In today's Gospel, Luke 17: 20-25, the Pharisees ask Jesus when the Kingdom of God will come. Jesus responds: The "Kingdom of God is among you." The Kingdom of God is not a future but an everyday event brought forth when we are kind to another person, when we smile at someone, when we forgive others, show compassion and are loving toward others. The Kingdom of God is revealed when others are helpful, useful, caring, and honest; when persons refrain from gossiping or from hurting others or themselves in any way. Yes, "the Kingdom of God is among" us, as Jesus told the Pharisees, and those who live by faith and hope and love--those who give "birth" to Jesus in this world--experience it and make it a reality for others and themselves! A light shines in our darkness when we transform a little bit of earth into "paradise," into the Kingdom of God on earth!
Jesus tells us to not run off looking for Him when people say, "'Look, there he is,' or 'Look, here he is.' For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation." We, too, will suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation before entering our eternal glory. In the meantime, it is our challenge to make God's Kingdom a reality right where we are by our love, our honesty, our faith and hope in the Lord Jesus and in following His Way and His Truth, and being His Life here on earth.
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