Reflect today on the presence of the Kingdom of God present in our midst

Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied: “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, 'Look, here it is' or,' Here it is. 'For behold, the Kingdom of God is in your midst. ” Luke 17: 20-21

The Kingdom of God is among you! What does it mean? Where is the Kingdom of God and how is it among us?

The Kingdom of God can be spoken of in two ways. At the final coming of Christ, at the end of time, His Kingdom will be permanent and visible to all. It will destroy all sin and evil and everything will be renewed. He will reign forever and charity will rule every mind and heart. What a joyful gift to anticipate with so much hope!

But this passage refers in particular to the Kingdom of God which is already among us. What is that Kingdom? It is the Kingdom present by grace that lives in our hearts and presents itself to us in countless ways every day.

First, Jesus longs to reign in our hearts and rule our lives. The key question is this: do I let it take control? He is not the kind of king who imposes himself in a dictatorial way. He does not exercise His authority and demands that we obey. Of course this will happen eventually when Jesus returns, but for now his invitation is just that, an invitation. He invites us to give Him the royalty of our lives. He invites us to let him take full control. If we do, he will give us commands which are commands of love. They are decrees that lead us to truth and beauty. They refresh and renew us.

Second, the presence of Jesus is all around us. His Kingdom is present whenever charity is present. His Kingdom is present whenever grace is at work. It is so easy for us to be overwhelmed by the evils of this world and lose God's presence. God is alive in countless ways all around us. We must always strive to see this presence, be inspired by it and love it.

Reflect today on the presence of the Kingdom of God present in your midst. Do you see it in your heart? Do you invite Jesus to rule your life every day? Do you recognize him as your Lord? And do you see the ways He comes to you in your daily circumstances or in others and in your daily situations? Search for it constantly and it will bring joy to your heart.

Lord, I invite you, today, to come and reign in my heart. I give you complete control of my life. You are my Lord and my King. I love you and want to live according to your perfect and holy will. Jesus I believe in you.