3rd Sunday (B) 21 Jan 2024 The Kingdom of God
The kingdom of God is close at hand (Gospel). The kingdom is not any particular place on the map that we could point to. It is more a matter of how we live than where we live.
Any place where people are resolved to live by the will of God, and consciously acknowledge His goodness and primary importance – that place is the kingdom of God.
Where the will of God prevails, where there is no stealing, adultery, blasphemy etc, where indeed God is regarded as King by the people.
We have become accustomed to the sad reality that people deny God the homage and obedience which He should receive.
People talk of a secular Australia, whereby it becomes increasingly ‘normal’ to push God to the side.
God is fighting back! He calls some of the apostles today, making them ‘fishers of men’. God will speak through the apostles, and later the disciples, to put His case to humanity.
He has created us, and called us, and where necessary forgiven us – when will we acknowledge that? He is asking us to take Him seriously and put His words into practice whether we are the only one, or one of many.
Whether it is easy or hard, whether it looks like we are winning or losing, we pray without ceasing for good things to happen, always according to God's will.
God wants us to make Him obvious. People deny God because they claim they cannot see any evidence. We can give them evidence by the way we live. And this is how God always wanted it to happen. In the early Church people wanted to join in the fellowship of the disciples, so many signs and wonders they worked (cf Acts 5,10-12).
We lost some momentum somewhere along the line. The Church is always battling on many fronts and often reduced in power, yet that power is available to us if we call upon it.
The kingdom is where God is recognized as King; where His will is law, where people think the right thoughts, have the right desires and attitudes, and actively help each other in need.
We have some of this now, but need a lot more.
We are not here for our own benefit but to do a job for God, and that job is to make the places we inhabit one part of the Kingdom of God. If we can get our own house right, or street, or nation - no place too small or too big.
It is not easy to do what it says in the second reading – to be involved in the world but not become engrossed in it. We get better with practice.
The first reading give us a case study of how positive change can be achieved, even quickly.
Notice God's desire to forgive. And Jonah’s desire that the city not be saved (Jonah, not yet in the spirit of things!). And the people did come around. We have to want that for others. Usually prayer for the conversion of others is not so quick in its success, but we chip away as required.
We pray for the kingdom of God to come every time we say the Our Father.
We would not know ourselves if the will of God prevailed everywhere; it would be a lot happier than it is now.
The kingdom will more likely permeate through individual responses rather than come down ready-made.
It is something we have to fight for, as valued achievements usually are. God will honour any efforts we make in His name.
We are the fortunate ones, called before the eleventh hour, preparing the way for others to join us.
May His kingdom come!
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