The Gospel of Matthew
tells us that “from that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, 'Repent, for
the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'” Jesus preached this message to the huge
crowds that followed him, both in words and in actions as he healed people from
all over the region. But, it is not enough that the Good News of God’s kingdom
is at hand; we still have to repent.
Perhaps this repentance is part of the Good News.
To repent implies not only
a feeling of remorse, but also being willing to change ourselves and our
actions for the better. As part of our
repentance, changing ourselves should be for the greater glory of God. Through our repentance, what relationships do
we have that need to be healed? As part
of our desire to repent, how can we become better informed about the injustices
that exist around us, and what can we do to change them?
In seminary, one of my
theology professors always emphasized that the kingdom of God is “already, but
not yet,” meaning that the kingdom of God has been proclaimed and initiated by
the life and ministry of Jesus, but it has not yet come to its
fulfillment. What can we do to help God
create and bring about the kingdom of God in our world, in the lives of those
we interact with through our words and our actions?
If the kingdom of God is
at hand, perhaps we can find God in all things.
Today, as part of the new year, as part of our on-going call to
conversion, perhaps we may repent and find God in our yearning for
self-improvement and right relationships with everyone and everything around
us. By doing so, perhaps we will
recognize the closeness of the kingdom of God in our lives.
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