Do you ever stop and wonder why Christian life is so different today than it was in Biblical times? We see in the Acts of the Apostles that people lived in unity and peace. They lived in God’s imperfectly present but still present Kingdom. They loved each other, and did their best in their still sinful state to be there for each other.
Some Biblical scholars question whether this was a bit of an overstatement on the part of the author; that maybe things were not so perfect. In truth, they cannot be perfect while we live in this in-between time, this time in between Jesus’ having come and still to come.
I keep pondering this imperfectly present, but perfect kingdom, and how it might look. In John’s Gospel, Jesus tells Pilate that his Kingdom is not of this world. To me, this means that his Kingdom is a part of the invisible portions of God’s creation. It is around us, just like angels. Even though we cannot see it with our physical eyes, we can still perceive its presence. We can perceive it when we are focused on things of God. It isn’t just around us, but it is also within us.
God resides in the temple within, and he longs for you to come into the center of your being so he can talk to you, heal you, and help you live more fully in the kingdom today. Spend some time with the Holy Spirit asking him for guidance on this journey from the edge of his Kingdom to the castle where its fullness resides. Ask him to help you see where you can better live out what he taught. Ask him to heal your spiritual vision so you can better perceive the kingdom in and around you. After your time of prayer, spend some time in silence and give him permission to heal the parts of your life that need healing in order to answer your prayers.
In Him,
Ms. Debra D. Weldon, O.P.
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