Three grandkids and a young friend engineered the construction of an impressive
sand castle today. When completed, it
loomed large and fat with a long road ascending to an ornamental topknot. Of course a
moat circled the bottom.
But Memorial Day wasn’t all about sandbox creations – or kayaks,
croquet, or baseball (also on our agenda for the day). I remembered
individuals I’ve known personally, and those I haven’t, who have passed on -
lives cut short during military duty or otherwise, lives lived for many years into
old age and beyond. I pondered
their time here on earth, and consequently the progression of my own days.
This evening the fun-in-the-sun visitors have departed, and
all is quiet once again. I’m
thinking about how the Kingdom of God is
within those who recognize their need for the Lord, and earnestly seek Him. The Kingdom path is not recreational. It is not an easy, smooth
passage, but rather a complex, involved trail where we are visited and
comforted by Christ Himself. The
Kingdom is where we finally see ourselves more clearly, in large part because
of our proximity to Him. This is peace.
It is within Christ that the Kingdom is to be
experienced. For this reason, we cannot think of the Kingdom as something we
are either “in” or “out” of…The Kingdom is a dynamic state, wherein we grow in
perfection through God’s grace. Our journey is not to the Kingdom, our journey
is in the Kingdom.
…The Kingdom of God is not a fluffy pillow or a
down mattress. It is found by the nun sleeping on a board, or the elderly woman
suffering in her hospital bed. The Kingdom of Heaven is a spiritual condition
that no earthly situation can overcome. The nun sings songs, and the afflicted
woman offers pure prayers. They both go through hardships that draw them closer
to Christ.
-Bishop Joseph
No comments:
Post a Comment