In today’s gospel Jesus sends out his disciples to proclaim the Good News around the towns and villages. Having given them power to cast out demons and cured the sick he goes on to tell them:
“As you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.”
His words are a call to attentiveness, they remind us that the kingdom is not an abstract concept for us to reflect on and theologise over. While the promise of the kingdom definitely has a futuristic element, in that we can’t yet see it in its fullness, it can also be a reality in the daily lives we live.
As we face the stresses and strains of our own lives, and the many challenges of our world it can be hard to believe that. Yet, Jesus promises us that if pay attention and we live by the values of the gospel we will see the kingdom grow in our midst. By imitating his actions we can make the kingdom he promises a reality today.
His words call us to pay attention to what we see going on around us, to where we see the values of the gospel being lived by the people we encounter. He also calls us to pay attention to our own actions.
He invites us to reflect on how we treat others, especially the most needy and vulnerable. He asks us to think about where we are called to be kind and compassionate, where we are called to offer hospitality, and to welcome those who are different.
Where is Christ inviting you to recognise the kingdom today?