The Eternal Kingdom

The Entrance Antiphon of today’s liturgy is the same as yesterday’s:  “Upon a lofty throne, I saw a man seated, whom a host of angels adore, singing in unison: Behold him, the name of whose empire [kingdom] is eternal.”   Reflecting upon this antiphon led me to pray as follows:   “O God, You became one of us to ransom us from Satan and adopt us as your children, as heirs to Your Kingdom. What love, Lord. And You ransomed us by Your death!  You would do anything, including leaving heaven to become one of us, and then accepting death to secure our future.  And when You died, You rose from death—death had no power over You and will have no power over us either—and returned to Your Kingdom to prepare a place for us.  Furthermore, You sent the Holy Spirit to help us fight against evil, to resist Satan’s snares and to have the courage to choose good and reject evil, that is, to accept your gift of a place in Your eternal Kingdom.  Moreover, Lord,  You stay with us here on earth in the Eucharist and ask that we “take and eat, take and drink; this is my body given up for you and my blood poured out for you” (cf Luke 22:17).  In each Holy Communion, You come into our bodies, souls and minds to cleanse the Temple of our bodies of sin and advance our truly becoming, by choice, an heir to Your kingdom.  And all day long, You are intimately involved in our lives: directing us, guiding us, strengthening us, consoling us, loving us, calling us, forgiving us, preparing us to accept the gift of eternal life with You.  How sad when we say “no” and go our own ways without you. Lord, have mercy!