Daily Catholic Lectio. Thu, 13 November ’25. Kingdom Within

Daily Catholic Lectio

Thu, 13 November ‘25

Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday

Wisdom 7:22–8:1. Luke 17:20–25

Kingdom Within

The Pharisees ask Jesus a question that echoes across time: “When will the Kingdom of God come?” It is a question born perhaps of curiosity, impatience, or even mockery. They expect an external sign — something visible, powerful, unmistakable. But Jesus surprises them: “The Kingdom of God is among you.”

This response overturns all their expectations. The Kingdom is not something to be watched from a distance, nor is it a political or territorial power. It is already here, active in their midst — though unseen, unrecognized, and often resisted.

Let us explore this mystery of the Kingdom within in three movements:

(a) The Kingdom is a Person — Jesus Himself

When Jesus says, “The Kingdom of God is among you,” He is speaking of Himself. In Him, God’s rule, mercy, and love are made visible. Wherever Jesus heals, forgives, and welcomes the outcast, the Kingdom takes flesh. The Pharisees fail to recognize this, for their eyes seek signs in the heavens while the sign stands before them in human form.

To find the Kingdom, we must first find Christ — not in distant places or future times, but here and now, in His Word, in the Eucharist, and in the lives of those around us. When our hearts are attuned to Him, the Kingdom dawns within us.

(b) The Kingdom unfolds in our midst

The Kingdom is not confined to sacred spaces. It works silently in our daily circumstances — in our families, workplaces, parishes, and communities. Every act of forgiveness, every word of truth, every gesture of compassion is a seed of the Kingdom.

Like yeast in the dough or a mustard seed in the soil, God’s reign grows quietly, transforming what seems ordinary. To see it, we need not physical sight, but faith — a faith that discerns God’s action in the hidden and the humble.

(c) The Kingdom operates invisibly yet powerfully

Jesus warns that the coming of the Son of Man will not be announced by signs that all can see. His presence is already active, even when unnoticed. The Kingdom works beneath the surface of history, in the depths of the human heart.

It is like wisdom itself, of which the first reading says: “Wisdom is more radiant than the sun, and surpasses every constellation of the stars.” Divine wisdom helps us perceive that radiance — the gentle light of God’s reign shining amid darkness. Without that light, we look for the Kingdom outside ourselves and miss the transformation God is already working within us.

Living the Kingdom

To welcome the Kingdom within is to let God reign in our hearts — to surrender our pride, control, and fear, and to allow divine wisdom to guide our thoughts and actions. The Kingdom grows where God’s will is done with love.

When we pray, “Thy Kingdom come,” we are not asking for something distant or future. We are asking that our lives become places where God’s love rules, where Christ lives and acts through us.

May the radiant Wisdom of God open our eyes to see His Kingdom in our midst — in Christ who dwells among us, in the quiet workings of grace around us, and in the peace that reigns within a heart surrendered to God. “The Kingdom of God is within you.” May we live each day as its living witnesses.

Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi

Archdiocese of Madurai

Missionary of Mercy