The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand

Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

Our nation recently completed a mid-term election process involving many congressional candidates putting themselves before the people and making claims to “fight” to represent their partisan groups. In order to get elected it is crucial that the candidates articulate their positions on key issues so their voter base can feel adequately represented in Congress.

If you are a baptized follower of Christ, how does your faith influence or color your vote? Would the issues that concern you align with those that Christ might be passionate about? Which kingdom gets more of your attention, energy and resources: the kingdom of heaven or your kingdom on earth?

This Sunday the Church begins what we call Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, so-called because, like Moses, it is from a mountaintop that Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray and conduct themselves in the challenges of living. The community from which this gospel originates was brilliant in organizing Jesus’ “manifesto” concisely into one section (Chapters 5-7), making it a type of early catechism for all seeking initiation into the Church.

Christians do well to reflect on these chapters regularly. It is not hard to learn how Christ wanted us to conduct ourselves in the world, yet it takes deep conviction and courage to put his teachings into practice. If we do not familiarize ourselves with what matters most to Christ we are doomed to fabricate our own Christian narratives and thus justify how we treat others according to our own standards. 

Christ is calling you and me to come after him by preparing for the kingdom of heaven, which he says is at hand. The kingdom of this world and its followers are going in the opposite direction. Who are we representing and fighting for?

Together with you in gospel living,

Fr. Daniel F. Barica, ofm