Today's Reflections
The Coming of the Kingdom of God
Lk 17:20-25
20Asked
by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, [Jesus] said in
reply, “The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, 21and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the kingdom of God is among you.”
22Then
he said to his disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see
one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23There will be those who will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ [or] ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. 24For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be [in his day]. 25But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”
WHEN THE KINGDOM of god WOULD COME. The
Pharisees, accustomed to have everything covered by legal prescription,
demand clear answers. They want to know when, where, why, and how. They
ask that Jesus spell out what they need to get to the kingdom of God.
In reply, Jesus declares the kingdom is already present in their midst.
The kingdom works and is realized in his person, as he heals, exorcises
demons, and welcomes sinners and outcasts.
The
coming of the kingdom has often been equated with the arrival of the
end of the world or Christ’s second coming. People watch with
fascination at possible signs and portents of this.
Facing
persecution, the early Christians entertained the hope of Christ’s
imminent triumphant return. They wondered why Jesus would leave them in
the midst of so much suffering. False leaders came, one after another
presenting himself as the awaited messiah. Luke’s Gospel has Jesus
reminding the Christians not to go off in pursuit of pretenders and
false idols. Those who remained steadfast in community broke bread in
memory of Jesus and found him in broken lives and in suffering. They
discovered God’s presence in community, in the Eucharist, and in their
care for the poor and the suffering.
“As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,
you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes” (1 Cor 11:26).
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