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SPIRITUAL LIVING
Prayer and Devotions
A Kingdom Within
by Father Cliff Ermatinger, LC
Spend time today in silent prayer considering the inestimable gift of the divine indwelling, the mystery of God within you.
November 15, 2007
Thursday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time
Luke 17: 20-25
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." Then 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. There 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. For 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. But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation."
Introductory Prayer: I love you my Lord, because you are love itself. Forgive all that is in me that does not come from your love and does not reflect your love. If I am to become what you want me to be, it will happen only if I allow you to act in me.
Petition: Lord Jesus Christ, give me eyes to see you and your kingdom. Give me an open heart to receive your kingdom.
1. A Good Question Messianic tension was at an all time high during Christ’s earthly life. Pseudo-messiahs had come and gone. Does this Jesus of Nazareth know when the kingdom will come? Would he initiate it? And so, the Pharisees put the question to him. Christ’s response was most likely a let-down for them. The Jews were not about to get excited about some ethereal kingdom: That type of kingdom could command no respect. Further still, Christ refused to limit the kingdom to any specific locale: “The kingdom of God is among you.” We are told by St. Paul that “we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). Paul speaks of the invisible kingdom; he says we are to look to it. He contrasts the things of time with things of the invisible kingdom and says the fact that things belonging to time are merely temporal is the reason to look beyond them. Eternity does not lay hidden in the distant future. It is active here and now.
2. Divine Surprise Although the kingdom of God is hidden from our view now, it will be revealed in due season. Men think that they are lords of this world, that the earth is their property, and that its movements are under their power. However, the world has other lords besides them, and it is the scene of a conflict higher than they can imagine. Within this conflict, God shocks man by submitting himself to suffering and death. Such a surprise could be enough to abandon the very thought of God. A hidden kingdom was enough of a let-down for the Pharisees. But a divine King who must suffer, too?! Yes, and the kingdom to which he refers contains Christ’s little ones who are despised and his angels whom they disbelieve -- and these at length shall take possession of his kingdom and manifest it.
3. Beyond the Veil of Suffering The earth cannot satisfy the follower of Christ, for even at its most exhilarating and enjoyable, it is merely a hint, a beginning, a promise of something greater. It is not enough. We know there is much more than we can see. An incomprehensible world of saints and angels lies beyond the visible world. We see only the external shell of that kingdom; on that kingdom we must fix our eyes of faith. The world with all its beauty speaks of heaven, but it can never satisfy our longing for the eternal. The world is like crumbs from the table. We await the day of God’s second coming. Then will the outward world perish, the heavens be burnt and the earth melt away. Such a loss can be borne, for we know that this merely removes the veil.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I know that the removal of the visible world will reveal to us the world invisible and show us the world which is not seen. I pray for the dissolution of the visible and ask you to help me increase my longing for your kingdom.
Resolution: I will spend time today in silent prayer considering the inestimable gift of the divine indwelling, the mystery of God within me.
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R E C E N T S T O R I E S
> The Coming of the Son of Man: Business as Usual .
> The Best Scenario Possible .
> We Do God No Favors .
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