The Kingdom Among Us

The Kingdom of God has been likened to many other things and imageries by Jesus. Yet it remains something unknown and something our senses cannot and can never ever get hold of.

Perhaps the closest image the Kingdom is likened to by Jesus is that of the Seed. The seed is there and we are just waiting for its full blooming. The seed is visible. It’s in our midst but we have no idea what will it be look like. Jesus has inaugurated the Kingdom. It’s up to us to make it seen.

Nevertheless, we can know what the Kingdom of God is up for, and what it is all about. It is about the reign of God fulfilled in the values it stands for. We can know the Kingdom of God by its values: Love, Forgiveness, Sharing, Peace, Justice, Mercy and truth.

If the Kingdom has values, then it means to shape hearts. If it shape hearts, then the Kingdom has a goal; a goal which I suppose is about configuration. Configuration to Christ. In order to be worthy of this Kingdom, we need to be configured according to its values.

My brother Scholastics, If we are not configured, or primed for the Kingdom, then we might fall into the trap of becoming false prophets as in our Gospel today and this coming Sunday are warning us about. False prophets are those who attribute personal biases to divine surces. St. John always reminds us: By their fruits, you will know them.

A very beautiful quote from the The Crown: “Who we are is not what we wear, or what glitters. It’s the Spirit that defines us.”

The Kingdom is a responsibility. It is the job description of the offices we share from Christ. The Priestly, the Kingly and the Prophetic offices.

If that is the case, as religious missionary priests and brothers, we have the duty to make people see that the Kingdom is among us, and appreciate the Kingdom and not see it as a distant and exclusive reality.

People could only see the Kingdom in the eyes of faith. Then our priestly function demands us to strengthen their faith. The Kingdom is all about the truth. Then our prophetic function urges us to proclaim the truth no matter how it costs us. The Kingdom is about service. Then our kingly function urges us to be servant leaders.

Let us ask ourselves everyday: Am I ready for the Kingdom?

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READING

Reading: WIS 7:22B–8:1

In Wisdom is a spirit intelligent, holy, unique, Manifold, subtle, agile, clear, unstained, certain, Not baneful, loving the good, keen, unhampered, beneficent, kindly, Firm, secure, tranquil, all-powerful, all-seeing, And pervading all spirits, though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle. For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion, and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity. For she is an aura of the might of God and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nought that is sullied enters into her. For she is the refulgence of eternal light, the spotless mirror of the power of God, the image of his goodness. And she, who is one, can do all things, and renews everything while herself perduring; And passing into holy souls from age to age, she produces friends of God and prophets. For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom. For she is fairer than the sun and surpasses every constellation of the stars. Compared to light, she takes precedence; for that, indeed, night supplants, but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom.

Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily and governs all things well.

Responsorial PsalmPS 119:89, 90, 91, 130, 135, 175

R.(89a) Your word is for ever, O Lord. Your word, O LORD, endures forever; it is firm as the heavens. R. Your word is for ever, O Lord. Through all generations your truth endures; you have established the earth, and it stands firm. R. Your word is for ever, O Lord. According to your ordinances they still stand firm: all things serve you. R. Your word is for ever, O Lord. The revelation of your words sheds light, giving understanding to the simple. R. Your word is for ever, O Lord. Let your countenance shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. R. Your word is for ever, O Lord. Let my soul live to praise you, and may your ordinances help me. R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.

GospelLK 17:20-25

Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, "The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, 'Look, here it is,' or, 'There it is.' For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you."

Then he said to his disciples, "The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. There will be those who will say to you, 'Look, there he is,' or 'Look, here he is.' Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation."