The Kingdom Of God is Here and Now

Weekly Missionary Reflection
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 23 July 2023
Wis. 12:13,16-19; Ps. 86:5-6,9-10,15-16a; Rom. 8:26-27; Matt. 13:24-43 (long) or Matt. 13:24-30 (short)

In today’s Gospel reading, we have three parables about the Kingdom working among us. First, the parable of the weed among the wheat. What does Jesus want to tell about the Kingdom of Heaven from this weed sowing (Matt. 13:25)? Through Jesus, God calls the chosen to enter His Kingdom. The words of Jesus were welcomed by a number of people, so the “construction” process of the Kingdom of God could be started. Nevertheless, the “field” of the Kingdom is contaminated by the sinners. Why doesn’t God expel them, instead of allowing them to stay? Jesus doesn’t build a community of good and holy members only. He even disagrees with the members who want to expel the “weed” out of the community. Everyone must live in faithfulness to Jesus’ saying of the Kingdom of Heaven. However, do not feel safe because of it and do not take over God’s right to determine the good and bad of humanity. God does not rush in judgment, but He definitely will. Eventually, the Lord will reward each of us according to what we sow and reap in our lives.

 Second, the parable of the mustard seed. How can the mustard seed tell us about the Kingdom of Heaven? Mustard seed is so tiny, but it can grow into a big tree, and so does the Kingdom of Heaven. Nothing special at the beginning. Yet one day the Kingdom will reveal His entire splendor. God’s work in Jesus didn’t look great at the beginning, yet it will end up in magnificence. The Kingdom of God starts from the smallest thing in everyone’s heart who accepts God’s word. We can not see the Kingdom of Heaven works, yet it causes a change from within. History has proven that wherever the vision of the Kingdom of Heaven truly takes root, He will go through a definite and inevitable growth. At an early age, Church as a “means” for building a Kingdom faced a heavy task. The wave of persecution and hostility came one after another in the endeavor to eradicate it. However, truth, love, and justice must always win eventually.

Third, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a little yeast in a big amount of dough. Yeast is a powerful agent of transformation. A lump of dough itself will just remain as a lump of dough, but when yeast is added, the dough will expand and create a specific and good taste. Our eyes can not witness the yeast work. The yeast is tiny, yet its effect is splendid.  The development of the Kingdom of Heaven can not be seen outwardly, but what He produces secretly will astonish humans. The Kingdom of God causes a change in anybody who receives the new life offered by Jesus. When we surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ, our lives will be renewed by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. Yeast is represented as the symbol of God’s power. God’s greatness and unpredictability can be seen in our daily activity, as long as we see the ordinary with the eyes of faith, as the Lord’s miraculous work.

The parables of the Kingdom of Heaven give us insight of how the Kingdom of Heaven works. Knowing the Kingdom of Heaven only is not enough. We, as Jesus’ followers, are expected to be ready and willing to accept and live what Jesus has taught us in our daily lives. By doing so, the Kingdom of Heaven will be truly lived: the Kingdom of Heaven is here and now.

(RP. Silvester Nusa, CSsR – Lecturer of Catholic University of Weetebula, East Nusa Tenggara)

DAILY DEDICATED PRAYER

Lord, our Father, I present my today prayer, thought, word, work, joy, and sorrow in unity with Your Son, Jesus Christ, who always presents Himself in the Eucharist for the salvation of the world. May the Holy Spirit animating Jesus, also be my guidance and strength today so that I am ready to be the witness of Your love.

Together with St. Mary, Mother of Jesus, and the Church, in particular, I present my prayer for our Pope and apostle prayer of the Indonesian Church of this month:

For a Eucharistic life
We pray that Catholics may place the celebration of the Eucharist at the heart of their lives, transforming human relationships in a very deep way and opening to the encounter with God and all their brothers and sisters.

Political awareness We pray that many young Catholics are called to enter politics and become government officials, so they can get involved in making policies for the sake of national development and solution to social problems. 

Amen.