The Kingdom of God is Imminent - Family Reflection Video

Mother Teresa once said: "I do own things, but they do not own me." In the Gospel passage today, Jesus proposes his manifesto for being his authentic disciples. Humanly speaking, the task assigned to the twelve sounds impossible: cure the sick, raise the dead, heal the leper, and expel demons. What makes it more impossible is that they were told to go penniless and wallet-less, depending on God and the people they were serving.

They were not to take money or a change of clothes. Nor were they to accept money for their labor; but to expect a worthy person to take them in. They were to keep their focus on proclaiming the immanency of the kingdom.

Ordinarily, this task would be impossible, but Jesus tells them to speak in His name and He empowers them to act with His power. The kingdom Jesus talking about is a place where men and women submit to God and honor him as their King and Lord. It is a place where his peace reigns.

All of us are called to proclaim the kingship, the Lordship of God, by our words, actions, and lifestyle. We are called to bring healing to people’s lives, beginning with our own families. We may not raise people literally from the dead, but we know people who are virtually dead and need to be brought back to life. We may not find as many lepers, but we see marginalized people who have been pushed to the fringes. They need to be reintegrated into society.

We may not find as many demoniacs, but we see people who are in the grip of more mundane demons such as alcohol and drugs. Many others are caught up in materialism, consumerism, hedonism, and sexism. They, too, need to be liberated. Yes, we still have a lot to accomplish. What will we do to bring the kingdom of God to others?  

First, we need to ask: where is our security?

Are we burdened down by the things we own? Do they own us? Or do we own them? How free are we to do what Jesus says we should be doing: bringing healing and wholeness into people’s lives?

Secondly, we need to ask: what kind of hospitality do we give to those generously doing the Lord’s work among us?

• Father Pinto's inspirational homily was recorded live this morning during Mass at the Father Peyton Center. Please view the video on our Facebook page. (You don't need a Facebook account to view.) 

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