Daily Gospel Reflection
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November 12, 2020
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.”
Then he said to his disciples,
“The days will come when you will long to see
one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
There will be those who will say to you,
‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’
Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.
For just as lightning flashes
and lights up the sky from one side to the other,
so will the Son of Man be in his day.
But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”
When I was young, I always wanted to see a shooting star. I would go outside with my two older siblings and try to witness a little streak of light through the night sky. My brother or sister would always seem to say, “I saw one! Look! Over there.” And I would look to another part of the sky, but it would be too late, of course. I had a hard time staying focused on one section of stars and I would allow my eyes to dart around, hoping to look at the right part of the sky at just the right moment. It was a terrible strategy.
Today’s reading reminded me of this childhood frustration. How are we to see the kingdom of God? Jesus tells us, “behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.” While he was on earth, Jesus was the embodiment of the Kingdom of God. Now that he has risen from the dead, his Kingdom is with us on earth, present in all of creation, even as we await the final dawning of his Kingdom when he comes again in glory. I seem to catch glimpses of his Kingdom throughout my life. I remember when I became the godmother for my niece, holding her during her baptism seemed like catching a glimpse of the Kingdom. When I receive the Eucharist, I feel close to the Kingdom that Jesus announced in the Gospel. Whenever justice clearly and definitively prevails over oppression, it feels like the Kingdom of God is present, though those moments are certainly harder to pinpoint than experiences of sacramental grace. But I still look for those shooting star moments.
Ultimately, Christ’s coming won’t be difficult to notice. As today’s reading tells us, it will be like looking for a shooting star and our vision will be overwhelmed by lightning filling the entire night sky with its brilliance. Until then, whenever light prevails over darkness we see a vision of the Kingdom. Truly, the Kingdom of God is among us.
Prayer
God of all time and seasons, as autumn turns to winter and the days grow shorter, we remember and hope for your holy light in our lives. Give us your grace to see that where there is love, we find you among us—your kingdom here and now. Forgive our failing to love, to reconcile, to be converted. Fill our hearts with your love and give us the courage and strength to share it freely as your beloved sons and daughters. Come Holy Spirit—enkindle with us the fire of your love! Amen.
Saint of the Day
John Kunsevich was born in what is now Poland in 1580 and lived during a time of schism between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches. As a youth, he turned down a marriage arrangement and business partnerships in order to enter a monastery in 1604, when he took the name Josaphat.
He lived a life of prayer and discipline and as he matured, was named bishop of a local church in present-day Ukraine that was in great need of reform. He led by example and instituted changes that helped clergy and laity alike live more faithfully. Schismatic Orthodox bishops took up residence in the same area, claiming priority in the faith among the people. Conflict arose, and Josaphat was unfairly discredited. He tried to calm the troubles by speaking out, knowing full well that it might cost him his life. "If I am counted worthy of martyrdom,” he said, “then I am not afraid to die."
He urged patience and forbearance among his people, even when they were incited to violence. Tensions rose until finally a mob gathered and took him by force—he was beaten and killed and his body was thrown in the river.
It is said that the Jewish people of the city acted heroically amidst the violent mob—they risked their own lives to try to protect Josaphat and his friends and servants. These Jews saved many lives and they were the only ones to publicly accuse the killers of Josaphat and mourn his death while the Catholics of the city hid.
The violence convinced many in the city that things had gone too far, and public opinion moved towards unity. Orthodox opposition leaders came to reconcile with Rome. The relics of St. Josaphat rest in the reliquary chapel.
St. Josaphat, who gave your life for the unity of Christians and inspired reconciliation with your death, pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Josaphat is used with permission from Catholic Online. Last accessed November 15, 2024. Modified from the original.