Friday last week in ordinary time
"Lk 21:29-33"
And he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees; as soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."
Jesus often spoke about the Kingdom of God. Some people think that the Kingdom will come at the end of time, but that's not what Jesus referred to. He said that the Kingdom of God was like a mustard seed: it grows slowly, unseen for a long time. He also compared it to someone who scatters seed on the ground and the enemy comes and sows weeds among the wheat (Mt 13).
Jesus said that the Kingdom was like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened (Mt 13:33). We Christians are the leaven that is transforming the world from within. He also compared the Kingdom to a king settling accounts with his servants, to a landowner hiring labourers, to the wise bridesmaids who were ready... The Kingdom of God is already in the world; Jesus is King (don't forget!) and therefore He 'has' a Kingdom.
Often great kingdoms started as a small patch of land and a bunch of people with a strong leader who became their king and together, little by little, they conquered grounds. Gradually some of their enemies quit, others joined their army, while others ran away. Sometimes the king and his army lost ground for a while and were defeated in battle, but the soldiers stood by their king faithfully and eventually recovered the land again.
Don't you see this battle happening within you? Don't you feel Jesus fighting to conquer your heart? Don't you remember that His Kingdom will have no end? The kingdom He is longing to conquer is each and every person's heart. But for Him to conquer my heart I need to fight to control it and then I need to surrender it to the King. Mother, remind me to pray every day, many times: 'Your Kingdom come!' so that my Jesus can conquer my heart, be the only King of it and rule it with His Love.
