Not by Bread Alone by Robert F. Morneau

Author:Robert F. Morneau
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-8146-3477-6
Publisher: The Liturgical Press
Published: 2013-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

March 28: Friday of the Third Week of Lent

God’s Kingdom: Near or Far?

Readings: Hos 14:2-10; Mark 12:28-34

Scripture:

And when Jesus saw that he [a scribe] answered with understanding,

he said to him,

“You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” (Mark 12:34a)

Reflection: R. S. Thomas (1913–2000), a Welsh poet, wrote a beautiful verse titled “The Kingdom.” He begins by stating that the kingdom appears a long way off but then, in a quick turn, says that to get to the kingdom doesn’t take any time at all. More, to enter the kingdom doesn’t cost anything if you have faith and if you have compassion.

Jesus was impressed with the scribe’s response to his teaching about the two great commandments. Jesus told the scribe directly that he was “not far from the Kingdom of God.” The only thing left for the scribe to do was to put his understanding into action, that is, to love God and his neighbor.

Faith is one of the doors into the kingdom. This virtue makes us aware that “God is Lord alone!” (Mark 12:29b). But it is more than awareness; it is also a commitment. We come to realize that we are in a covenant relationship, one rich in mutuality and reciprocity. Just as God is faithful to us, we are called to be faithful to God by being loving and compassionate. In a faith-filled life, God’s self-giving is experienced in some way, mysterious to both our minds and hearts. Our task is first and foremost one of hospitality, receiving in gratitude God’s loving presence.

A second door into the kingdom of God is compassion or love. This love of God and our neighbor is extremely demanding. In fact, love’s synonym is sacrifice, that total self-giving we see in the life of Jesus. Indeed the kingdom is not far from any of us if we have the compassion of Christ and the faith of Mary, his mother.

Meditation: When have you experienced the kingdom as being far away, as being right around the corner? Are there other doors into the kingdom besides faith, compassion, and love?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, may your kingdom come into our hearts and into your world. We find it so difficult to love fully, so demanding to love as Jesus loved. Send your Spirit into our lives that we might emulate Mary and the great saints who believed deeply and who loved so sacrificially. Come, Holy Spirit, come.

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