In the Gospel today we hear the proclamation, "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." I cannot hear those words without remember one of my more well-known scripture professors who would go absolutely ballistic over the song "City of God" that is sung regularly in Catholic churches.
What was his problem? The song says, "Let us build the city of God..." as if it were possible. The blatant hubris to believe that we human beings could actually construct the kingdom of God.
Like grace the kingdom of which Jesus speaks is made by God and offered to us as gift. I can chose to be part or not, but the ultimate victory of God's kingdom is inevitable. The incarnation, life,death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus "opened the gates of paradise." it cannot be rushed or stopped by any of us. The kingdom of God is here, and its fullness is coming!
My (and your) job is to live as citizen of it, announce it, invite others into it. The signs of it are all around us.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
