Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
Isaiah 40:15
To Jesus Christ Our Sovereign King. Written in 1941 by Father Martin B. Hellriegel, a German-American pastor in Saint Louis, as a direct response to the pretensions of the Third Reich and to remind people who actually reigns eternally. We Americans have traditionally understood that God is in charge: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Abraham Lincoln ringingly set forth what this section of the Declaration means: “These communities, by their representatives in old Independence Hall, said to the whole world of men: “We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” This was their majestic interpretation of the economy of the Universe. This was their lofty, and wise, and noble understanding of the justice of the Creator to His creatures. [Applause.] Yes, gentlemen, to all His creatures, to the whole great family of man. In their enlightened belief, nothing stamped with the Divine image and likeness was sent into the world to be trodden on, and degraded, and imbruted by its fellows.”
Nothing could be further from the nightmarish ideas that fueled the Third Reich, and Father Martin B. Hellriegel in his magnificent hymn conveys this majestic conception of God and of humanity under God.
To Jesus Christ, our Sov’reign King,
Who is the world’s salvation,
All praise and homage do we bring,
And thanks and adoration.
Refrain: Christ Jesus Victor, Christ Jesus Ruler!
Christ Jesus, Lord and Redeemer!
2. Thy reign extend, O King benign,
To ev’ry land and nation,
For in Thy kingdom, Lord divine,
Alone we find salvation.
(Refrain)
3. To Thee and to Thy Church, great King,
We pledge our hearts’ oblation,
Until before Thy throne we sing,
In endless jubilation.
“Thy reign extend, O King benign,
To ev’ry land and nation,
For in Thy kingdom, Lord divine,
Alone we find salvation.”
This part really spoke to me. Gorgeous 🙂
We have always loved this song and sing it with heart! It is good to know its author and his thinking behind it. Thank you!
It is a song that acknowledges the truth. He is in charge- a comforting song of trust. Not only is He King, He gives us constantly the great gift of His Church which also begs our love and sacrifice.
Our Lord and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. He will come again, in glory, to judge the living and the dead.
And, Christ’s will subdue all His enemies. And, they will be placed under His feet.
We need to pray for Christ’s enemies, those most in need of His mercy. If they don’t repent, confess, do penance, amend their lives, and by good works glorify God, the Father Almighty, thoriugh Our Lord, Jesus, they will be Christ’s foot stools; and spend eternity in disgrace and unquenchable fire.
We have no president but Christ.
I am proud to say that my maternal grandfather, Henry Brinksmeyer, was the organist at Holy Cross parish in St. Louis when Monsignor Hellriegel was the pastor.
My mother still has a photo of Monsignor Hellriegel that he gave to my grandparents.
Fascinating George!
An oldie I can NEVER hear to much. I sing it quietly, sometimes, as I walk through the halls of the Federal Building where I work. My singing and smile
is noticed. It is sung far too infrequently at Mass in my hometown.
I have another version of it on my PC for inspiration. It always lifts my spirits
when I have the opportunity to join with others singing it.
Good call!
[…] To Jesus Christ Our Sovereign King – Donald R. McClarey, The American Catholic […]
Easter Sunday morning, Matins, Ps. 2:
1. “Why do the nations rage,
and the peoples utter folly?
2. The kings of the earth rise up,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against Yahweh, and against His Anointed, saying,
3. “Let us break their bonds apart,
and cast their cords from us.”
As the evidence mounts, it seems more and more likely that Hitler did make it alive to South America and died in 1962.
The Angel of Death Joseph Mengele was never captured by the Nazi Hunters. He died of a stoke and was buried in an unmarked grave.
The Israelis captured Mengele, put him on trial and executed him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4PM0_E8VQU
I hope the world never has to experience another Hitler. The man was diabolical and I pray Our Lord served him His justice. Hitler is the epitome of evil on earth.
“The Israelis captured Mengele, put him on trial and executed him.”
Nope, that was Adolf Eichmann. Mengele died in Brazil in 1979 and was buried under a false name; his remains were positively identified in 1985. He had lived in South America (Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil) since 1949 and evaded several attempts at extradition by West Germany and Israel. He almost got caught in 1958 when he was investigated by Argentine authorities for practicing medicine without a license — including performing abortions — but he fled to Paraguay shortly thereafter.
You are correct Elaine. My brain sometimes gets cloudy shortly before midnight. The Mossad’s efforts to get Mengele was not a shining moment for that legendary organization.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/06/sunday-review/israel-mengele-auschwitz-holocaust.html
You were right and I was wrong Mary. My sleepy brain confused Mengele and Eichmann.
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Donald McClarey:
I thought I may have been listening to the wrong channel.
Thank you and Elaine Krewer.
On this very beautiful day of Christ our King a name came up that might appreciate our notice.
T. Shaw
November still has a week to go.
Please join me in remembering to say a prayer for T Shaw.
May he be in the company of our Lord, Jesus Christ the King. If not yet, then may our combined prayers release him from the bonds of purgatory. Our Lady of Champion, hear our prayers.
Prayer to Our Lady of Champion
O Dear Lady of Champion, you revealed yourself as the Queen of Heaven to your servant Adele. You gave her a mission to pray for the conversion of sinners, to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to others and to prepare the children for the reception of the sacraments.
I trust that as you called Adele to holiness, you are calling me, in my station in life, to live a holy life, devoted to Jesus Christ with the help of your maternal love.
I bring before you now my worries and anxieties. I abandon my attachments to them and place them at your feet. I ask you to hear the deepest longings of my heart as I pray most earnestly for: ____________ (your intention).
Dear Lady, you told Adele and you say to all of us “Do not be afraid; I will help you.” Help me now as I place this intention with complete confidence and trust.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Our Lady of Champion, pray for us.
Official prayer composed by
Most Reverend David L. Ricken, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay
Make St. Louis church music great again! 😀