What does it really mean to be part of God’s Kingdom on earth? Jesus taught us a lot about the Kingdom. How do we apply all of that to our daily lives?
One of the central teachings of Vatican II related to the lay apostolate, the role of the laity to participate in the mission that Christ left for us. We are expected to be members of the body of Christ, carrying His good news out into the everyday happenings of life.
The clergy and religious orders don’t have access to every part of our lives. We are the ones who go to jobs or participate in civic organizations or clubs or teams or classes. So, it is our job to make sure God’s Kingdom is alive and thriving in all those places.
Believe me, I know that can be a tricky thing to manage, especially in today’s social climate. As I mentioned recently, I am a public school teacher, so I know what it is like when you really can’t openly share your faith.
But I can openly promote the kinds of relationships that Jesus modeled for us and calls us to share. He made it very clear. It’s all about love. St. Therese of Lisieux reiterated it so well. We need to do even small things with great love.
So, as we go on through this week after the feast of Christ the King, and then through this new Church year, let’s remember that we are members of a great Kingdom, a Kingdom of Love.