King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbor of truth and the unity of faith, so that soon there may be but one flock and one Shepherd. Grant, O Lord, to your Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give tranquility of order to all nations; make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: Praise to the divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to it be glory and honor for ever. Amen.

Prayer Source: Enchiridion of Indulgences , June 29, 1968

Activities

• Since Christ is King of our Hearts, fashion homemade crowns out of heart shapes to wear at the tea.  (Alternately, others may like to just Perhaps print and color the stand-up Christ the King shared at Family Feast in Feria.
• Mention Pope Benedict XVI’s remarks as shared at Catholic Culture that  Christ’s kingship is not based on “human power” but on loving and serving others and begin brainstorming ideas for how to love and serve others, which we might use next week when we make our Advent chain.
• Borrowing from Amy at Splendor in the Ordinary, we will discuss the fact that although “we pay special attention to Christ's kingship this day, He is King throughout the year... we see Christ as King throughout the liturgy: in Advent, as we await His coming again in glory; in Christmastide, we see the coming of a King of Peace; at Epiphany, Christ adored by other Kings; at Lent and Good Friday perhaps his kingship can seem veiled to us but it is His Holy position that gives his suffering power and at Easter, He is the Triumphant Hero overthrowing evil to restore His Kingdom,” and, during Ordinary Time, he always remains King of our Hearts.
• Work together on the word search at Sanctus Simpliticus.
• Color the coloring page from Crusaders for Christ that is shared at Sanctus Simpliticus or the one that is shared at Sermons4Kids.
• We won’t be doing it this year, because I don’t have the props handy, but I wanted to note the object lesson at Sermons4Kids is a good one and one I will likely use next year when I am (hopefully!) more prepared.
• Sing the Christ the King song found at CyberFaith.com:

Christ Our King Song
(Sing to the tune of Frere Jacques)

Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
is our king;
is our king.

He rules with peace and justice.
He gives life to all people.
We praise him.
Praise our king.

Let us worship,
let us worship,
Christ our king;
Christ our king.

As king he shows the way,
the truth, and the life.
We praise him.
Praise our king.

As a bonus to our celebrations, tomorrow we will use parts of Mama Erika’s Raising Little Saints Feast of Christ the King packet during lesson time.  What a gift Erika has given us by taking the time to create and share this wonderful freebie!

Double bonus:  If I happen to get an unexpected gift of time, I may dive into reading the free Christ our King e-book at Open Library for my own education.  If not, at least I will have it bookmarked for next year.

Do you have favorite traditions for sharing Christ the King day with young ones in your life?  Does anyone know of a picture book that might connect to the day?

 

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