My kingdom is not of this world<\/strong> \u2014 that’s Christ’s own answer, standing bound in front of the one man in the room with actual worldly power to kill him, and it’s the whole of what we gather to consider today. Beloved, grace and peace to you this morning \u2014 however you arrive here: tired or hopeful, certain or doubting, welcomed elsewhere or shut out elsewhere. Bloom is not a room you have to earn your way into. Today we gather for Bloom’s Sunday Mass, offered in the Independent Catholic tradition \u2014 not affiliated with or recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, following the same honest naming already used by Old Catholic and Anglo-Catholic communities for over a century \u2014 the full Low Mass, entirely spoken, nothing sung, nothing added beyond what belongs here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before anything else proceeds, we make the Church’s own act of communal self-examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I ask the whole company of heaven, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Apoc. 5:12; 1:6)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power and divinity and wisdom and strength and honor: to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Give to the King, O God, the verse answers, thy judgment: and thy justice to the King’s son.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace to men of good will. We praise thee. We bless thee. We adore thee. We glorify thee. We give thee thanks for thy great glory. O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father almighty. O Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father. Thou who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Thou who takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For thou alone art holy. Thou alone art the Lord. Thou alone art most high, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Almighty and eternal God, who hast willed to restore all things in thy beloved Son, the King of the whole world: mercifully grant that all the families of nations, torn apart by the wound of sin, may be brought under his most gentle rule. (Confirmed, directly sourced \u2014 Missale Romanum 1962, Feast of Christ the King, 1st class)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Colossians 1:12-20<\/a>, Douay-Rheims<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Brethren, we give thanks to God the Father, who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins; who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for in him were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominations, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and in him. And he is before all, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the Church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he may hold the primacy: because in him it hath well pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell; and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, making peace through the blood of his cross, both as to the things on earth and the things in heaven.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n (Ps. 71:8, 11)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n He shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. And all the kings of the earth shall adore him: all nations shall serve him. Alleluia, alleluia. His power is an everlasting power that shall not be taken away, the verse continues: and his kingdom that shall not be destroyed. Alleluia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n John 18:33-37<\/a>, Douay-Rheims<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n At that time, Pilate said to Jesus: Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answered: Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have others told it thee of me? Pilate answered: Am I a Jew? Thy own nation, and the chief priests, have delivered thee up to me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now my kingdom is not from hence. Pilate therefore said to him: Art thou a king then? Jesus answered: Thou sayest that I am a king. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world, that I should give testimony to the truth: everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God. And born of the Father before all ages. God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God. Begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven. And became incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. He was crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. And on the third day he rose again according to the scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead: of whose kingdom there shall be no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son. Who together with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Pilate asks a fair question, and it deserves an honest answer: are you a king, or not? What Christ gives him instead is stranger than yes or no. My kingdom is not of this world.<\/strong> Not “I have no kingdom” \u2014 a real kingdom, with a real king, real subjects, real authority. Just not the kind Pilate is equipped to recognize, because Pilate’s whole professional life has trained him to measure power by armies, by threats, by who can make whom afraid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That’s worth sitting with on a feast built specifically to name Christ’s kingship, because it would be easy to hear “Christ the King” and imagine something that looks like every other king history has produced \u2014 a throne, a court, subjects who obey out of fear of what happens if they don’t. Today’s Gospel refuses that image on Christ’s own terms, in the one moment in the Gospels where a Roman official has him utterly at his mercy and asks him directly to describe his power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I think about the people who come to Bloom in the middle of losing their faith, or finding it for the first time, or standing somewhere confused in between \u2014 people the modern Church, in whatever form it took for them, taught to associate God’s authority with control: control over their bodies, their identities, their families, their doubts. If that’s the only model of kingship a person has ever been shown, it makes sense that walking away from it can feel like walking away from God entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But my kingdom is not of this world<\/strong> is Christ dismantling exactly that model, in the clearest terms available. His authority isn’t the kind that needs to frighten you into line. It’s the kind Colossians describes in the same breath: a kingdom you’re translated into, not conscripted into \u2014 reconciled to, not subdued by. If you’re somewhere in the middle of doubting what you were taught, or testing whether any of this can still be true for you, today’s Gospel doesn’t ask you to accept a throne room. It only asks whether you’re the kind of person who’s of the truth \u2014 and if you are, Christ says plainly, you’ll hear the voice regardless of what you currently believe about the crown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Ps. 2:8)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Receive, O Lord, this offering of ourselves \u2014 our doubts, our certainties, whatever we currently believe or cannot yet believe \u2014 laid before you not as a sacrifice for consecration alone, but as a spiritual offering of everything we are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n O Lord, we offer thee this host for the reconciliation of humanity: grant, we beseech thee, that Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, whom we immolate in this sacrifice, will bestow on all peoples the gifts of unity and peace. (Confirmed, directly sourced \u2014 Missale Romanum 1962, Secret, Feast of Christ the King)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n (Offered within Bloom’s own Independent Catholic tradition)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n For this is My Body.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n For this is the Chalice of My Blood, of the new and eternal testament: the mystery of faith, which shall be shed for you and for many unto the remission of sins.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n (For all who cannot receive sacramentally over this broadcast \u2014 the same practice recommended by Roman bishops to their own parishes watching Mass from home; universal to the online format, for anyone, regardless of who is celebrating)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n (Ps. 28:10, 11)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lord shall sit as King forever: the Lord will bless his people with peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having received the food of immortality, we beseech thee, O Lord: that we who glory to fight under the standard of Christ the King, may reign with him forever in the heavenly kingdom. (Confirmed, directly sourced \u2014 Missale Romanum 1962, Postcommunion, Feast of Christ the King)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n (Given as Bloom’s own pastor, within Bloom’s own tradition)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Go in peace, beloved \u2014 carrying with you whatever you currently believe, whatever you currently doubt, and the freedom to keep asking the question honestly. May you be blessed and kept, this day and always.<\/p>\n\n\n\nConfiteor and Kyrie<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Introit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Gloria<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Collect<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Epistle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Gradual<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Gospel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Creed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Offering<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Offertory<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Secret<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Consecration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Act of Spiritual Communion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Communion Antiphon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Postcommunion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Closing Blessing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n