3) THE PROCLAMATION 
OF THE KINGDOM

“Thy Kingdom come.”

When you say the Our Father, what comes to mind when you say, “Thy Kingdom come.”

People dream of making it in this life – to finally come into their kingdom: a kingdom of good health, a good education, a good job, a good car, a home of their own, a good backyard with a tree, a swing, and some tomato plants, money in the bank, a good vacation every year, a family enjoying life and food around the dinner table, seeing their children’s children at least to the fifth generation – and everyone doing well.

Everyone has dreams.

It’s their magical kingdom in the deep woods of their mind.

May our dreams come true.

Thy Kingdom come.

Jesus came with dreams from the Father.

Thy Kingdom come.

Blessed are the poor in spirit.

Blessed are the peacemakers.

Blessed are you who cry – because that means you’ve tasted what makes you laugh.

Blessed are you who laugh, because that means you can see both sides of the kingdom – what’s right and what’s wrong; what’s fair and what’s unfair; what’s rich and what’s poor; what’s enough and what’s not enough; what divides and what unites.

Blessed are you who are willing to be hurt and laughed at because you’re willing to work for justice, for fairness, for what is right for all.

Blessed are you who have a glimpse of what Jesus was trying to plant and to start growing: the kingdom.
Thy kingdom come.

Make your way through towns and villages living and preaching and proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

Go into the whole world and live and proclaim the Kingdom of God….

Proclaim Good News – the good news of forgiveness, peace, trust, enough food and drink, bread and fish, bread and wine for all.

Proclaim the call to conversion, newness of life, healing, walking the narrow way to the mansion built on rock, with the new garden, the kingdom of heaven – starting here and now and going on forever and ever and ever.

The Kingdom of God is within.

The Kingdom of God is at hand.

The Kingdom of God is like yeast or leaven ….
The Kingdom of God is like a banquet ….

Blessed is he or she who eats bread in the Kingdom of God.

Watch the flowers of the field, the wheat rising, the grapes growing and glistening, the lost sheep being found and you’ll see glimpses of the Kingdom.

Stop judging. Stop throwing rocks. Start forgiving and you’ll be a glimpse of the kingdom.

Watch children and you’ll get glimpses of the Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God belongs to such as these

Come with me and proclaim the kingdom of God.

Blessed is he and she and all who eat bread in the kingdom of God (Luke 14:15)

The kingdom of heaven is like a woman who has ten coins and losing one, lights a lamp and sweeps our her house completely till she has found it. And then when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says, “Rejoice with me. I have found my lost coin.”

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone finds, hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything she or he has and then buys the field.

The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.

The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in a haul of all kinds. When it is full, the fisherman haul it ashore, then sitting down, they collect the good stuff in a basket and throw away what is of no use.

The kingdom of heaven is like a sharp person who can bring out of their storeroom both the new and the old.

No one can enter into God’s kingdom without being born again from above…. though water and the Spirit …..

Jesus is the king of this kingdom.

Jesus is a king who feeds folks and washes feet.

Jesus is a king who walks the roads of everywhere and once rode a donkey into Jerusalem.

Jesus is a king who has no home or palace – a king who wore a crown only once – at the end of his life and it was made not of gold, but of thorns.

Yet Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Come let us adore him.

Come with him and proclaim the kingdom.

Thy kingdom come.

Jesus makes the Kingdom possible.