Gospel Reading: Lk 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.”
THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AMONG YOU
The Pharisees ask when God’s Kingdom will come. In reply, Jesus says that the coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be computed in advance. It is not like the approach of a comet or the position of a planet that can be ascertained through mathematical calculations. At the same time, Jesus tells the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God is among them. But they are likely to miss it because they are not attentive to him.
Jesus talks to the disciples about the coming of the Son of Man. They will long to see it, but it will not be possible if they will await it according to their own expectations. They will hear from others about his coming. They should not run in pursuit. His coming will be like lightning, very swift, quick, and elusive.
Jesus is the Son of Man who brings about the Kingdom of God. The Pharisees must recognize this, and so must we disciples of today. We cannot be looking for the Kingdom or Jesus in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and in the wrong persons.
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When we listen to Jesus, we are in the right place and time. God’s Kingdom is among us.
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord,” ST PAULS,” 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: pub[email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
