Jesus begins His own ministry; instead of establishing a center from where He would preach, He goes around and calls people to Himself. He has not stopped doing this since that day. I am called; personally called to follow Jesus wherever He goes.
I hear the proclamation: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” The journey of a Christian begins with this act of repentance; I am challenged since the beginning to change my mind, my opinion about what God is doing. How many times I think I have figured God out, I can read His mind, I pretend to know what He is going to do next. Fool! I have to change my mind, being constantly opened to what He is going to say, to do, to reveal. Repentance: a humbling act that gives me freedom.
The Kingdom of God is at hand. He will repeat this message to the disciples when He will send them out. He spent an incredible amount of time teaching about this topic. I think it deserves to be understood better. Not a geographical place, of course, but still concretely real - the established presence of God living in our midst.
The Kingdom belongs to God; only He can establish it. Yet, I can create the condition for this establishment. Never thought of it, I am involved in this. When I pray “Thy Kingdom come,” I can hear Him say to me: “what are you going to do so that My kingdom may come.” Yes! What can I do?
Jesus talked about the kingdom being present in our midst and also within us. What a great gift: the Kingdom is within me. It begins with me. It begins when I say Yes to Him and live out His words, one after another. That’s how He wants me to love Him.
But the Kingdom is also in our midst. The second reading of this week, from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, speaks of the necessary condition for the Kingdom to be established among us - the unity that comes from loving one another.
Unity and the Kingdom. One and the same? I can see how important it is to remain focused on reciprocal love. When we love one another, God lives in our midst. This is what really matters then, this is what makes us true Church.
I know what I must do, now: live out the kingdom that is in me so that it can be established in our midst. Another call to love, but this time I know that I am an active participant in the Kingdom that is at hand but that has already started being established here.
The Kingdom belongs to God; only He can establish it. Yet, I can create the condition for this establishment. Never thought of it, I am involved in this. When I pray “Thy Kingdom come,” I can hear Him say to me: “what are you going to do so that My kingdom may come.” Yes! What can I do?
Jesus talked about the kingdom being present in our midst and also within us. What a great gift: the Kingdom is within me. It begins with me. It begins when I say Yes to Him and live out His words, one after another. That’s how He wants me to love Him.
But the Kingdom is also in our midst. The second reading of this week, from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, speaks of the necessary condition for the Kingdom to be established among us - the unity that comes from loving one another.
Unity and the Kingdom. One and the same? I can see how important it is to remain focused on reciprocal love. When we love one another, God lives in our midst. This is what really matters then, this is what makes us true Church.
I know what I must do, now: live out the kingdom that is in me so that it can be established in our midst. Another call to love, but this time I know that I am an active participant in the Kingdom that is at hand but that has already started being established here.
1 comment:
Understanding that the “Kingdom” is at hand does not refer to any specific geographic location; I believe it refers to Christ Himself. He may be saying, the Kingdom (the Word) is here among you, so take heed; listen, understand and do what I say.
Repent now; go beyond your current way of thinking and doing. I am the Way to obtain eternal life. Because repentance is not only a humbling act that gives freedom to change our mind and action, it also provides a means to incorporate the Word into our action. We become part of the vine, to live the way He instructs us to do.
I believe many people believe they can read God’s mind. I’m sure you hear people say “God means this or that.” I read that God is incompre-hensible, we can never figure Him out. His way of thinking is far beyond our way of thinking. Augustine stated if we understandHim it’s not God we understand.
His Kingdom is in our midst only if we incorporate His teachings in our daily actions. By doing this we are enhancing the Kingdom on earth and showing our understanding and desire to be with Him for eternity.
Also by our behavior of following His words, we can manifest Jesus’ message by loving our neighbor and be a model to others on how to change society and improve the lives of others. Not the typical understanding of love, the emotional display of actions, although it would be helpful, but love by helping, sharing, teaching others to act in God’s way. Like the phrase states, “Just don’t talk the talk, but walk the talk.
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