THIS IS MY KINGDOM
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 3rd Friday in
Lent is, “This Is My Kingdom.”
In today’s gospel (Mark
12: 28-44) Jesus says to the scribe [Translation: one who could write - one who
is educated], “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
THE KINGDOM OF
GOD
Somewhere along the line preaching and talking about the
theme of “The Kingdom of God” - faded and fell away - at times.
I don’t remember hearing too many sermons describing the
kingdom of God. I’m sure I’ve preached various sermons about it down through
the years. But I’ve always felt that I
neglected doing much research on that theme.
I’ve heard different theologians say that Jesus was more
interested in bringing about the kingdom than bringing about a church - but I
never followed up on that comment.
Speakers have also
stressed that the church realized something more visible than an invisible
kingdom had to be founded - one that has
more structure and guidelines and organization - than the idea of the kingdom -
which can be more vague and shadowy than a church.
The church would have more organization features than a
kingdom. The idea of a church is more objective; the idea of a kingdom is more
subjective.
HAVE YOU EVER
HEARD SOMEONE SAY, “THIS IS MY KINGDOM.”
I’m sure we have all heard that - or the offshoot, “This
is my castle.”
A man stands there in his house with his arm around his
wife’s shoulder. Their house is big. He has finally risen in his company high
enough to afford a big house.
He has his neighbors over for a dinner. His kids are
playing downstairs and upstairs and on the stairs and they are having a great
time. There is nice music in the background. He says to his neighbors -
scanning the dining room and living room and he says, “This is my kingdom.”
Then squeezing his wife, he says to all, “And here is my queen.”
That scenario comes in various comments and colors and
scenes.
If we get that story - that scene - we have a glimpse of
what Jesus was about.
We pray down deep each day for our ideal situation -
which we think is God’s ideal situation. That’s could be what we are praying
for at times when we pray, “Thy Kingdom Come” in the Our Father.
More or less we are all dreamers. We want peace in the
valley - peace in the air - happiness in the family - a good job - things going
pretty well for everyone - and if we consider ourselves religious, we put God
in that picture.
LABELS
I’ve noticed that we don’t tend to say, “I am a kingdom
of God person.”
We say, “I am a Christian.” or “I am a Catholic.”
Or we might also say, “I am a conservative or a liberal or a Third Order Franciscan.”
We might say, “I’m an Irish or an Italian or a Polish
American. We might say we’re a New Englander or a Southern or a Californian or
a Chicagoan or a Marylander or an Annapolitan.
But we don’t say, “I am a kingdom of God person.
TODAY: A
KINGDOM PERSON
Today, in this homily, I would like to get us thinking
about being a Kingdom of God person.
That would mean for starters that we try to love the Lord
our God with our whole heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all
our strength.
That would mean we try to love our neighbor as ourselves.
The beauty of this could be - we can be on the same page
with Jews and Moslems and Protestants - because the idea of a kingdom is not
exact - like a specific religion - with some visible signs of membership.
CONCLUSION
This is said not to confuse or water down Christianity -
but to move towards some common ground with each other - not just as human but
as good human beings who believe in God and try to put into practice values
that Jesus stressed.
