November 14, 2019

Thursday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Readings for Today

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.” Luke 17:20-21

The Kingdom of God is among you! What does that mean? Where is the Kingdom of God and how is it that it’s among us?

The Kingdom of God can be spoken of in two ways. At the final coming of Christ, at the end of time, His Kingdom will be permanent and visible to all. He will destroy all sin and evil and all will be made new. He will reign eternally and charity will govern every mind and heart. What a joyful gift to anticipate with much hope!

But this passage especially refers to the Kingdom of God that is already in our midst. What is that Kingdom? It’s the Kingdom present by grace living in our hearts and present to us in countless ways every day.

First, Jesus longs to reign in our hearts and rule our lives. The key question is this: Do I let Him take control? He is not the sort of King who imposes Himself in a dictatorial way. He does not exercise His authority and demand we obey. Of course this will happen in the end, when Jesus returns, but for now His invitation is just that, an invitation. He invites us to give Him Kingship of our lives. He invites us to let Him take full control. If we do that, He will issue commands to us which are commands of love. They are decrees that draw us into truth and beauty. They refresh us and renew us.

Second, Jesus’ presence is all around us. His Kingdom is present every time charity is present. His Kingdom is present every time grace is at work. It’s so easy for us to be overwhelmed by the evils of this world and to miss the presence of God. God is alive in countless ways all around us. We must always strive to see this presence, be inspired by it and love it.

Reflect, today, upon the presence of the Kingdom of God present among you. Do you see it in your heart? Do you daily invite Jesus to rule your life? Do you acknowledge Him as your Lord? And do you see the ways He comes to you through your daily circumstances or in others and in your daily situations? Seek Him out constantly and this will bring joy to your heart.

Lord, I invite You, today, to come reign in my heart. I give You complete control of my life. You are my Lord and my King. I love You and want to live in accord with Your perfect and holy will. Jesus, I trust in You.

More Gospel Reflections

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