Today’s readings are meant to cause us to focus upon the day of the Lord, drawing near, for the fullness of the Kingdom of God.
In seminary, I remember the priest professor over and over writing K.O.G. in caps to stand for the Kingdom of God, and at first, I took it to be only in heaven.
Not Yet Reached Fulfillment Here
For we know that God’s throne is in Heaven, where He is all just and holy. In contrast, I wondered how the Kingdom of God could be present when we have people going hungry, subject to violence, natural disasters, wars, etc. Not to mention our own tendency to sin against God and each other in so many ways.
And, yet class after class, Father Salocks would put those three letters at the top of the board and make the case that though all of the hardships and injustice and cruelties that occur, the Kingdom of God is not only present but also at work in our world, countries, states, cities, neighborhoods, and homes.
What Father Salocks made clear is that though the Kingdom of God is present in this world, it has not yet reached its fulfillment as it has in Heaven.
Steps of Preparation
So how do we prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus and the fullness of the Kingdom of God?
- We hear in the psalm that we are to give thanks for the wondrous deeds the Lord has done in our lives. Every day, it’s good to stop and think of the ways that God has blessed our families and ourselves in big and small ways and then praise and thank Him. That’s step one: reflect and give thanks to God.
- We’re called to unite our will to God as we pray in each Our Father, “thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” When we let those words become ingrained in our daily lives, then the Kingdom of God also exists within our hearts, as we allow God to rule in His goodness to protect us from the kingdom of the world and the evil that exists right alongside the good. Every Our Father is asking for the Kingdom to exist in our hearts and minds.
- We participate in the Kingdom of God through the Divine institution of Jesus’ Church. As members of the Catholic Church, we are united to the spirit of Christ and the grace that He bestows upon us. It is when we unite ourselves to Jesus through the Sacraments, His Word, and our prayer that we not only prepare to one day enter the Kingdom of Heaven but live in accord with God’s ways, life, and truth here on earth.
Don’t Lose Hope
Most likely, any of us born before 1970 can remember a time when the Kingdom of God was more evident in our world. However, no matter our age or experiences, we should never lose hope, for wherever the Lord is present in Word, Sacrament, prayer, and works, in His Church and in the domestic churches of our families, the Kingdom of God is truly present … giving us cause to praise and call upon Him to deliver us from evil … and give us “our daily bread” to nourish us, especially amidst darkness … to be ready, along with our family members and friends, to meet Jesus, the One who strengthens and heals us in whatever way we most need.
My brothers and sisters, to be ready to meet Jesus and to live in the Kingdom of God: pray with your family, worship God at Mass, let Him nourish and heal you through the Eucharist and Confession, and let His Spirit reign in your hearts to guide your lives … then you’ll always be in the Kingdom of God.
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