VOICE OF THE SHEPHERD: Not Far Away From the Kingdom of God

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This Sunday’s Gospel is introducing us to the public mission of Jesus Christ. When Jesus heard of John’s imprisonment, He began to proclaim the Gospel. Jesus continues in the mission of John the Baptist, as John was already proclaiming repentance and reform of life.

We are also being told the location of the proclamation, for the Gospel mentions the prophecy of Isaiah regarding the Galilee of nations, the Galilee of the pagans. Therefore, we know that Jesus is beginning His mission in an even more neglected part of the Holy Land than John. He is not beginning His mission in very luxurious or populated areas, places that would compare to today’s New York or Los Angeles. We can compare it instead to our current location in Northern Ohio – a small village that is very nice during the summer time and very quiet during the winter.

Therefore, today the Word of God is also being proclaimed here at St. Mary’s in Marblehead, for you and for me, because the Word of God is concretely addressing everybody. It is a concrete address because God can shine in the darkest places with His light. He can reveal and enlighten everything - bringing hope to all times, places, and situations where we as human beings think that there is not any hope left. This is the Gospel of the Good News for you, that God is coming to you also on this Sunday to proclaim Himself as a light to your life and he is inviting you to repent.

Another interesting aspect of the Gospel of Matthew is that the very first word of Jesus’ whole ministry is “repent”. Repent - change your life - reform your life. (cf. Mt 4:17) Why is Jesus challenging us so hard? Why is He repeating this all the time? Because Jesus wants you to be really happy and to be in peace. Jesus Christ is the King of this kingdom and as a king, He wants your eternal life - to be happy with Him forever.

This kingdom, which is being proclaimed today as at hand, is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ is speaking about the heavenly kingdom being at hand, He is speaking about Himself coming to this world: “See, I am here. Your Messiah, your salvation is already here. You don’t need to wait for another because all the prophecies are fulfilled today.”

What is this kingdom about? Yes, it is different from the governments of this world for the kingdom of God is the kingdom of love and peace. It is too sublime to understand and yet it is self-revealing because everybody wants to love and to be loved. Everybody has this longing in his heart as well as this desire and capacity.

Jesus is also coming with this message today to this parish. So the question is, dear brothers, dear sisters, how can I change my life and attitude toward my wife, toward my son, my parents, my neighbors?

We try, but many times we fail and then we feel sorry. And so the point is that it is not we who are going to make the change. No! All that is required from you is that you open your heart and permit Jesus Christ to enter in. He alone will change your heart, believe me!

In this liturgy Jesus Christ is waiting for our answer, our positive answer to His love, to accept it and to go forth and evangelize. What does it mean to evangelize, to go forth and bring in other disciples, new members of the Church? Simply this: give them a testimony so that when they see our lives, our practice and proclamation of the Gospel through life, and our respect toward those values, trust me, they will come by themselves.

Even Marblehead is not far away from the kingdom of God for it is Jesus Christ who comes here today to proclaim: “Repent, the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

✠ Most Rev. Milan Lach, SJ
Bishop of the Eparchy of Parma