Our readings this weekend are, in large part, about how God works — with us and without us. In another sense, we could say they remind us that God’s work will be carried out whether we cooperate or not. If we choose not to cooperate, God’s plans will not be frustrated, but we will lose out. The Gospel this weekend (Mark 4, 26-34) consists of two parables which are quite different in meaning, but which have a common theme in being connected with the growth of plants. Both parables ask us to consider: What is the Kingdom?
To begin with, “the Kingdom” is a term which frequently appears in the Gospels. But we limit our appreciation of it and our understanding of it if we think of it as “a place.” The Greek word basileia is an abstract word which means “kingship” or “reign” rather than “kingdom,” which in English suggests a territory or place. “Kingship” or “reign,” on the contrary, suggest power. To belong to the kingdom or kingship of God, then, is to put oneself fully, consciously, and deliberately under the power of God, to experience that power and be empowered by it. That power is, above all, the power of love. It is a creating, enfolding or embracing power, an encouraging power, a power that lifts up and enables us to be what we are called to be. It is not a coercive power which achieves its ends by threats, still less by violence.
When we say in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy Kingdom come,” we are praying that people everywhere will put themselves under this loving power of God and that His love might envelope us all. Our first call as Christians, in fact, is to belong to, to enter into that Kingdom, and not just ‘be a member’ of the Church. The Church is, in so far as it is faithful to the call of Christ, part of the Kingdom but the Kingdom extends far beyond the membership of the Church. The Church is, when it is being what it should be, the sacrament or “visible sign” of the Kingdom.
Let us pray. “Create in us a love ever more open, Lord, that we may move beyond ourselves, that we may transcend all borders, that we may go to the deep waters, and that we may offer generous hospitality to all who, like us, are in search of the Kingdom. In this way, may we help create conditions where every person can thrive, where community replaces isolation, where justice is restored, where work, land and housing are available for all, and where the human family can live in harmony – as if already enjoying a taste of the Kingdom. Guide us on the journey to the true path of peace, Lord. Help us live out your vision of a world where no one is excluded and the earth’s goods are shared and cared for by all. In faith we pray. Amen.”
