The Kingdom of Heaven

Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. (Phil 1:20) “The last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matt 20:16)

Ever think of yourself as a magnifying glass?? Each of us has the capacity to magnify Christ’s presence to others who have the desire to see, the ears to hear, and the heart to receive. When the priest during mass says “this is my body….my blood…given, poured out for you…that sins may be forgiven” Christ is magnified for all who have faith!

When you and I outside of Mass say “this is my time for you in your time of need” or “may I offer you a different thought from my own experience with Christ” or “in all love for you might I suggest that you re-think your opinion on abortion, war, immigration, etc in light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ” we in effect are magnifying Christ’s presence.

To live our parish mission statement “by our words and actions we lovingly invite all to come home to God through Christ” demands of us a constant awareness of our dignity, our worth to Christ. Every time we receive Christ he receives us and begs us to make Him present in our world of sin and doubt.

And where there is no sin, but obvious goodness , we again are called upon to affirm another in ways that bring to awareness the presence of Christ. Saying things like “I’m so thrilled to hear you respect life of the unborn, or the foreigner…Christ is present!” We again magnify the presence of Christ!

And I wonder what would happen if every Christian Citizen had the courage to magnify Christ in those moments of darkness, to magnify Christ in those moments of light?

I ask you to pray for the courage we Catholic Christians and all Christians need in our every day situations to remember that Christ calls us in His Spirit to be courageous signs of Hope. When we seek the Lord outside of Mass, marvelous changes will be made in His name.

“Seek the LORD while he may be found, call him while he is near. Let the scoundrel forsake his ways, and the wicked his thoughts; let him turn to the LORD for mercy, to our God, who is generous in forgiving. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.

I pray in thanksgiving for those who attended our annual ministry conference! You are co-workers in the vineyard, and believe me as we continue to minister with each other we magnify Christ’s presence in our bodies, minds and hearts!

Fr Paul frpaul@holyapostlescc.org