Pope Francis wrote an apostolic letter last fall and he established today as The Sunday of the Word of God and he hopes it will help us “appreciate the inexhaustible riches contained in that constant dialogue between God and His people”
The privilege of hearing the Word of God motivates us to proclaim the Kingdom of God before the world, the Good News. We see Jesus doing this exact thing in todays Gospel. When Jesus first started his public ministry the first words he proclaimed were, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near”. Why is repent the very first thing that Jesus asks us to do? It means turning away from what is contrary to God’s love, contrary to the Good News and turning more hole heartedly towards God. It frees us to live for the Kingdom. Do I appreciate the privilege of living for the Kingdom of Heaven? Am I resistant to making it a priority? Do I avoid the call to proclaim the Gospel?
The Kingdom of Heaven is made present here and now, but Jesus calls you and I to participate in making the Kingdom manifest here and now. As Fr. Bryan mentioned last week, it is our royal calling. We are to invite others into the Kingdom that they might encounter Jesus themselves. Let’s head Pope Francis’ desire to lend that attentive ear to sacred scriptures as God speaks to us and be motivated to participate in making that Kingdom known so that it may be made manifest.
