Kingdom
Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Man, Kingdom of Heaven—several slightly different kingdoms mentioned in our Judeo-Christian story. Are there significant differences, or do they all mean the same kingdom? I find this interesting to reflect on. In the Our Father we ask, because Jesus taught us to ask, that THY kingdom come, meaning the kingdom of God. Perhaps it is inferred but the kingdom of heaven can be seen as a community of those in union with God, Jesus Christ, the saints and our loved ones who have preceded us.
The kingdom of heaven is the wording of this week’s gospel passage from Matthew that Jesus uses as he picks up where John left off with the exhortation, “Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
This is the background for the call of Peter, Andrew, James and John and he asked them to help him proclaim, “…the gospel of the kingdom.” No mention of God or heaven.
I have always appreciated the urgency of this invitation/challenge underscored by the qualifier, “…at hand.” I believe this means that the kingdom is here. It has already come. It is available, but we must tap into it, look for it, be immersed in it, be baptized into it. Much like grace itself. It is at hand. It is near. It is already here among us and we must look for it, articulate it and mediate it.
I believe this is a significant part of what Jesus was calling the early disciples, and US, to see. We must all preach the kingdom at hand, right here, accessible, among us, there for the finding, nearer than we can imagine and constantly breaking into human life. Preaching may mean that we share who and what mediates the grace of God’s kingdom with others. Our continuing Adventure in Grace is built on this premise and our Small Christian Communities-Gatherings in Grace are exceptional ways to do that.
One overarching scriptural reference to the kingdom of God is that it is God’s kingly rule. The ongoing rule of God made known in Jesus Christ and manifest by the Holy Spirit. We often define grace as the flow of God’s love. Where else is the Kingdom more evident than the flow of grace imbedded in the plea, “Thy Kingdom come.”
Barb & Kurt Knuth Distinguished Service Award
Holy Family is establishing an annual award recognizing exceptional service to our community. The award is named after Barb and Kurt Knuth who have demonstrated, since the parish was founded, the characteristics that the award is based on. The award will be presented each year at the annual Gala and the winner will be presented with a custom award in recognition of their achievement. A permanent display will be placed in the Narthex to honor the Knuths, the current year honoree and past honorees.
The honoree shall be a member of the community who has been active in any one or multiple ministries for over ten years and provided significant contributions to the Gala. They actively demonstrate the life of a disciple, providing service to others and setting a positive example for others to emulate. They have provided exceptional leadership in coordinating and motivating others to accomplish a philanthropic project for the benefit of the community. They are a witness to their faith, exhibiting Catholic morals and integrity; they actively demonstrate gospel values through their service to others. Their service will have made a lasting impact on the community demonstrating the spirit of volunteerism at its best, and their peers and those they serve outwardly respect them. Please look for details of our first honoree in the next two weeks.
Catholic Schools Week
Next week we acknowledge the importance of Catholic education in the world and our community. It is an opportunity to say thank you to our principal, Kate O’Brien, assistant principal, Laura Clark, our dedicated faculty and staff, our parents and students at Holy Family Catholic Academy.
Please join us during the 9:00am Mass next Sunday as we share some of the goodness of our Academy. Deb Atkins is always ready to give a tour or more information about the many unique qualities of our Academy including the International Baccalaureate program and inquiry-based learning curriculum. She can be reached at datkins@holyfamilyparish.org.