But he said to them, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent” (Lk 4:43).
Jesus himself, the Son of God incarnate, fully divine and fully human, is the foretaste of heaven for he himself is the kingdom of heaven at hand. His work of preaching, teaching, healing, and casting out demons, is the restoration of the Father’s Love in our fallen, human condition. Jesus came to heal and bring unity to that which had been divided and once he began his public ministry he was ever on the go.
Through our Baptism, we have been conformed to and indelibly marked by Christ and for Christ. We are nourished by his Body and Blood in the Eucharist, and we’re empowered through the laying on of hands by the bishop at our Confirmation. We have been grafted into the life of God through our participation in the life of Jesus the Christ in a powerful way through the sacraments.
By our baptism and the sacraments, we too then are priests, prophets, and kings as we participate in his life. We also then are to: preach and teach the same Gospel, be his healing and comforting presence for others, radiate the light and truth of Jesus to those in our midst, and yes we too are called to cast out all demons, and to renounce any negativity, dehumanization, and division in his name. When we claim the authority of our baptism in Jesus’ name, we, “submit [our]selves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee” (James 4:7).
Jesus did not travel very far during his three-and-a-half-year public ministry, yet his teachings and healing power has touched all the corners of the world. This has happened because those who have encountered him, have said yes to his invitation, repented, submitted to the will of his Father, have been forgiven, healed and have been transformed to be his saints.
We are called to surrender our life to Jesus moment by moment, in each circumstance and situation, so that we may also build up our relationship with him, and embrace the gift of our unique vocation. Let us ponder what Jesus’ inaugural message means to us: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mk 1:15).
We cannot share what we do not have. By developing a life of prayer and meditation grounded in his living word, we find in the Bible, we deepen our relationship with Jesus and begin to experience the love of the Holy Spirit and are more able to let go of that which holds us back from a more intimate union with God. Renouncing that which seeks to divert us away from God and surrendering ourselves to the love of the Holy Spirit, we let go of that which leads us to separation and death and instead receive the one who offers us eternal life.
Each day is a new opportunity to learn from, be empowered by, and not only follow Jesus but as he did, proclaim the kingdom of God in the unique expression we have received and in the way God calls us to share!
Photo: Let us be “like a tree planted by still water, that yields its fruit in due season; its leaves never whither; whatever he does prospers.” (Psalm 1:3).
Spiritual Stepping Stones 