The Kingdom Grows

Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr

By Beth DeCristofaro

For (Wisdom) is the refulgence of eternal light, the spotless mirror of the power of God, the image of his goodness. And she, who is one, can do all things, and renews everything while herself perduring; And passing into holy souls from age to age, she produces friends of God and prophets. … Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily and governs all things well.  (Wisdom 7:26-27, 8:1)

Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”

(Luke 17:20-21)

Piety

Your word, LORD, stands forever;

it is firm as the heavens

I will never forget your precepts;

through them you give me life.

94I am yours; save me,

for I cherish your precepts.

        (Psalm 119:89, 93-94)

Study

Jesus emphasizes that in His teachings, preaching, ministry to those sick or outcast the promised Kingdom has arrived.  Later Jesus foreshadows His own death as he admonishes his followers that you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.  Of course they also did not understand that through Resurrection and coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus will institute the Kingdom of God in the Body of the Church and the bodies of those who follow Him.  His Wisdom, His Word, reaches from end to end mightily down through the ages.

St. Josaphat was a Bishop of the Eastern Rite who died because of his holy commitment to building the Kingdom by bringing the Eastern Church back into communion with Rome. The people who killed him disagreed with the direction of the church in Vitebsk so turned their differences into hate and violence.

Astoundingly, in China, two friends, one who has no arms and one who is blind have together planted more than 10,000 trees on a flood plain for the benefit of future generations.  They have saved their village from flooding and managed erosion while eking out a small living from the wages paid by the local government.  Not Catholic, not Christian, these and other people have been working for the good of God’s children, striving in the image of his goodness.  

http://www.dailygood.org/story/1024/elderly-blind-man-and-his-armless-friend-plant-over-10-000-trees-in-china-jenny-zhang/

Action

As I look around, who do I see who is Christ to me?  To who am I Christ and how am I building His Kingdom?  Missing my arms, eyes, or even losing my friends is no obstacle for any Friend of Jesus, God and prophets.