Hello brothers and sisters in Christ! I pray this bulletin article finds you with faith, hope, and love overflowing If not, I pray that such may soon be the case! I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the kingdom of heaven being both at hand and among us. In last weekend’s gospel we heard John the Baptist say “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” and truly, Jesus Christ would appear shortly thereafter and usher in the reign of the kingdom of heaven in the lives of those who would accept Him and follow Him with all their hearts. The kingdom of heaven does refer to the final stop on this journey toward God and sainthood. But even now, even now says Jesus “the kingdom is in your midst.”(Lk 17:21)
I’ve heard it said, in regards to God, where the King is, there is the Kingdom. And so, if God is living and reigning in us through the Holy Spirit, we can truly experience the kingdom of heaven being in our midst. Pretty awesome eh? That’s a magnificent way to help change this hurting world. It’d be great if channel 7 stopped you in Eastern Market and said “what do you think this country needs most” and you (or I) responded “for more disciples of Jesus to actively spread the kingdom of heaven by living joyfully under God’s reign of God’s HOLY love and sharing that love with the world.” Channel 7 would edit it probably but it would still be a glorious moment! Yup…according to Jesus, every time you step out the front door, the kingdom of darkness is in trouble because the light of the world and His kingdom is present in you. Every phone call you answer, the voice of love and truth that belongs to God is present in yours (when we live under the reign of His love and let the Spirit lead!) and every phone conversation, every word we speak, becomes a spreading of the kingdom. Wow…sign me up Lord! I want in! Help us to live, Jesus, with the grace to really usher in the reality of the words we pray when we say “thy kingdom come, they will be done!” God bless you my friends, please know of my prayers for you and our great dependence (along with Papa J.J.) on yours!!!
–Fr. Patrick