Catholic Corner
January 24, 2021

The Kingdom of God is the central teaching of Jesus’ ministry.  By what he said and what he did he proclaimed that the Kingdom of God had begun! What is the Kingdom? According to the Gospels it is a reality marked by inclusiveness, justice, forgiveness and a turning of all towards God.  It is also marked by a tension between the already and the not yet.  That is, the Kingdom is both already begun or “advented” by Jesus and yet it awaits a future completion.

Jesus’ ministry was marked by signs that the Kingdom had broken into the world.  Miracles were absolutely signs that the Kingdom had begun. They were signs of the power of God present and acting in the here and now through Jesus.  These extraordinary events must be understood within the context of Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom that restores the relationship of creation with creator, that makes all things whole again.  As such, miracle stories, healings, accounts of Jesus raising people from the dead are signs that point to the start of a new reality, a new relationship with the Father through Christ in the Spirit.

In the Gospel this week, Jesus not only speaks of the Kingdom, he calls others to help him build it.  The focus of the readings is on this call.  Even as Simon and Andrew are called by Jesus to help build the Kingdom so too are we.  This is the call from our baptism.  One of this sacraments’ central meanings focuses on the responsibility given to the baptized to go forth from the font and, imbued with the Spirit, continue to do the work of Christ in the world.  That work is nothing less than to continue to build on the already in the hope of the not yet that will be the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God. We build inclusive relationships, we work for the dignity of each and every person so that their value and worth can be fully reached and recognized. We act with love and forgives, compassion and hope. We understand that all human beings are imago deo, image of God. Together, called out of the waters of new birth, we build this new life.