Daily Catholic Lectio
Thu, 14 November ‘24
XXXII Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday
Philemon 7-20. Psalm 146:7, 8-9a, 9b-10. Luke 17:20-25
Response to the Kingdom
‘The kingdom of God is invisible to the eyes; it is expected with a lot of enthusiasm, and it is rejected by the people.’
The gospel reading is the answer of Jesus to the Pharisees, who asked him when the kingdom of God was coming.
Jesus says to them, “The kingdom of God is among you.”
What does the expression ‘kingdom of God’ signify? (a) The kingdom of God refers to Jesus himself, for Jesus is the centre of the kingdom. (b) The kingdom of God signifies Jesus’ preaching and healing ministry, which has already created an impact on the people. (c) The kingdom of God points to the contrast community of disciples who lived the values of Jesus.
Jesus, who had used different metaphors such as mustard seed and yeast to describe the kingdom of God, now proposes the response that people would make towards the kingdom of God.
(a) The kingdom of God is invisible to the eyes.
The kingdom of God cannot be perceived with the eyes. Its working is invisible. It works invisibly, just as the yeast works in the dough. Besides, since it is invisible, people will tend to ignore it.
(b) The kingdom of God is expected with longing.
The people who are oppressed at the social, religious, political, and economic levels will long for the kingdom of God. They would await the deliverance that would be given by the kingdom of God.
(c) The kingdom of God is rejected by human persons.
Since the challenges of the kingdom, such as equality, freedom, dignity, and fraternity, are unacceptable to people, they will reject it outright.
The kingdom of God is one and the same; the responses are different.
Why do we ignore and reject the kingdom of God?
The kingdom of God wants from us a change of life; it expects us to be transformed. Either we are not ready for it, or we don’t want it.
Then, why do we long for it?
Because of our deficiency. The existential vacuum can be filled only by the kingdom of God.
What is the lesson from the gospel reading?
Today, in academic circles, scholars talk about ‘kingdom leadership or discipleship.’ This type of leadership presupposes that everyone of us is a prince and princess of God, who is our king. It demands that our thoughts, words, and actions be dignified, respectful, and high.
This leadership or discipleship has three directions: (a) Upward: it makes us get united to God; (b) Inward: it calls for constant self-analysis and renewal; and (c) Outward: it makes us bear fruit in our lives.
When we begin to embrace kingdom leadership or discipleship, we will experience God’s kingdom working amidst us.
In the first reading, Paul, writing to Philemon, exhorts him to welcome, accept, and re-own Onesimus, his former slave, as his brother in faith. Paul makes a social revolution here. Paul underlines that what is spiritual must reflect as a social response. This is a very good example for Paul’s Kingdom Leadership. Paul wishes that Philemon who was united to God in an upward direction must be united to his brothers and sisters in a horizontal direction. It is necessary that we don’t take offence at a person mindful of his past; rather, we celebrate the person accepting his or her present state.
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The ’pilgrims of hope’ exercise Kingdom leadership (Jubilee 2025 AD, bite 248).
Yesu Karunanidhi (@ Sower)
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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